Come Clean: Laurel and Hardy, Ice Cream, and a Very Messy Bathtub

If you have about twenty minutes and want to see two grown men absolutely ruin their lives over a pint of ice cream, then Come Clean is for you. It is a Laurel and Hardy short, which means you probably already know if you are into it or if the slow, rhythmic pacing will make you want to scream.

I think it is worth watching today just to see Mae Busch. She plays the 'suicidal' woman they rescue, and she is just... a lot.

Who would enjoy this? People who find frustration funny. If you like seeing a simple plan turn into a total disaster because of one or two tiny bad decisions, you’ll be happy here.

Who will hate it? Probably anyone who needs a plot to actually move forward at a normal speed. This movie takes its sweet time.

The whole thing starts with the wives wanting ice cream. That’s the big motivation.

I love how Gertrude Astor looks like she’s already done with Ollie before he even opens his mouth. She has this way of standing in the kitchen that just screams 'I regret every choice I have ever made.'

Then we get the ice cream shop scene. This is classic Stan and Ollie stuff.

The guy behind the counter looks like he wants to jump off a bridge himself just to get away from them. Stan keeps changing his mind. Chocolate. No, strawberry. No, vanilla.

It is one of those bits that goes on for so long it stops being funny, then becomes funny again, then gets slightly annoying, then finally ends. I love that kind of stubborn comedy.

On the way back home, they see a woman (Mae Busch) jumping off a bridge. They save her, but she isn't exactly grateful.

Mae Busch is the queen of being 'difficult' in these movies. She doesn't play a damsel in distress; she plays a woman who is actively trying to make Stan and Ollie's lives a living hell.

The way she screams when they pull her out of the water is... loud. My ears kind of hurt just thinking about it.

They find out she is wanted by the police. So, naturally, they decide the best thing to do is hide her in their apartment.

Because that always works out well in movies, right?

The middle part of the film is just them trying to hide her from their wives. It is a classic farce setup, but with way more water than usual.

There is a lot of splashing. Like, a huge amount.

Ollie ends up in the bathtub at one point, fully clothed. The look on his face when he realizes his night is completely ruined is just perfect.

He does that 'camera look'—where he just stares at us like, 'Can you believe this guy?' It never gets old.

I noticed this one part where Stan is trying to be helpful and he just ends up making everything ten times worse. It’s like his actual superpower.

The way he walks is so weird too. He looks like he’s perpetually surprised by the floor being there.

It reminds me a bit of the physical energy in Bumps and Thumps, though that one feels a bit more frantic.

In this one, the comedy feels a bit more damp. Literally.

I was thinking about The Bride's Relations while watching the pratfalls. There’s a specific kind of 'thud' you get in these 30s shorts that sounds like someone dropping a bag of wet flour.

There is a moment where Ollie tries to act all 'refined' and 'dignified' while his world is literally crumbling around him. That is the heart of his whole character.

He really thinks he is a man of class. He is definitely not.

I also noticed a weird shadow in the background of the ice cream shop. It looks like a crew member’s hat or something.

I love those little mistakes. It makes the whole thing feel more human and less like a polished product.

The ending is kind of a mess, to be honest. It just sort of... stops.

But that is okay. I don't really need a big moral lesson from Laurel and Hardy.

I just need to see Stan look confused for twenty minutes while Ollie gets mud on his face.

Also, Tiny Sandford is in this. That guy is a mountain. Every time he shows up, the scale of the room feels wrong.

Is it their best work? Probably not. Something like All Wool has a different kind of charm, but this is solid for what it is.

Watch it if you like old-school chaos. Avoid it if you have a low tolerance for high-pitched crying sounds.

Anyway, I'm going to go get some chocolate ice cream now. Or maybe strawberry. 🍦