Salt Water Daffy

I recently bought a DVD of Vitaphone comedies and one thing most of them share is that they aren't funny! I have been mostly disappointed...but not with "Salt Water Daffy"...a film that turned out to be pretty enjoyable.

Elmer (Jack Haley) and Wilbur (Shemp Howard) are friends who accidentally enter the navy recruiting office. The petty officer (Lionel Stander) has no intention of letting them escape once they realize their mistake and despite a valiant effort the pair end up in the navy. There they get into a lot of trouble because they are lazy idiots...yet, surprisingly, by the end they've managed to somehow do well despite themselves!!

This short is different from the rest in one important way...it's well written. It also kept my attention and in some ways played more like a movie than a short. Pleasant and enjoyable.