Should Men Walk Home?

This film would certainly benefit from restoration. As any Mabel Normand fan knows, much of her comedy came from facial expressions, so the blurry copy makes it impossible to appreciate her full performance. The same goes for Oliver Hardy who is actually unrecognizable in this print. That said, the physical comedy is good, with some clever gags. A highlight is Normand's confrontation with Hardy. They even breath some life into the old chase from room to room gag. Hale makes a nice partner for Normand. The final gag would be "borrowed" by the Marx Brothers, even down to Harpo pretending to check for rain, the way Normand does in this film. The pace is nice and brisk, thanks to McCarey's direction. The best of Normand's surviving Roach films and an above average two-reeler for the period.