Uncivil Warriors

This is certainly one of the better Stooges vehicles I've watched so far, arguably lifted by its Civil War setting: the boys are Union secret agents(!) sent on a mission behind enemy lines. While the level of invention isn't up to that seen in Buster Keaton's similar THE GENERAL (1927) – and it would be unrealistic to expect it to be – it's still a reasonably sustained comical piece.

The trio's typical slapfest routine is, together with the aid of impersonation and mimicry, utilized as a means of confusing the Confederates and retrieve the information they were assigned to procure (which is summarily destroyed by Curley when he rolls the paper – used by Moe to write it all down – to make a cigarette!). The ending sees The Stooges fired out of an enemy cannon and landing on the superior officers from their own lines!

The Three Stooges are Union spies sent to snoop on the activities of the Confederates in this different short from their earliest period. This gives them the opportunity to dress up in Civil War costumes, which boosts the level of their shenanigans slightly. Good scenes include them trying to outwit usual foil Bud Jamison, as well as a classic routine that would be repeated many times as this series continued: Curley helps bake a layer cake but mistakenly adds a torn and discarded pot holder into the pan, causing feathers to be coughed up later on while eating it.

*** out of ****

This review is of the eighth Three Stooges short they made for Columbia Pictures. In this one, Moe, Larry, and Curley (as his name was spelled at the time) are Union spies during the Civil War disguising themselves as Confederates in order to discover their plans. Plenty of many very funny and what would become very familiar routines abound here and they all come together perfectly. And it's always a treat to see usual supporting player Bud Jamison whenever he has a scene with the boys. Also, usual writer Felix Adler and director Del Lord-with only his second film with the boys-do a fine job of making this an almost perfect Stooges short. Oh, and while there's a visual joke near the end that would probably be politically incorrect today, the way Moe explains it does excuse it a little. So on that note, Uncivil Warriors comes highly recommended.

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