Love and Duty

Ollie is a love-struck private who is drilled by his unsympathetic lieutenant at reveille. The colonel of the regiment wants his daughter to marry the lieutenant but she has her heart set on the chubby-faced Hardy, who himself is in love with another woman. He is thrown into a cell for disobeying orders, where he later escapes with the assistance of his sweetheart, and a casual touch of assault when he bumps the guard with his large stomach. The final chase scene ends with everyone getting what they want.

Directed by Will Louis, Arthur Hotaling, Love and Duty leans on a strong ensemble — Oliver Hardy, Billy Ruge, Bert Tracy — to carry a story that balances spectacle with character.

The film landed with audiences for its craft and performances, and remains one of the most talked-about comedy titles of 1916.