24 reviews
This is one of Laurel and Hardy's earliest talkies. It basically involves the boys' attempt to take their wives and Uncle Edgar Kennedy, who has a gouty foot, to a picnic but because of car troubles are unable to get out. Hilarious use of sound effects throughout especially in the use of the car horn and the sound when Ollie hits Stan on the head with a clutch after Stan literally threw it out per Ollie's commands! During one ad-lib scene between the wives and uncle, Kennedy says a swear word that I probably wouldn't have noticed had I not read about it in a Laurel and Hardy filmography book. All this plus a rowdy dog, some unruly neighbors-one of whom is Stan's buddy Baldwin Cooke, and brick throwing at windows and you have one of the funniest comedy shorts of the late '20s. Well worth the time for lovers of comedy in general!
- weezeralfalfa
- Oct 17, 2018
- Permalink
- mark.waltz
- Sep 21, 2016
- Permalink
This Laurel & Hardy short feature has quite a variety of slapstick material. Most of it is rough physical humor - such as sore feet getting trodden upon and bricks being thrown through windows - but there are plenty of different, funny gags with a couple of subtle ones thrown in. Stan and Ollie are planning on taking their wives and their uncle (Edgar Kennedy) for a nice peaceful picnic, a "Perfect Day". They encounter difficulties even before getting out the door, and once they get into the car, the real chaos starts. Stanley has a very funny bit trying to change a tire, and there is a nicely done subtle joke when, in the midst of a heated 'tit-for-tat' battle with a neighbor, everyone suddenly jumps up and runs inside - what did they see? "Perfect Day" is a good comedy and worth a look.
- Snow Leopard
- Jul 9, 2001
- Permalink
Another enjoyable Laurel & Hardy outing, as most of them indeed were, and this must have been one of their earliest talkies too. It's a 20 minute short which involves the boys and their spouses taking an injured relative out for a much-needed picnic, only to encounter endless trouble when they make it outside to their car. Sure, the gags are quite predictable here but it's the sheer number of them which make this work, as one running situation moves into another with endless slapstick, injury and bizarre scenarios. It's not huge on the FX but the addition of a cute dog and the classic final shot make it all worthwhile.
- Leofwine_draca
- Nov 19, 2022
- Permalink
Edgar Kennedy rather steals the scene here as the gout-ridden "Uncle Edgar" - that's quite some foot bandage he's got. Anyway, he is to be taken on a nice day trip by his family - Stan and Ollie, and their wives Kay Deslys and Isabelle Keith. Of course, this is destined to slapstick failure right from the get go. Indeed, they can't even all get into the car before mishaps begin and nobody is going nowhere! Even from their pre-boarding kitchen antics, I found this to be one of the more repetitive outings for our duo, and the fact that they are talking doesn't really help! It has a really predicable narrative to it and there are only so many sandwich throwing and tyre changing gags that I can smile at before they start to stick in the same gear as their static car. These two men were masters of comedy timing and their synchronicity here is still enjoyable, but a bit more work on mixing up the story might have helped - as well as a little more from Kennedy.
- CinemaSerf
- Mar 24, 2024
- Permalink
A LAUREL & HARDY Comedy Short. It is a PERFECT DAY for the Laurels & the Hardys to go on a picnic, taking gouty old Uncle Ed with them. In typical fashion, the Boys proceed to demolish first the sandwiches & then the car, with Uncle's foot coming in for several good whacks along the way.
Pure slapstick from start to finish. Those who like painful physical humor will get lots of laughs here. Stan & Ollie seem much more violent towards each other than usual. Edgar Kennedy plays the much-battered Uncle Ed.
Pure slapstick from start to finish. Those who like painful physical humor will get lots of laughs here. Stan & Ollie seem much more violent towards each other than usual. Edgar Kennedy plays the much-battered Uncle Ed.
- Ron Oliver
- Mar 23, 2000
- Permalink
Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy were comedic geniuses, individually and together, and their partnership was deservedly iconic and one of the best there was. They left behind a large body of work, a vast majority of it being entertaining to classic comedy, at their best they were hilarious and their best efforts were great examples of how to do comedy without being juvenile or distasteful.
Although a vast majority of Laurel and Hardy's previous efforts ranged from above average to very good ('45 Minutes from Hollywood' being the only misfire and mainly worth seeing as a curiosity piece and for historical interest, and even that wasn't a complete mess). 'Perfect Day' is not one of the best and funniest Laurel and Hardy short films up to this point of their output, but it is still great fun. Their filmography, apart from a few bumps along the way, was getting better and better and 'Perfect Day' exemplifies this.
Not a lot to criticise here, though the story is slight and takes time to get going.
Once again, 'Perfect Day' is non-stop funniness all the way when it gets going. There is insane craziness that doesn't get too silly, a wackiness that never loses its energy, the lack of vulgarity that is a large part of 'Perfect Day's ' memorability and the sly wit emerges here, some of the material may not be new but how it's executed actually feels fresh and it doesn't get repetitive.
Laurel and Hardy are on top form here, both are well used, both have material worthy of them and they're equal rather than one being funnier than the other (before Laurel tended to be funnier and more interesting than Hardy, who tended to be underused). Their chemistry feels like a partnership here too, before 'Two Tars' you were yearning for more scenes with them together but in 'Perfect War' we are far from robbed of that. Their comic timing is impeccable.
'Perfect Day' looks good visually, is full of energy and the direction gets the best out of the stars, is at ease with the material and doesn't let it get too busy or static. The supporting players are solid.
Overall, great fun. 9/10 Bethany Cox
Although a vast majority of Laurel and Hardy's previous efforts ranged from above average to very good ('45 Minutes from Hollywood' being the only misfire and mainly worth seeing as a curiosity piece and for historical interest, and even that wasn't a complete mess). 'Perfect Day' is not one of the best and funniest Laurel and Hardy short films up to this point of their output, but it is still great fun. Their filmography, apart from a few bumps along the way, was getting better and better and 'Perfect Day' exemplifies this.
Not a lot to criticise here, though the story is slight and takes time to get going.
Once again, 'Perfect Day' is non-stop funniness all the way when it gets going. There is insane craziness that doesn't get too silly, a wackiness that never loses its energy, the lack of vulgarity that is a large part of 'Perfect Day's ' memorability and the sly wit emerges here, some of the material may not be new but how it's executed actually feels fresh and it doesn't get repetitive.
Laurel and Hardy are on top form here, both are well used, both have material worthy of them and they're equal rather than one being funnier than the other (before Laurel tended to be funnier and more interesting than Hardy, who tended to be underused). Their chemistry feels like a partnership here too, before 'Two Tars' you were yearning for more scenes with them together but in 'Perfect War' we are far from robbed of that. Their comic timing is impeccable.
'Perfect Day' looks good visually, is full of energy and the direction gets the best out of the stars, is at ease with the material and doesn't let it get too busy or static. The supporting players are solid.
Overall, great fun. 9/10 Bethany Cox
- TheLittleSongbird
- Aug 28, 2018
- Permalink
Call me crazy ("Hey, crazy!") but I never enjoyed silent era films. I tried, oh I tried, but each time an actor's mouth moved there was nothing but an awkward silence. Then after what seemed too lengthy of a wait, a placard flashed on the TV screen, reflecting what the actor had just said moments before. I found this to be very distracting, plus it slowed down the natural comedic timing. This lapse between action and dialog, for me, was like watching an entire movie subtitled, and I couldn't square the two up.
That being said, I didn't watch any of the short and feature length "TV reruns" unless they were "talkies." As a kid who was fortunate enough to have a tiny black and white TV set in my bedroom, every Saturday morning before my parents or the Sun were up, I was thoroughly mesmerized by the vaudevillian, overtly physical humor of Buster Keaton, Our Gang (The Little Rascals), The Three Stooges, and of course, Laurel & Hardy.
The first Our Gang (The Little Rascals) talkie was "Small Talk" released in 1929. Buster Keaton's first talkie was "Free and Easy," released in 1930. The Three Stooges (Larry, Moe and Curly) most recognized talkie was The Woman Haters (1934). "Unaccustomed As We Are," released worldwide in 1929, was Laurel and Hardy's film debut with sound. It was an immediate hit with audiences.
Unlike many of their silent film era contemporaries who couldn't make the transition from silent to sound film, Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy effortlessly slipped into this new media. Both actors had the rare gift of "comedic timing," and the duo knew how to thoroughly exploit sight gags. Moreover, lovable Hardy routinely broke the "fourth wall" of film, and after each hilarious yet tragic gag, he would often look straight at the camera as if to say, "Can you believe what just happened to me?"
"Perfect Day" (1929) was Laurel and Hardy's fourth sound movie. Like the first three, it is a short. The plot is simple: With their families aboard, (including a painful gout patient Edgar Kennedy) Stan and Ollie prepare to take their broken down Model T Ford out for a relaxing Sunday picnic. The boys manage to encounter everything from a flat tire to a neighbor who throws a brick through their windshield.
It's all brilliantly performed by two of the most iconic comedic teams in history, and supported by a wonderful set of actors who would often appear in many future Laurel & Hardy shorts and feature length films.
No spoilers here as usual, but I will reveal that Perfect Day contained no music other than a short piece for the opening credits. The Hal Roach Studios reissued the film in 1937 with an added music score.
That being said, I didn't watch any of the short and feature length "TV reruns" unless they were "talkies." As a kid who was fortunate enough to have a tiny black and white TV set in my bedroom, every Saturday morning before my parents or the Sun were up, I was thoroughly mesmerized by the vaudevillian, overtly physical humor of Buster Keaton, Our Gang (The Little Rascals), The Three Stooges, and of course, Laurel & Hardy.
The first Our Gang (The Little Rascals) talkie was "Small Talk" released in 1929. Buster Keaton's first talkie was "Free and Easy," released in 1930. The Three Stooges (Larry, Moe and Curly) most recognized talkie was The Woman Haters (1934). "Unaccustomed As We Are," released worldwide in 1929, was Laurel and Hardy's film debut with sound. It was an immediate hit with audiences.
Unlike many of their silent film era contemporaries who couldn't make the transition from silent to sound film, Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy effortlessly slipped into this new media. Both actors had the rare gift of "comedic timing," and the duo knew how to thoroughly exploit sight gags. Moreover, lovable Hardy routinely broke the "fourth wall" of film, and after each hilarious yet tragic gag, he would often look straight at the camera as if to say, "Can you believe what just happened to me?"
"Perfect Day" (1929) was Laurel and Hardy's fourth sound movie. Like the first three, it is a short. The plot is simple: With their families aboard, (including a painful gout patient Edgar Kennedy) Stan and Ollie prepare to take their broken down Model T Ford out for a relaxing Sunday picnic. The boys manage to encounter everything from a flat tire to a neighbor who throws a brick through their windshield.
It's all brilliantly performed by two of the most iconic comedic teams in history, and supported by a wonderful set of actors who would often appear in many future Laurel & Hardy shorts and feature length films.
No spoilers here as usual, but I will reveal that Perfect Day contained no music other than a short piece for the opening credits. The Hal Roach Studios reissued the film in 1937 with an added music score.
- Sunsphxsuns
- Jan 3, 2022
- Permalink
- Horst_In_Translation
- Oct 29, 2017
- Permalink
- planktonrules
- Feb 20, 2006
- Permalink
As the title says, it's a perfect day for a picnic. Nothing can ruin it! Except this is a Laurel & Hardy short, isn't it?
The remarkable thing about this short is the sheer number of gags that San Laurel and director James Parrott devised for the Boys, all of them good. Edgar Kennedy is given almost nothing to do amidst everything going wrong. Reportedly, this was supposed to take up only the first half of the movie, with the second half being the disasters that would presumably afflict the picnickers. they never got around to it.
The remarkable thing about this short is the sheer number of gags that San Laurel and director James Parrott devised for the Boys, all of them good. Edgar Kennedy is given almost nothing to do amidst everything going wrong. Reportedly, this was supposed to take up only the first half of the movie, with the second half being the disasters that would presumably afflict the picnickers. they never got around to it.
- Jackmichaelmassey
- Jul 11, 2010
- Permalink
Stan and Ollie decide to take their wives and their gout-ridden uncle Edgar on a picnic on a lovely Sunday afternoon. It's a good plan, but they never quite get their in this enjoyable, if slight, short.
It was refreshing to see that the new dynamics of making sound films didn't keep the boys completely studio-bound. The vast bulk of this film was shot outdoors and, as a result, doesn't suffer from the same claustrophobia as "Unaccustomed as We Are," "Berth Marks," and the upcoming "They Go Boom." The film also benefits from appearance of the always reliable Edgar Kennedy, a frequent and hilarious foil. Needless to say, his gout-ridden foot will take a great deal of abuse for the film fades out!
A nice short, reminiscent of Chaplin's "A Day's Pleasure." Not one of their classics, but well worth a look.
It was refreshing to see that the new dynamics of making sound films didn't keep the boys completely studio-bound. The vast bulk of this film was shot outdoors and, as a result, doesn't suffer from the same claustrophobia as "Unaccustomed as We Are," "Berth Marks," and the upcoming "They Go Boom." The film also benefits from appearance of the always reliable Edgar Kennedy, a frequent and hilarious foil. Needless to say, his gout-ridden foot will take a great deal of abuse for the film fades out!
A nice short, reminiscent of Chaplin's "A Day's Pleasure." Not one of their classics, but well worth a look.
- hausrathman
- Nov 20, 2011
- Permalink
Many people seem to compare this to Chaplin's 'A Days Pleasure', but given the majority of that film took place on a boat, and this one takes place in a stationary car, there is hardly any semblance at all. It's a nice day, and Stan and Ollie want to take their families out for a drive, but there are issues with the car, and that is where the comparisons to 'A Days Pleasure' stops.
Many also claim this is funnier than 'A Days Pleasure' but I certainly don't see it. The jokes are telegraphed and laboured. Given it was early days for sound and the technical difficulties were high I won't be too critical of that, but the expression in the voices does sound phony, and doesn't improve upon the duo's best silents such as 'Big Business', 'Wrong Again, and 'Leave 'em Laughing.' They also have not yet discovered the art of soundtrack timing. The music plays underneath the whole thing as if it were a silent, with no pause or adjustment for the occasions when the actors speak.
This one for Stan and Ollie die hards only.
Many also claim this is funnier than 'A Days Pleasure' but I certainly don't see it. The jokes are telegraphed and laboured. Given it was early days for sound and the technical difficulties were high I won't be too critical of that, but the expression in the voices does sound phony, and doesn't improve upon the duo's best silents such as 'Big Business', 'Wrong Again, and 'Leave 'em Laughing.' They also have not yet discovered the art of soundtrack timing. The music plays underneath the whole thing as if it were a silent, with no pause or adjustment for the occasions when the actors speak.
This one for Stan and Ollie die hards only.
- rmax304823
- Sep 28, 2011
- Permalink
- jboothmillard
- Sep 14, 2005
- Permalink
So says Mrs. Hardy when itemizing the food items to bring for a picnic on this 'perfect day.' Spotting details like this is one of the charms of watching really old films. Who knew potato chips would be a common food staple already in 1929?
Plot In a Nutshell: Stan Laurel, Oliver Hardy, their wives and a reluctant "uncle Edgar" plan a picnic on a lovely Sunday afternoon. If you know Laurel & Hardy, you know that's not going to happen...
Why I rated it an '8': this was another very good short from L&H. Not among their very best I wouldn't say, but close enough. There are mishaps with the picnic sandwiches, mishaps with uncle Edgar's gout-ridden foot, mishaps with the family dog....and that's before they even get in their temperamental Model T car. Now the possibilities are endless. Flat tires, sputtering engines...add in incompetent Stan and you get the idea. There is even a small 'mutual destruction' sequence with a neighbor that only ends when a local minister's sudden appearance nips it in the bud. Overall a pretty amusing 20 minutes.
Favorite scene: the family dog vigorously attacking uncle Edgar's bandaged foot. I don't know how they got the dog to be so aggressive, but it was freakin' hilarious!
8/10. Would I watch again (Y/N)?: That's easy. Yes!
Plot In a Nutshell: Stan Laurel, Oliver Hardy, their wives and a reluctant "uncle Edgar" plan a picnic on a lovely Sunday afternoon. If you know Laurel & Hardy, you know that's not going to happen...
Why I rated it an '8': this was another very good short from L&H. Not among their very best I wouldn't say, but close enough. There are mishaps with the picnic sandwiches, mishaps with uncle Edgar's gout-ridden foot, mishaps with the family dog....and that's before they even get in their temperamental Model T car. Now the possibilities are endless. Flat tires, sputtering engines...add in incompetent Stan and you get the idea. There is even a small 'mutual destruction' sequence with a neighbor that only ends when a local minister's sudden appearance nips it in the bud. Overall a pretty amusing 20 minutes.
Favorite scene: the family dog vigorously attacking uncle Edgar's bandaged foot. I don't know how they got the dog to be so aggressive, but it was freakin' hilarious!
8/10. Would I watch again (Y/N)?: That's easy. Yes!
- Better_Sith_Than_Sorry
- May 7, 2021
- Permalink
- ExplorerDS6789
- Aug 2, 2018
- Permalink
'Perfect Day' is pretty much the typical Laurel and Hardy comedy with the usual slapstick and jokes. However, unlike their other works, I found 'Perfect Day' to be comparatively weak. Some of the slapstick works well but some just don't gel well and look forced. Also the repetitive 'goodbye' and other gags gets irritating. I liked the interactions with Uncle Edgar and the dog and the trouble with the car. Laurel and Hardy are good at drawing some laughter but for me it was Laurel again who steals the show. Edgar Kennedy too stands out especially when he's fighting the dog. I don't mean to make it sound as though it is a terrible film because it's not. It does have its good moments but it's far from Laurel and Hardy's best.
- Chrysanthepop
- Aug 3, 2008
- Permalink
Oliver, Stan and their extended family decide to go for a drive and have a picnic given that it is such perfect weather for it. However a series of events starting with an injured foot, a faulty car and many misunderstandings mean that it is harder to bid their neighbours farewell than they'd hoped.
Although slapstick must seem very simply humour (it is, after all, people falling over) it actually must be very difficult to do. In this case it all centres round a picnic trip although the car goes no further than it's parking space for the majority of the film. To come up with a 20 minutes sketch around this is hard work, but yet Laurel & hardy manage to pull it off. The jokes are all quite obvious and none are out of nowhere or very funny, but it all works quite well.
The funniest bit to me was the punchline both Laurel & Hardy keep straight faces and do it like real professionals and make the final shot funnier than it actually is. Both the leads are good but the material requires a lot more setting up which means you can often see the gag about a mile away and it takes away form it a little. The support cast are all pretty ordinary but perform their tasks adequately as really we are watching the lead two. Kennedy's contribution is easily the best as he does battle with a foot bandage and an angry dog.
Overall this is an enjoyable short despite the fact that the humour is very staged and doesn't flow as easily as much of their stuff. The punchline is good but some of the material just seems to be lacking that spark. That said, it is still worth a watch.
Although slapstick must seem very simply humour (it is, after all, people falling over) it actually must be very difficult to do. In this case it all centres round a picnic trip although the car goes no further than it's parking space for the majority of the film. To come up with a 20 minutes sketch around this is hard work, but yet Laurel & hardy manage to pull it off. The jokes are all quite obvious and none are out of nowhere or very funny, but it all works quite well.
The funniest bit to me was the punchline both Laurel & Hardy keep straight faces and do it like real professionals and make the final shot funnier than it actually is. Both the leads are good but the material requires a lot more setting up which means you can often see the gag about a mile away and it takes away form it a little. The support cast are all pretty ordinary but perform their tasks adequately as really we are watching the lead two. Kennedy's contribution is easily the best as he does battle with a foot bandage and an angry dog.
Overall this is an enjoyable short despite the fact that the humour is very staged and doesn't flow as easily as much of their stuff. The punchline is good but some of the material just seems to be lacking that spark. That said, it is still worth a watch.
- bob the moo
- Jun 16, 2003
- Permalink
Perfect Day (1929)
*** (out of 4)
Laurel, Hardy and their families are going on a picnic but various events stand in their way. Another wonderfully funny short features many great gags including the car breaking down and the best moments involving the uncle's bad foot.
Tit for Tat (1935)
*** (out of 4)
Sequel to Them Thar Hills has L&H opening an electronics store next to a grocery store owned by the man they had the run in with in the previous film. This one here works a lot better for laughs even though the film is pretty straight forward with childish gags where the group destroys the others store.
*** (out of 4)
Laurel, Hardy and their families are going on a picnic but various events stand in their way. Another wonderfully funny short features many great gags including the car breaking down and the best moments involving the uncle's bad foot.
Tit for Tat (1935)
*** (out of 4)
Sequel to Them Thar Hills has L&H opening an electronics store next to a grocery store owned by the man they had the run in with in the previous film. This one here works a lot better for laughs even though the film is pretty straight forward with childish gags where the group destroys the others store.
- Michael_Elliott
- Mar 9, 2008
- Permalink
I am in the midst of watching a lot of Laurel and Hardy shorts. I'm amazed at a few things.
There are over a hundred. They all use the same gag philosophy, often the same gags. And they range from pretty darn funny to boring.
This is one of the boring ones. You know when you see a tray of sandwiches that it will be upset and the tray will be used as a weapon a few times. You know when you see a bandaged foot that it can only repeatedly pummeled. Sometimes they do these things with a pace and lightness that you get swept up in it.
Other times, as here, you can imagine them as tired, coming to work to hear the day's layout and just not caring.
Ted's Evaluation -- 1 of 3: You can find something better to do with this part of your life.
There are over a hundred. They all use the same gag philosophy, often the same gags. And they range from pretty darn funny to boring.
This is one of the boring ones. You know when you see a tray of sandwiches that it will be upset and the tray will be used as a weapon a few times. You know when you see a bandaged foot that it can only repeatedly pummeled. Sometimes they do these things with a pace and lightness that you get swept up in it.
Other times, as here, you can imagine them as tired, coming to work to hear the day's layout and just not caring.
Ted's Evaluation -- 1 of 3: You can find something better to do with this part of your life.