Great Guns (1941)

Directed by Monty Banks. Starring Oliver Hardy, Stan Laurel, Dick Nelson, Sheila Ryan, Edmund MacDonald, Ludwig Stössel, Charles Trowbridge.

Laurel and Hardy’s first film with 20th Century Fox is a service comedy with the bumbling duo joining their young, wealthy boss (Nelson) in the armed forces after he gets drafted. Mediocre outing for the comedy team can’t capture the charm of their heyday, and is forced to recycle a good number of gags from their prior pictures as well as other military laffers, most notably Abbot and Costello’s Buck Privates from earlier that same year. A few fine moments (building the bridge, “what time is it,” etc.) interrupted by passable romantic sub-plot among Nelson, pretty photo-developer Ryan, and pugnacious drill sergeant MacDonald; show is stolen by Laurel’s pet crow, Penelope. Also known as Forward March.

54/100