Uncivil Warriors

Uncivil Warriors (1935)

** 1/2 (out of 4)

The Three Stooges are fighting for the North in the Civil War but go undercover to spy on the South. This is a short that actually looks better than anything else. The period piece actually looks very realistic with the costumes but there are a few laughs as well. The highlight has to be the scene where the boys eat a cake, which just happens to make them cough up feathers.

Now available on Columbia's 2-disc set, which includes over 20 classic shorts, all digitally remastered.

Another very funny short by the wonderful Three Stooges. The plot of this episode takes place during the Civil War. Moe, Larry, and Curly are three yankee soldiers, and their captain asks them to spy on the Southern Rebels. When they get to the South, our typical stooges screw around as usual. But they do get the information they need. They end up meeting some very beautiful southern bells as well and have a wonderful feathered cake. Of course they blow their cover, and you know the rest of the story. This was a very funny episode. Despite not being my favorite, as one three stooges fan to another, I would always recommend it.

8/10

One of my favorites. By this point the Three Stooges it hit their stride. One of the funniest of all time

I know that if I had a sensitive mission involving obtaining some enemy secrets at wartime, I'd entrust that mission to none other than the team of Howard, Howard, and Fine to get the job done. It's agreed they're the best men for the job.

That's what the Three Stooges have to do in Uncivil Warriors, get some battle plans from the Confederate headquarters which is in an old plantation house. Of course Moe, Larry, and Curly especially Curly aren't exactly housebroken yet to mix in that society.

Funniest scene is them eating a cake where feathers have been stuffed into the batter mix. Seeing these three coughing up enough feathers for an indoor blizzard will really tickle the old funny bone.

"Uncivil Warriors" is one of the funniest shorts that the 3 Stooges have ever done. Though "Men In Black" was nominated for an Oscar in the Short Subject category, this film could have been nominated as well in 1935. The Three Stooges displayed their greatest comedic energy between 1934 and 1937, and "Uncivil Warriors" is a gem among all of their films. The funniest scene is when the boys are masquerading as Confederate officers and Curly has to dress up as an officer's wife. But when the boys have to "produce" a child to keep up the masquerade and the child is black, that is hysterical. That was a joke that was very brave to do in 1935 - the same year that Southern theater owners didn't want their audiences to see a dance number between Shirley Temple and Bill "Bo Jangles" Robinson. Much respect goes to director Del Lord - for letting the Stooges go to the comedic edge of the universe. Also, much respect goes to actor Bud Jamison, one of the best straight men in comedy at that time. Had Jamison not passed away in 1944, he would have been very much a part of the Stooges legend. Now that television is editing all of the Stooges films for commercial time, it is better to get all of your favorite Stooges films on VHS or DVD.