"Night Owls" is a 20-minute American black-and-white short film from 1930, so this one will soon have its 90th anniversary. Maybe the names of director Parrott and writer Walker will tell you already that here we got another Laurel and Hardy short film that actually includes in the cast list also quite a few names that the duo worked with on other occasions. Familiar faces we got here like Finlayson who is fun too. This is one of the duo's early sound films, but for that it sounds fairly good and I have seen and (especially) heard weaker stuff. Add to thatb that the story is nothing too complicated beyond the main plot that has our two heroes pose as burglars, so the local police inspector can impress his impatient boss. Of course, a whole lot goes wrong with this plan, some of it because of Stan and Ollie's shenanigans, but also some for which they cannot be blamed. But the two surely made this one work and their elevating the material is really what sets this apart from other films from that era, also other films from the two, as they carry story and comedy nicely and keep it successfully from becoming boring or dragging. I think you should watch it. I am definitely a bit picky when it comes to these old films, but this one here I enjoyed quite a bit. See it.
Review of Night Owls
