Block-Heads

"90 Minutes of Happiness and Hi-Jinks"

1938 0h 57m EN

👍

7.0

SOLID

⭐

7.5

IMDB

★7.0TMDB · 153★7.5IMDB · 4,621

ComedyWar

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

It's 1938, but Stan doesn't know the war is over; he's still patrolling the trenches in France, and shoots down a French aviator. Oliver sees his old chum's picture in the paper and goes to visit Stan who has now been returned to the States and invites him back to his home.

“90 Minutes of Happiness and Hi-Jinks”

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Where to watch · US

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Cast

Stan Laurel
Stan
Oliver Hardy
Ollie
Patricia Ellis
Mrs. 'Toots' Gilbert
Minna Gombell
Mrs. Hardy
Billy Gilbert
Mr. Gilbert
James Finlayson
Man on Stairs
Tommy Bond
Neighbor's Son
Harry Earles
Midget in the elevator (uncredited)

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: John G. Blystone
Writers: James Parrott, Harry Langdon, Felix Adler
Languages: English
Countries: United States of America

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8

RUNTIME

Did you know

Tight 57-minute runtime — shorter than most television pilots.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

ERA

Did you know

88 years old — a genuine piece of film history.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

RUNTIME

Did you know

Lean credit list — fewer than 30 people officially credited.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by John G. Blystone, shot by Art Lloyd. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by Marvin Hatley. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Bert Jordan shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

CAST

Did you know

Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy and Patricia Ellis carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

RUNTIME

Did you know

Marketing tagline: "90 Minutes of Happiness and Hi-Jinks".

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

John G. Blystone directs. Art Lloyd behind the camera. Marvin Hatley scores. Bert Jordan cuts. Runs lean at under 100 minutes. Produced in United States of America. Dialogue in English.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

1Tight 57-minute runtime — shorter than most television pilots.
288 years old — a genuine piece of film history.
3Lean credit list — fewer than 30 people officially credited.
4Directed by John G. Blystone, shot by Art Lloyd. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
5Original score by Marvin Hatley. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
6Editor Bert Jordan shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
7Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy and Patricia Ellis carry the top of the cast.
8Marketing tagline: "90 Minutes of Happiness and Hi-Jinks".
9IMDB entry: tt0029923 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
10Classified under 16 themes, including "infidelity", "france", "hunter", "fight".

The technical file

Cinematography: Art Lloyd
Original score: Marvin Hatley
Editing: Bert Jordan
Runtime: 57 min · 0h 57m
Status: Released
Original language: EN
Certification (US): NR
IMDB: Block-Heads (1938)
IMDB rating: 7.5/10 · 4,621 votes
MPAA: Approved

Awards

Nominated for 1 Oscar. 1 nomination total

Also by

John G. Blystone

Trailers & featurettes

Watch the pieces

Community reviews

What people are saying

talisencrw2016-06-29
★ 9/10
This was a genuine treat, with all the craziness you'd expect involving a man who doesn't know a war's over for twenty years! Some of my very favourite set-pieces of theirs, including Laurel destroying Ollie-and-wife's car and kitchen, and Ollie incurring great personal trauma and inconvenience because he simply sees Stan sitting in a wheelchair on one of his legs and thinks he's a helpless cripple. Required viewing for fans of comedy or of cinema from the 30's.

Production companies