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Way Out West (1937 film)

Way Out West is a 1937 Laurel and Hardy comedy film directed by James W. Horne, produced by Stan Laurel, and distributed by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer.[1] It was the second picture for which Stan Laurel was credited as producer.

Way Out West

Contributing (uncredited):
Stan Laurel
James W. Horne
Arthur V. Jones

Jack Jevne
Charley Rogers

Stan Laurel
Oliver Hardy

Bert Jordan

  • April 16, 1937 (1937-04-16) (U.S.)

65 minutes (original)
62 minutes (restored print)

United States

English

Plot[edit]

Laurel and Hardy embark on a quest to locate Mary Roberts, the rightful heir to a substantial inheritance, including a gold mine deed, following news of her father's demise. Discovering Mary amidst the West's cabaret milieu, they encounter formidable obstacles in the form of her legal guardians, indifferent to her well-being and intent on usurping her wealth.


Their journey to Brushwood Gulch is beset with misfortune, from Ollie's mishap in a river sinkhole to their encounter with the stern sheriff and his wife. At Mickey Finn's saloon, a case of mistaken identity leads to the theft of Mary's deed by the unscrupulous Finns, triggering a frantic pursuit.


In a daring nighttime endeavor, Laurel and Hardy orchestrate a break-in to retrieve the deed, facing numerous obstacles. Their efforts culminate in a showdown with the Finns, wherein Ollie's improvised coercion secures the deed's return. With Mary in tow, they escape, leaving the Finns confined to their own establishment.

as Stanley

Stan Laurel

as Ollie

Oliver Hardy

as Lola Marcel

Sharon Lynne

as Mickey Finn

James Finlayson

as Mary Roberts

Rosina Lawrence

as Sheriff

Stanley Fields

as Sheriff's wife

Vivien Oakland

as themselves

The Avalon Boys

Dinah the mule as herself

Credited:


Uncredited:

Soundtrack[edit]

The film's score was composed by Marvin Hatley and nominated for an Academy Award for Best Music (Scoring). The film includes two well-known songs: firstly Macdonald and Carroll's "Trail of the Lonesome Pine", sung by Laurel and Hardy (except for a few lines by Chill Wills and Rosina Lawrence, lip-synched for comedic effect by Laurel), and secondly J. Leubrie Hill's "At the Ball, That's All", sung by the Avalon Boys and accompanied by Laurel and Hardy performing an extended dance routine, one that they rehearsed endlessly.


"Trail of the Lonesome Pine" was released as a single in Britain in 1975, backed by "Honolulu Baby" from Sons of the Desert; it reached number 2 in the British charts.

Way Out West is referenced in the 1979 film when the Sheriff (Bud Spencer) ends up replicating Stan Laurel's thumb fire trick featured in the film.

The Sheriff and the Satellite Kid

The opening scene of the 2018 biopic depicts a shooting of the film, with Laurel and Hardy arriving on the set for one of the dance scenes.

Stan & Ollie

The original BBC version of "", Ken Russell's 1968 biopic of Frederick Delius, begins with Eric Fenby (Christopher Gable) anachronistically playing cinema organ accompaniment to a silent showing of the "Commence to Dancin'" dance episode. It was cut from the 2001 DVD release, as permission could not be obtained to use it.

Song of Summer

at the AFI Catalog of Feature Films

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Way Out West