User Reviews

For me, this was memorable not only for having Stan Laurel direct future partner Oliver Hardy and James Finlayson in a comedy short, but there's also the added bonus of Little Rascal canine Pete the Dog! Can you believe it? I haven't seen a Rascals flick in a long time, but I remember Petey with the painted eye ring and he was always a trip. Now that I'm thinking about it, I wonder if that was the inspiration for Smiley Burnette's horse every time he teamed up with Gene Autry or the Durango Kid. There's probably a story in there somewhere.

As for this story, it blows by in a scant nine or ten minutes and packs as much as it can into it's short time frame. Basically, Finlayson's Hillory is the brand new husband of the title character (Lyle Tayo) and has trouble making that good first impression with everyone in Nanette's family. His hairpiece gets a real workout before former beau Babe Hardy makes the scene, and I was actually quite surprised when old Hillory makes a stand and dusts him quite handily.

There's a value in these old film shorts even if they're not very good. I enjoy seeing how these comics got their start and gradually developed their style and craft over the years. For my money, Laurel and Hardy wound up not only doing funny things in the movies, but even better, they did things funny.

This silent short has a very interesting pedigree. Not only do James Finlayson and Oliver Hardy appear in the film, but it was capably directed by Stan Laurel--making it very nice for Laurel and Hardy fans to see the three involved in a pre-teaming of Laurel and Hardy and their best nemesis in one film. However, the value in this film isn't just for the cast but because it also manages to be a very likable short film--one that I am glad I saw.

The film begins with a family learning that their daughter has gotten married and she's bringing her new husband (Finlayson) over to meet them. However, upon seeing him, they immediately assume he's not much of a husband and treat him pretty shabbily. To make things worse, their dog, Pete, isn't nice to him either. In fact, I really liked seeing this mischievous animal (of the Our Gang fame) as it attacked him and later stole the poor man's toupee! Finally, after taking a lot of abuse, things get worse when his wife's old boyfriend (Hardy) arrives and begins manhandling Finlayson. Pushed to the wall, the husband finally explodes and puts everyone in their place--resulting in a very satisfying conclusion.

Short, well directed and funny--this one is worth a look.

I found Yes, Yes, Nanette on a Platinum DVD collection of Laurel and Hardy films. James Finlayson plays a man who meets his wife's family for the first time. There's plenty of gags involving Fin's toupee coming off that's hilarious each time. Oliver Hardy plays a former suitor of the wife who torments Fin. The exchanges between them are a good indication of what to expect when they eventually team with Stan Laurel in several Hal Roach films. I also liked Fin's exchange with the family teenage girl. Yes, Yes, Nanette is indeed produced by Hal Roach with co-direction by Stan Laurel. Well worth seeing for fans of Hal Roach, Laurel and Hardy, and James Finlayson!