In one respect, this is Laurel and Hardy's best movie, particularly in terms of comic timing. No longer are there silent era delays in the action and no longer are there long set-ups before the comic act. In this film, the comic timing is quick and precise. A 1941 release before the attack on Pearl Harbor (by only two months), this is another of the pro-Army non-specific enemy movies. War had not yet been declared by the United States. However, the draft had been operational in expectation of war in both Europe and the South Pacific. What this film does is to try to illustrate that the draft was fair and equitable, and that the rich were also being called to serve. The movie suggests that the Army was a relatively nice place to be, as Dan Forester (the rich boy) says: "I like the Army more and more each day." Stan and Ollie had joined to protect Dan from the pitfalls of Army life, but who is to protect them from themselves? All in all, it's a funny movie, especially the "first breakfast in the mess hall" scene and the "wrong side of the target range" scene. In war and comedy, timing is indeed everything.
Review of Great Guns
