Horst in Translation (filmreviews@web.de) "Come Clean" is an American black-and-white short film from 1931, so this one is already over 85 years old and the names Horne and especially Walker (or Hal Roach as producer) maybe make it obvious to you that this 20-minute movie is another Laurel/Hardy film from back in the day. They brought their wives here or maybe I should say their characters'. And still of course it is all about the comedy and not about the romance as back then, the comedy greats were rather pushed around by their significant others instead of showing each other their feelings. In terms of Stan & Ollie, this is probably neither among their most or least known works, something in-between, and it is also already from their days of starring in sound films, so far from their oldest material. They were the big exception by managing a successful transition from silent to sound, even if admittedly the audio site is so clumsy that you feel that this is really from the early days of sound movies. And certainly not on the level of the greatest sound cartoons from that time. Let me also add that I somewhat enjoyed the awkward beginning as the Hardys don't want to let the Laurels in, but of course, eventually they do as otherwise the film would have been over after 2 and not after 20 minutes. Sadly the solid level from the start deteriorates more and more the longer the film goes. The balcony and bathroom/bathtub scenes are not half as funny as they were intended to regardless of all the splish splash going on. Quite a shame as the 2 protagonists and also their supporting actors are definitely more talented than the material they are given here. At some point, it just turns into loud hullabaloo or klamauk as we say here in Germany and the cinematic value is down to zero. I give the overall product a thumbs-down here. Not recommended unless you really love L&H.

Steve Pulaski James W. Horne does what he does best as a director of Laurel and Hardy shorts with Come Clean, a spry comedic short, which is erect a story and short film on the opportunities that naturally arise from situational comedy. His directorial style, combined with H.M. Walker's writing, is often comprised of coming up with a ridiculous story and continuing to feed its inanity by seeing just how far one could take it. This results in a short that is more than just endless bouts of physical comedy with no real humor whatsoever, but a showcase of two charismatic comedy talents and a screen writing exercise that serves as a fulfilling laugh-riot.Come Clean may not live up to Horne's other Laurel and Hardy shorts, like Big Business and Thicker Than Water, but there is still an incomparable amount of energy and liveliness within the screenplay and the characters. The short begins by Mr. and Mrs. Hardy wishing they could have a restful, quiet evening in their apartment, but are interrupted, per usual, by the well-meaning but troublemaking Mr. and Mrs. Laurel. After trying to refuse entry, the Hardy's give up and decide to let them in, to which Laurel replies by hanging with his old pal Hardy and the wives are left to mingle in the frontroom. When Laurel and Hardy decide to venture out to get ice cream, they wind up preventing a woman from committing suicide off a bridge, to which she is ungrateful and begins making threats to both men if they dare leave her company. What results is a manic evening between the two men and the shrewish woman, as they try to get back to their wives for a dinner, while preventing the woman from screaming whenever she is unsatisfied with what's happening.This is the first Laurel and Hardy short I've encountered where little sense is made in regards to the short's narrative or its cause-and-effect relationship. Why would this woman try and commit suicide? Was it all just a ploy to get the attention of someone she could blackmail? Why are Laurel and Hardy's wives so bitter and shrewish themselves? Writer H.M. Walker doesn't concern himself with that information so much as he does try his best to quietly obscure details by making such a ridiculous and wild short film, one that operates with the one-thing-leads-to-another formula of early comedy filmmaking, without so much as clearing up why one thing leads to another.It's all in the name of comedy, and in that spirit, Come Clean is pretty funny, especially during the last ten minutes of its nineteen-minute runtime, where, per usual, all hell breaks loose and Laurel and Hardy are left to their own thoughtful wits, as lackluster as those often are. Come Clean provides for fun and enjoyment, which is precisely what most of these shorts have been giving me, so far.Starring: Stan Laurel and Olive Hardy. Directed by: James W. Horne.

Jackson Booth-Millard Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy are the most famous comedy duo in history, and deservedly so, so I am happy to see any of their films. Ollie and Mrs. Hardy (Gertrude Astor) are hoping for a quiet night alone, but Stan and Mrs. Laurel (Linda Loredo) come along spoiling this. To make the best of the evening, Ollie and Stan go out to buy some ice cream, only afterwards to spot Kate (Mae Busch), wanted by the police, jumping into the river. She blackmails them to take her with them, or she'll tell people they tried to kill her. So near misses, amusing methods of disguising noise and a small chase or two follow as they try to hide Kate from their wives, until eventually the police show up. Ollie points Stan out to be responsible, not realising whoever finds her gets $1000 reward, and it ends with Stan going down the drain of the bath, or as Ollie says, "he's gone to the beach". Filled with good slapstick and all classic comedy you want from a black and white film, it is an enjoyable silent film. Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy were number 7 on The Comedians' Comedian. Worth watching!

Boba_Fett1138 Tiny problem with most Laurel & Hardy movies is that most of them have some weaker scene's and moments in them. "Come Clean" however is a wonderful exception to this and it's a movie that manages to stay consistent throughout its entire running time.All of the sequences are very well constructed and are highly amusing. Also some of the slapstick moments are not original but certainly entertaining. The movie also has some great comical spoken lines, which mainly involves Stan Laurel.Also Mae Busch shows her comical talent and her character gets the boys into some serious hilarious trouble. Mae Busch appeared also in several other comical Laurel & Hardy short's such as "Them Thar Hills", "Oliver the Eighth" and "Unaccustomed As We Are".One of the better Laurel & Hardy comical short's.9/10http://bobafett1138.blogspot.com/