Way Out West (1937)

3 1/2 Stars (out of 4)

Trail of the Lonesome Pine

By Jeffrey M. Anderson

While not exactly high art, this Laurel and Hardy feature is brisk and silly and charming in all the right ways, and its dance sequence one of the most delightful moments in all of screen comedy.

In Way Out West, Stan (Stan Laurel) and Ollie (Oliver Hardy) journey to Brushwood Gulch to find Mary Roberts (Rosina Lawrence), to deliver the deed to her father's successful gold mine. Unfortunately, Mary has been in the care of the nasty saloon owner Mickey Finn (James Finlayson) his wife, singer Lola Marcel (Sharon Lynn).

When the villains learn of the nature of the errand, Lola pretends to be Mary, to intercept the deed. But Stan and Ollie discover the truth and try to grab the deed back, but to no avail. So they must return at night and stage a daring rescue, that is not without its comic pitfalls. Will Mary get what's rightfully hers?

Early in the movie, as the boys arrive in Brushwood Gulch, they pause to listen to the Avalon Boys performing "At the Ball, That's All," and they commence a-dancing, showcasing their splendid comic poetry and synchronization and connection. As for the rest of the movie, Way Out West busily rushes through its plot setup, establishing the villains, the victim, and the MacGuffin that everyone is after.

The rest is spent tying up these threads with a wide array of gags, some of which are hilarious, and others of which are worthy of a smile or a giggle. One of the best scenes is also the simplest. Stan gets his hands on the deed and secures it inside his coat, while the villainous Lola tries to get it back — by tickling him. Stan's uninhibited peals of laughter are totally contagious, and it's difficult not to laugh hysterically along with him.

Overall, Way Out West lacks the careful construction of a comedy by, say Charlie Chaplin or Buster Keaton, and it's even a little less rambunctious than their earlier Sons of the Desert, but the talent and charisma of its two stars are still undeniable.