Thicker than Water (1935 film)

Stan and Ollie find themselves tasked with washing dishes by Ollie's wife, initiating a series of mishaps. Stan's overly generous application of liquid detergent results in an excessively thick washing solution, leading to further complications as Ollie attempts to wash the dishes. James Finlayson's character then arrives to collect payment for furniture, the conversation descending into a convoluted about monetary exchanges.

In a bid to resolve the situation, Ollie withdraws his and his wife's savings to purchase the furniture outright, but inadvertently squanders most of the money on a grandfather clock at an auction, only for it to be destroyed as he and Stan are transporting it home. As a result of this, Ollie is beaten by his wife with a frying pan, resulting in serious injuries requiring a hospital visit.

The doctor enlists Stan as an unwilling blood donor for Ollie's transfusion, leading to a series of comical errors with the equipment. The machine malfunctions, causing an exchange of blood between the two, ultimately culminating in the machine's explosion. When they leave the hospital, Stan and Ollie discover that their physical appearances have been interchanged, prompting them to engage in imitations of each other's mannerisms, comically embodying each other's identities, including voices and signature catchphrases.

At three points in the film, Laurel and Hardy drag the next scene into the frame from off-camera. This effect was achieved with the optical-printing device known as a wipe.