Pardon Us (1931)

Interesting facts

Pardon Us is a 1931 American pre-Code Laurel and Hardy film. It was the team's first starring feature-length comedy film, produced by Hal Roach, directed by James Parrott, and originally distributed by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer in 1931.

Production

After the release of MGM's hit The Big House with Chester Morris and Wallace Beery, producer Hal Roach decided to feature Laurel and Hardy in a short comedy spoofing the current prison drama. Roach felt that since his product was being released through MGM, he would be able to borrow existing sets used in The Big House to keep costs down. MGM studio head Louis B.

Pardon Us began production as The Rap in June 1930. To Roach's dismay, shooting went over schedule, with enough material for two prison-themed films. As a result, it was decided that The Rap be released as a full-length feature film, Laurel and Hardy's first as stars.

Leroy Shield's musical score was added during post-production. With the film's year-long delay for revisions, many of the score selections written for the film were already appearing as underscore in Laurel and Hardy and Our Gang short films released in the interim. For example, "Good Old Days," the score composition written and used for the prison classroom scenes featuring Finlayson, was put into use as the Our Gang theme song.

June Marlowe, who was simultaneously appearing as schoolmarm Miss Crabtree in the Our Gang series, appears only briefly in the film despite receiving third billing after Laurel and Hardy. An elaborate sequence was filmed, in which the convicts set the prison on fire as part of their escape plan, and the warden's daughter is seen screaming from her second-floor bedroom.

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