IMDb RATING
6.1/10
1.6K
YOUR RATING
Laurel and Hardy join the army. They are hardly soldiers, but they believe their employer will need them now he's drafted.Laurel and Hardy join the army. They are hardly soldiers, but they believe their employer will need them now he's drafted.Laurel and Hardy join the army. They are hardly soldiers, but they believe their employer will need them now he's drafted.
Ludwig Stössel
- Dr. Schickel
- (as Ludwig Stossel)
William 'Billy' Benedict
- Recruit at Corral
- (uncredited)
Chet Brandenburg
- Mess Hall Draftee
- (uncredited)
Robert Cornell
- Soldier
- (uncredited)
- Director
- Writer
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaThis was Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy's first movie for a major studio. Their previous films had been released by MGM but not made by the studio, and they were confounded by the ways of the Hollywood studio system. All of their previous films had been shot in sequence and had been directed, edited and supervised by an uncredited Stan Laurel; Fox did not allow him such creative activity. In later years Laurel continually and bitterly recalled the shabby treatment he and Hardy received from Fox and MGM.
- GoofsThere's no way Hardy could have been drafted into the army with his weight as high as it was.
- Quotes
Hippo: What did I ever do to deserve a couple of yaps like you?
Stan: Maybe you were good to your mother.
Hippo: Pipe down!
Stan: Yes, sir.
Hippo: Now at 10:00 you're all going over for an IQ test, and according to the answers you give, you'll be classified in a job.
Stan: Swell! We're good at quizes, aren't we, Ollie?
Oliver: Maybe they'll put me in the intelligence "corpse".
- ConnectionsEdited into Myra Breckinridge (1970)
- SoundtracksYou're In The Army Now
(1917) (uncredited)
Music by Isham Jones
Lyrics by Tell Taylor and Ole Olsen
Played during the opening credits
Featured review
Surprisingly watchable
The 1940s were not kind to Laurel and Hardy. First, they looked very old--time had not been very kind to them, especially Stan Laurel. Second, Ollie now weighed in at about 350 pounds and simply was too rotund to do all the physical humor the duo had done in the 1930s. And finally, after SAPS AT SEA (1940), the team unwisely left Hal Roach Studio--making films for RKO, Fox and other studios that seemed to have no idea what to do with them. Overall, these movies are dreadful--terribly unfunny and sad for most Laurel and Hardy fans to watch.
Perhaps among the best of these poor films was GREAT GUNS. While the film wasn't particularly funny, it also was reasonably diverting and at least the team didn't embarrass themselves. However, at the onset, the film has one major strike against it. Like almost all of these 40s films, Stan and Ollie are NOT the whole show, so to speak. Instead, they are most supporting characters--something they almost never did in their earlier films. In DANCE MASTERS (1943), Stan and Ollie help out a guy and girl who are in love but whose parents don't approve, in NOTHING BUT TROUBLE (1944), they help out young prince and here in GREAT GUNS, they follow a guy into the cavalry who supposedly is too sickly to serve. It seems that in the 40s, Stan and Ollie now are no longer comedians, but social workers of sorts!
At the onset, you must completely suspend disbelief to watch this film. After all, the boys are both about 50 and Ollie must weigh as much as a tank. No army is THAT desperate for men! However, despite the improbability of the plot and that the team are more supporting players, GREAT GUNS has a few pluses. Stan and Ollie's war film isn't great but compares reasonably well to other contemporary films such as BUCK PRIVATES, CAUGHT IN THE DRAFT and MR. WINKLE GOES TO WAR. Also, while not super-funny, there are a few good moments and I did laugh a few times--something I NEVER did with many of the other 1940s films they made.
Overall, if you are not a fan of the team or know little about them, don't watch this film. It will not particularly impress you or you might assume it's like their earlier work--which it isn't. However, if like me you are a rabid fan, then at least this one won't make you cringe and it's a harmless diversion.
Perhaps among the best of these poor films was GREAT GUNS. While the film wasn't particularly funny, it also was reasonably diverting and at least the team didn't embarrass themselves. However, at the onset, the film has one major strike against it. Like almost all of these 40s films, Stan and Ollie are NOT the whole show, so to speak. Instead, they are most supporting characters--something they almost never did in their earlier films. In DANCE MASTERS (1943), Stan and Ollie help out a guy and girl who are in love but whose parents don't approve, in NOTHING BUT TROUBLE (1944), they help out young prince and here in GREAT GUNS, they follow a guy into the cavalry who supposedly is too sickly to serve. It seems that in the 40s, Stan and Ollie now are no longer comedians, but social workers of sorts!
At the onset, you must completely suspend disbelief to watch this film. After all, the boys are both about 50 and Ollie must weigh as much as a tank. No army is THAT desperate for men! However, despite the improbability of the plot and that the team are more supporting players, GREAT GUNS has a few pluses. Stan and Ollie's war film isn't great but compares reasonably well to other contemporary films such as BUCK PRIVATES, CAUGHT IN THE DRAFT and MR. WINKLE GOES TO WAR. Also, while not super-funny, there are a few good moments and I did laugh a few times--something I NEVER did with many of the other 1940s films they made.
Overall, if you are not a fan of the team or know little about them, don't watch this film. It will not particularly impress you or you might assume it's like their earlier work--which it isn't. However, if like me you are a rabid fan, then at least this one won't make you cringe and it's a harmless diversion.
helpful•143
- planktonrules
- Jan 1, 2008
- How long is Great Guns?Powered by Alexa
Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
- Official site
- Language
- Also known as
- Forward March
- Filming locations
- Production companies
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
- Runtime1 hour 14 minutes
- Color
- Aspect ratio
- 1.37 : 1
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