Uncivil War Birds (1946) ** 1/2 (out of 4) Decent short has Moe, Larry and Curly getting engaged but before they can plan the wedding the Civil War breaks out. Moe and Larry sign up to fight for the North but Curly signs for the South. Moe and Curly decide to switch sides but they must try and avoid other soldiers who have taken over the city.UNCIVIL WAR BIRDS isn't the greatest Stooges short out there but there are enough laughs to make it worth sitting through if you're a fan of the series. If you're new to The Three Stooges then this isn't the place to start. With that said, this short has a few very funny moments thanks in large part to Curly and his comic timing. There are some great moments where his dumbness leaves everyone around him going nuts. The scene with the firing squad is a perfect example. The material itself isn't the greatest and while there aren't any huge laughs there's still enough to make this worth sitting through.

This short is an oddity in that it hardly has any stooge dialogue or slapstick! The verbal exchanges are limited in that they simply advance the plot; we have no wisecracks, visual jokes, or typical dumbness associated with the boys. And you can count on one hand the amount of slapstick gags.Many talk about how Curly was in failing health in this short, but surprisingly he has a lot of energy. Outside of the fact that his voice is lower than normal, he engages in typical Curly antics which show him to be full of vim and verve. Too bad they didn't give him much to do.This short has the most bizarre scene I think I've ever seen in all the shorts. The three are made up in blackface and are in a huddle; Larry says, "If we-all can get that map back to headquarters, we-all can win this war!" Curly responds, "Yeah, and then we-all can get married!" Moe rolls eyes and chirps, "Brothers, you just ejaculated a mouthful!" (While that verb does have the appropriate meaning--to espouse--even in 1946, the stooges surely were giggling under their makeup.)

"Uncivil War Birds", directed by Jules White, is a rather unique Three Stooges short. It casts the boys as Southern gentlemen who resolve to fight in the Civil War. The overall situation of Curly's Confederate uniform mixed in with Moe's & Larry's Union outfits is entertaining indeed. One highlight: In order to obtain some Confederate uniforms for Moe & Larry, Curly scoops up a pile of red ants and slips them down the trousers of two Confederate soldiers.With the Stooges sporting long sideburns and speaking in Southern drawls, "Uncivil War Birds" offers a refreshing change of pace to the long list of Three Stooges shorts. (In addition, a fine arrangement of "Dixie" is heard during the opening credits in place of the standard "Three Blind Mice".) Somehow, I really feel that Larry is the one who stands out in this film, and he truly deserves to, after all the times he's been pushed into the background. As for Curly, he was suffering some health troubles, but in this film they are fortunately not very noticeable.

This short is very controversial because many people really like it and many people hate it. I for one really like it. I liked this one because they tried something new, and there was some great visual humor and gags. Curly turned in a great performance despite illness. Moe and Larry also do a great job in this short. I also think the supporting cast did a great job too.Grade: A-