Pre-team Laurel and Hardy silent,with Stan as an effeminate private,being bullied by Sergeant Banner(Ollie)and General James Finlayson.There is virtually no plot,and a lot of the humour on show is of a surprisingly vulgar,broad nature,involving putrid garlic and swollen posteriors,amongst others.Again,the boys are cast as enemies rather than friends,though Ollie's behaviour towards Stan is slightly friendlier in the second reel.Bizarrely(and pointlessly),a poster of Cecil B.De Mille's film THE VOLGA BOATMAN(1926)is used for a gag later in the film.They weren't a team yet,but would be in several films'time when they would be shoulder-to-shoulder buddies.
9 Reviews
Early Days.
JoeytheBrit2 July 2009
Laurel and Hardy weren't really a partnership when they made this short for Hal Roach, so it's something of a happy coincidence that, not only are they teamed together here, but they also come up against their frequent nemesis, James Finlayson.
Hardy plays an army sergeant, and his character is quite different from the dainty clumsiness of his later persona. While Stan is pretty much the simpleton he would always be in their films, the duo aren't friends on screen and there is less chemistry between them than there would soon be. Stan's a new recruit who keeps infuriating Hardy's cranky sergeant who, in turn, infuriates his libidinous commanding officer (Finlayson).
The film gets off to a slow start but quickly gathers pace, and from the parade sequence, in which Finlayson and Laurel nearly come to blows, the film is pretty funny. After forty years of watching Laurel and Hardy it's refreshing to come across a short of theirs I've never seen before.
Hardy plays an army sergeant, and his character is quite different from the dainty clumsiness of his later persona. While Stan is pretty much the simpleton he would always be in their films, the duo aren't friends on screen and there is less chemistry between them than there would soon be. Stan's a new recruit who keeps infuriating Hardy's cranky sergeant who, in turn, infuriates his libidinous commanding officer (Finlayson).
The film gets off to a slow start but quickly gathers pace, and from the parade sequence, in which Finlayson and Laurel nearly come to blows, the film is pretty funny. After forty years of watching Laurel and Hardy it's refreshing to come across a short of theirs I've never seen before.
It's really NOT a Laurel and Hardy movie,...
planktonrules2 October 2006
This movie is a very early film with Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy, though it should not be mistaken for a "Laurel and Hardy" film. That's because Hal Roach still hadn't created the formula for their films together and they do not perform as a team. It's more a chance appearance of both in the same film--along with a chance appearance of their favorite nemesis, James Finlayson. And since the traditional formula hasn't been created, the play against each other instead of with each other. They are NOT pals like they almost always were in films. Ollie plays a drill sergeant who frequently takes out his anger on a new recruit to the army--Stan. Stan is the dumb guy he always is in later films, so his role isn't much of a stretch, but Ollie is pretty much a jerk. Plus, Ollie is a lot thinner and not totally unrealistic as a soldier--something the extremely rotund Ollie not very convincingly played in their later films.
The film itself is very episodic and has a lot of gags strung together in a little over twenty minutes. Most of these are only mildly funny, but fortunately, they get funnier as the movie progresses--culminating in a very funny segment where Stan, Ollie and several other soldiers have their clothes burnt up while they are skinny dipping. As a result, they have to try to sneak back in camp,....at the exact same time the big cheese is coming for an inspection!! Overall, this is a pretty good comedy. It's certainly not one of the funnier ones I've seen, but for what it is it succeeds pretty well. Just don't expect the familiar formula--it just hadn't been invented yet.
The film itself is very episodic and has a lot of gags strung together in a little over twenty minutes. Most of these are only mildly funny, but fortunately, they get funnier as the movie progresses--culminating in a very funny segment where Stan, Ollie and several other soldiers have their clothes burnt up while they are skinny dipping. As a result, they have to try to sneak back in camp,....at the exact same time the big cheese is coming for an inspection!! Overall, this is a pretty good comedy. It's certainly not one of the funnier ones I've seen, but for what it is it succeeds pretty well. Just don't expect the familiar formula--it just hadn't been invented yet.
Trouble in the army
TheLittleSongbird4 August 2018
Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy were comedic geniuses, individually and together, and their partnership was deservedly iconic and one of the best there was. They left behind a large body of work, a vast majority of it being entertaining to classic comedy, at their best they were hilarious and their best efforts were great examples of how to do comedy without being juvenile or distasteful.
Their previous short films were variable in quality, a couple decent and most average or just above, only '45 Minutes from Hollywood' misfired. 'With Love and Hisses' is not a step backwards but not a return in the right direction either. It is nice and entertaining, more than watchable in an inoffensive way, but later offerings make far better use of Laurel and Hardy and their partnership and are much funnier, including its remake as mentioned by a few here. 'With Love and Hisses' felt like they were not yet fully formed and yet to properly find their feet.
'With Love and Hisses' looks quite good and hardly the work of an amateur. James Finlayson is amusing and even better is Laurel who is great fun, 'With Love and Hisses' is worth watching for him alone.
There are very amusing, like the ending, and charming moments and the pace is generally very energetic.
Hardy however deserved more to do and much funnier material, and even more so that 'With Love and Hisses' misses the chance to utilise their chemistry properly. 'With Loves and Hisses' doesn't really feel like Laurel and Hardy, due to Hardy having little to do and their chemistry barely existent.
Not everything is funny, too much of it being predictable and not being sharp enough in timing, some of it surprisingly broad for early Laurel and Hardy with a vulgar edge at times. The story is very slight, barely existent in fact, and erratically paced, sometimes too busy while not getting going soon enough.
In summary, worth a look but hardly a Laurel and Hardy essential. 6/10 Bethany Cox
Their previous short films were variable in quality, a couple decent and most average or just above, only '45 Minutes from Hollywood' misfired. 'With Love and Hisses' is not a step backwards but not a return in the right direction either. It is nice and entertaining, more than watchable in an inoffensive way, but later offerings make far better use of Laurel and Hardy and their partnership and are much funnier, including its remake as mentioned by a few here. 'With Love and Hisses' felt like they were not yet fully formed and yet to properly find their feet.
'With Love and Hisses' looks quite good and hardly the work of an amateur. James Finlayson is amusing and even better is Laurel who is great fun, 'With Love and Hisses' is worth watching for him alone.
There are very amusing, like the ending, and charming moments and the pace is generally very energetic.
Hardy however deserved more to do and much funnier material, and even more so that 'With Love and Hisses' misses the chance to utilise their chemistry properly. 'With Loves and Hisses' doesn't really feel like Laurel and Hardy, due to Hardy having little to do and their chemistry barely existent.
Not everything is funny, too much of it being predictable and not being sharp enough in timing, some of it surprisingly broad for early Laurel and Hardy with a vulgar edge at times. The story is very slight, barely existent in fact, and erratically paced, sometimes too busy while not getting going soon enough.
In summary, worth a look but hardly a Laurel and Hardy essential. 6/10 Bethany Cox
Interesting early film of Laurel and Hardy
kman77729 November 2013
An early film featuring Laurel and Hardy. Their frequent nemesis James Finlayson is also featured in the film. What makes this film interesting is that Laurel and Hardy are not friends,and had not yet become the comedy team they would become later. There's a few good laughs to be had in this film. I disagree with some of the other reviewers who are more negative than positive about this film. There's some good gags and physical comedy. James Finlayson takes some spills that are quite funny, but nothing out of the ordinary for the genre. With Love and Hisses has all the classic gags: the hat flying off the head, spills, kicks in the rear end etc. Though this is clearly not their best, its still better than a lot of other silent comedy I have seen.
Ends swell.
Pjtaylor-96-13804416 January 2019
This silent early pairing of Laurel and Hardy is entertaining and inventive, using a minimal amount of 'title cards' to tell its simple but sight-gag-stuffed story. Even though the iconic duo aren't playing their most iconic characters (heightened versions of themselves) in 'With Love And Hisses (1927)', their dynamic is still clear and engaging, with opportunities for both of them to play off Finlayson's stern Captain also being utilised incredibly well. They actually interact with him almost more than they do with each other and it makes for a refreshing take on the now well-known formula, while still maintaining the underlying spirit of Laurel's sweet, slightly unintelligent innocence causing Hardy seemingly endless frustration as it gets him into seemingly endless trouble. The piece is, generally, superb. It's consistently fun and has a number of properly funny set-pieces. There are also some really nice, often special-effects-driven sight-gags (as I mentioned), which pretty much never fail to get a laugh; the strongest of these is a moment in which we see Laurel's cartoonish throbbing toes. Generally, though, most of its success is sourced directly from its fantastic central performances. It's a remarkably visual experience - which you'd think would be obvious due to its silent nature, but there are plenty of pictures which fail in this regard. Of course, the narrative only serves as a way to get to each gag and there aren't any 'rolling in the aisles' moments, either. Still, these are small, essentially inconsequential complaints. This is an enjoyable film throughout. 7/10
With Love and Hisses
jboothmillard25 February 2009
Warning: Spoilers
Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy are the most famous comedy duo in history, and deservedly so, so I am happy to see any of their films. The home guards are leaving for camp, and soldier Ollie manages to annoy higher rank officer James Finlayson tripping him up, flirting with his girlfriend and getting in his bedroom on the train. Stan meanwhile is cramped in another room with three men, trying to ignore the smells of one of the men's foods, and chucking one out the window, landing in Finlayson's face. The next day all troops are lined up for a drill, and Stan being stupid can't follow the moves properly. After this, the men go skinny dipping in the near lake, Ollie and Stan soon follow, but not before Ollie drops his lit cigarette on the straw, where all their clothes are. The troops were meant to be gathering for the Major General to see, but with the clothes burnt, they rush to hide behind a poster with heads cut out, before seeing a skunk and ending the film chased by bees, oh, and Ollie has a swollen backside. Filled with good slapstick and all classic comedy you want from a black and white film, it is an enjoyable silent film. Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy were number 7 on The Comedians' Comedian. Worth watching!
This comedy short shows the potential for all Laurel and Hardy comedies.
alexanderdavies-993825 August 2017
"With Love and Hisses" isn't really a Laurel and Hardy film. They weren't a team full time at this point and their scenes together aren't tailor-made ones. Even so, Stan does very well in the lead as a rather simple character who is drafted into the army. He was a natural for being a comic leading man and knows how to use his body in the Art of comedy. Poor Stan is on the receiving end of both Ollie as the bullying drill sergeant and James Finlayson as the ineffectual captain. The latter has quite a lengthy scene where he tries to teach Stan how to be an efficient soldier on parade. It is excellent slapstick and the timing is spot on. The ending is a riot after most of the soldiers manage to lose their uniforms! A comedy short that shows potential for all future Laurel and Hardy comedies.
Two Laurel and Hardy
Michael_Elliott11 March 2008
With Love and Hisses (1927)
*** (out of 4)
The Sergeant (Oliver Hardy) and Captain (James Finlayson) aren't happy with some dumbbell recruits (including Stan Laurel) so they are sent out with the Sergeant so that he can get them into shape. Very funny silent short is actually a Hal Roach "All-Star" show since L&H weren't a group yet. There's plenty of laughs including the segment where the men go skinny dipping.
Unaccustomed As We Are (1929)
** 1/2 (out of 4)
Hardy's wife leaves him when he brings Laurel home for dinner. L&H's first talkie was also later remade as Block-Heads. This short is pretty funny, although the future film is certainly a lot better.
*** (out of 4)
The Sergeant (Oliver Hardy) and Captain (James Finlayson) aren't happy with some dumbbell recruits (including Stan Laurel) so they are sent out with the Sergeant so that he can get them into shape. Very funny silent short is actually a Hal Roach "All-Star" show since L&H weren't a group yet. There's plenty of laughs including the segment where the men go skinny dipping.
Unaccustomed As We Are (1929)
** 1/2 (out of 4)
Hardy's wife leaves him when he brings Laurel home for dinner. L&H's first talkie was also later remade as Block-Heads. This short is pretty funny, although the future film is certainly a lot better.
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