Laurel and Hardy vs. A Baby: Their First Mistake

Is it worth your time?

If you like Laurel and Hardy, you’ll probably find this one charming. If you have no patience for slapstick involving crying babies and domestic bickering, skip it. It’s barely a movie, really—more like a long, frantic sketch that refuses to stop.

Cinematic perspective: Exploring the visual vocabulary of Their First Mistake (1932) through its definitive frames.

The whole premise is just absurd. Stan convinces Ollie that a baby will fix his failing marriage. I mean, who thinks like that? Of course, the moment they get home with the kid, the wife is already out the door. It’s a classic setup that feels weirdly grounded in their specific brand of chaos.

Cinematic perspective: Exploring the visual vocabulary of Their First Mistake (1932) through its definitive frames.

There’s this one bit where they’re trying to soothe the baby, and it’s just pure panic. You can see Ollie’s face turning that specific shade of red when he realizes he’s stuck. It’s not as polished as some of their bigger features like Dummies, but it has a weird, frantic energy that I actually kind of liked.

Cinematic perspective: Exploring the visual vocabulary of Their First Mistake (1932) through its definitive frames.

Small moments that stuck:

• The way Ollie looks at the camera when he realizes he's holding a bottle but has no idea what to do with it.
• The baby is actually pretty good at being annoying. It’s not just a prop; it’s basically the third lead.
• The pacing is all over the place, but that feels right for these two.

It’s not trying to say anything profound about parenthood or marriage. It’s just two grown men failing at basic life skills for twenty minutes. Sometimes that’s all you need on a Tuesday night.

Cinematic perspective: Exploring the visual vocabulary of Their First Mistake (1932) through its definitive frames.

Also, the sound of the baby crying is… a lot. It definitely grates on you after a while, but I think that might be the point? You end up feeling as exhausted as they look.

Cinematic perspective: Exploring the visual vocabulary of Their First Mistake (1932) through its definitive frames.

It reminded me a bit of the frantic energy in There It Is, even if the vibes are totally different. There’s no big payoff at the end, just more of them fumbling around. I’m okay with that. Not every short needs to wrap up with a neat little bow. Sometimes it’s just fun to watch the house fall down around them. 🍼