Babes in the Goods

Thelma Todd and Patsy Kelly work in a department store. They demonstrate a washing machine so late that they get locked into the store overnight in this funny entry in "The Girl Friends" series from Hal Roach.

It's a well-scripted comedy, which is a given for Roach productions in this period, with three clearly demarcated set-ups. A lot of short comedies were set in department stores for this very reason: several locations with reasonable set-design, lots of props for gags -- a bed which keeps collapsing on the girls is a very nice one here -- and lots of close-up reaction shots of the lovely and funny Miss Todd to Miss Kelly's self-involved annoyances. There's also Arthur Housman in one of his typical, funny drunk roles as a man who waits around to see what the comediennes will do next for his and the audience's amusement.