They are almost always paired with a gruff, short-tempered sergeant (like Sgt. Hippo) who serves as the perfect foil to their incompetence.
The phrase usually refers to one of several iconic films where the legendary comedy duo, Laurel and Hardy, find themselves in military service. While they wore uniforms in multiple movies, the most prominent titles associated with this theme are Great Guns (1941) and Pack Up Your Troubles (1932). Key Films Featuring the Duo in the Army Great Guns (1941) :
Despite being "hardly soldiers," they often end up as accidental heroes, such as rounding up a battalion of enemy soldiers by mistake. Stan si Bran in Armata
: Ollie finds him at an old soldiers' home, leading to a series of chaotic events as they try to reintegrate into civilian life. Thematic Elements of Their Military Comedy Description The Sergeant Archetype
: Stan keeps a pet crow named Penelope in his uniform, which leads to various mishaps during drills and maneuvers. Pack Up Your Troubles (1932) : They are almost always paired with a gruff,
: The film opens with Stan guarding a trench for 20 years, unaware that World War I has long been over.
: Their bumbling nature constantly irks their drill instructor, Sergeant Hippo. While they wore uniforms in multiple movies, the
: Stan and Ollie enlist in the U.S. Army to look after their young, wealthy, and supposedly sickly employer, Daniel Forrester, who has been drafted.