AboveDeepBuggy Some things I liked some I did not.

Spidersecu Don't Believe the Hype

Gurlyndrobb While it doesn't offer any answers, it both thrills and makes you think.

Bea Swanson This film is so real. It treats its characters with so much care and sensitivity.

classicsoncall As good or as faulty as one's memory might be after fifty or sixty years, I'd say that this Laurel and Hardy flick is the one that managed to permeate my brain the best with a whole host of memorable catch phrases like the one in my summary line. Others include that business about two peas in a pod-duh (emphasis on the 'd'), and Ollie's ubiquitous exclamation about 'another fine mess you've gotten me into'. Oh yeah, and can't forget the one about 'every man should be king in his own castle'. It's no wonder Stan and Ollie have remained so popular over the years, I just love these guys.For me, the puzzler in this story is why the boys would go with the Hawaiian cruise gambit to put one over on their wives. Seems to me the girls should have jumped at the chance to go along and then we'd have had an entirely different picture. But since they went with it, I got a kick out of hearing that 'Honolulu Baby' song from nightclub crooner Ty Purvis. I'm pretty sure that song was parodied in one of those old Warner Brothers cartoons so I'll have to stay attentive to catch it some time. And this wouldn't have been the first time I noticed how well Stan fractures the English language with statements like "I think he's suffering from a nervous shakedown". Seems to me Leo Gorcey must have been well inspired by the malapropisms his predecessor came up with. But to my mind, the biggest baffler with the boys in this or any other picture, is how they managed to have such good looking wives. Mae Busch as Lottie Hardy and Dorothy Christy as Betty Laurel - go figure! One last thing, with Charley Chase as the obnoxious convention attendee, he kept using this word 'darb' so much that I had to look it up. Turns out it's an out of use expression that back in the day meant that a person or thing was excellent. So coming full circle on that, I'd have to recommend this film for all of you who haven't seen it yet, because after all is said and done, it's quite darb.

PamelaShort Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy are at the peak of their comedic talents in this very amusing comedy, Sons Of the Desert. While typical in plot and characterization, this is one of their finest films as henpecked husbands who want to attend an out of town convention with their fellow lodge members. Of course their wives have a different idea, and vehemently forbid them from attending such folly. Stan and Ollie come up with an outlandish plan that fools the leery wives, but eventually backfires on the hapless pair. In this film we are treated with the funniest sight gags, hilarious dialogue and most priceless facial expressions. Mae Busch and Dorothy Christy are equally outstanding with their performances as Mrs. Hardy and Mrs. Laurel. Charley Chase is very funny as one of the boisterous lodge attendees Stan and Ollie encounter. This comedy is a pure delight from beginning to end and never fails to bring a smile and much laughter. A must see for all Laurel and Hardy fans and for anyone who needs a cheery lift.

Electrified_Voltage Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy, a renowned comedy duo from the first half of the 20th Century, are still remembered today for their contributions to the genre, which they certainly deserve to be. I was introduced to Laurel & Hardy during my childhood in the 90's, with video tapes from my late grandfather. I remember seeing quite a bit of their work, mostly shorts, years ago, and I think I found most of it hilarious! However, I never saw this particular full-length film, considered by many to be their funniest flick, until this year. Knowing how popular it was, and knowing it was from a comedy team that had made me laugh so hard in the past, I obviously had lofty expectations for "Sons of the Desert". I think those expectations were met! Stan and Ollie are members of a fraternity known as the Sons of the Desert. This organization is about to hold its annual convention in Chicago, and they take an oath to attend. Stan is reluctant, afraid his wife won't let him attend, but it turns out that Ollie's wife is the one who won't let her husband go to the convention, as the couple have planned a trip to the mountains. Determined to avoid breaking the oath, Ollie pretends to be ill, and Stan gets a doctor, who happens to be a veterinarian, to prescribe an ocean voyage to Honolulu. So, Stan and Ollie go to the convention, with their wives thinking they've gone on the Hawaiian voyage! It won't be that easy trying to keep their wives from knowing where they've actually been, especially after the boat they are supposedly on sinks in a typhoon while the two are on their way home!"Sons of the Desert" consistently had me laughing, often hard, like I was expecting, and I can't think of a single lame gag in the entire film! If you're familiar with Laurel & Hardy, I'm sure you know to expect a lot of physical/visual humour, which is all done very well here. Other things that make this film so funny include Laurel's famous crying, some priceless lines from him (such as what he says about the veterinarian), and Hardy's reactions to Laurel's mistakes. This is all typical of the duo. They first appear in the film at a meeting with the Sons of the Desert, and as soon as they enter, the humour and foolishness begin! This continues pretty much non-stop for most of the film! Ollie's short-tempered wife, played by Mae Busch, is another comic highlight, and so is an appearance from comedian Charley Chase. All these things should make the film a great viewing experience for many people who like slapstick and chaos in comedy!

ALauff Although this is considered Laurel and Hardy's greatest feature, the comic promise of their clandestine getaway isn't fulfilled until the boys return from Chicago and have to convince their wives that they're survivors of a shipwreck. Stan and Ollie were clearly at their expressive peaks, with Laurel's sudden crying fits, malapropism, and head-scratching proving hilarious once their ruse is up, and Hardy's trademark, dainty finger wave and pedantic diction coming across as an effortless personality quirk. My favorite moment is Stanley's sudden burst of articulate speech in the attic—Oliver's wide-eyed surprise and put-out gaze into the camera is priceless. In fact, the last 20–25 minutes are best-ever material, but it isn't as compelling for its entire length as Way Out West or their best shorts, such as Tit for Tat and The Music Box.