Overview
A comedic adventure unfolds as two bumbling friends embark on a wild journey to deliver a gold mine deed.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Moderate
- Complexity
- Simple
- Violence
- Mild
- joyful
- mischievous
- warm
- family viewing
- lazy afternoon
What critics said
Critics broadly regard it as one of Laurel and Hardy's finest and most consistently joyful features, praising its sustained comic timing, musical interludes, and relaxed rhythm.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Stan's naïve blunders and Ollie's exasperated dignity drive the film's sustained routines.
The film uses saloons, gold-mine intrigue, prospector lore, and frontier peril as material for slapstick.
The comedy is built from choreographed physical routines, including the saloon soft-shoe performance and extended gag sequences.
Mickey Finn exploits Stan and Ollie's inability to identify Mary by arranging Lola's impersonation.
Films like Way Out West, and why
Sons of the Desert
classic slapstick comedy, western spoofing, and an inept buddy duo
The Music Box
black-and-white physical comedy built around a mismatched comic partnership
Destry Rides Again
classic western comedy with broad gags, musical interludes, and comic misadventure
Movie Details
- Director
- James W. Horne
- Release Date
- 1937-04-16
- Runtime
- 64 min
- Rating
- 7.1 / 10 (232)
Cast
- Stan Laurel
- Oliver Hardy
- Rosina Lawrence
- James Finlayson
- Sharon Lynn
- Chill Wills
- Stanley Fields
- Vivien Oakland
- Flora Finch
- Fred 'Snowflake' Toones
Where to watch in United States
- Rent
- Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube
- Buy
- Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Way Out West about?
- Stan and Ollie stumble through a gold-mine delivery mission in a delirious frontier spoof filled with deception, music, and expertly timed slapstick.
- What is Way Out West like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Way Out West as brisk, its intensity as moderate and its storytelling as simple.
- Is Way Out West violent?
- Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in Way Out West as mild.
- What did critics think of Way Out West?
- Critics broadly regard it as one of Laurel and Hardy's finest and most consistently joyful features, praising its sustained comic timing, musical interludes, and relaxed rhythm.
- Which films are like Way Out West?
- Films with a similar feel include Sons of the Desert, The Music Box, and Destry Rides Again.
- How long is Way Out West?
- Way Out West runs 64 minutes.
- Where can I watch Way Out West?
- In United States, Way Out West is available to rent or buy from Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube.
