The Roland and Rattfink series started off fairly reasonably but quite steadily, hitting its first above decent cartoon with 'A Pair of Sneakers'. The quality did dip rather with 'A Taste of Money' and 'The Foul Kin', both of which not feeling at all like Roland and Rattfink but instead being very derivative of old premises and not being very funny, complete with unappealing supporting characters and an inconsistently characterised Rattfink. The series got back on temporary track with one of its better cartoons 'Robin Goodhood'.
Very like that cartoon, 'War and Pieces' is one of the best Roland and Rattfink cartoons as well as one of the funniest and most confident. There is not much new in terms of story, and it is not quite my definition of great, but 'War and Pieces' is still very entertaining, quite affectionate in its subject and like 'Robin Goodhood' too it is one of the few in the series to near-nail both Roland and Rattfink and their style of humour.
'War and Pieces' doesn't have anything drastically wrong with it actually. The Roland and Rattfink series was never known for originality and that is true here, the plot is standard Roland and Rattfink in a new setting and it is a plot that was not a new one in the first place. It is a very Looney Tunes-type scenario and there is a Looney Tunes element.
Animation is not always on the money, mostly not bad at all but some of the drawing is rough, especially in the first half, and Roland at times looks a bit odd. Compared to Rattfink, although his character traits and writing is on point he is a little bland at first because the funniest material all goes to Rattfink.
However, the music is funky and light-hearted, am aware that the latter word has been used a lot summing up the music for this series, but that is basically the right one to sum it up as. It is used assuredly without being heavy-handed or like it belonged somewhere else entirely. The well-meaning rhetoric and snideness so characteristic of Roland and Rattfink's dialogue are amusing and neither are overdone or given short-shrift. It is one of the few cartoons in the series to achieve an ideal balance and both being effectively done. The story is familiar ground and formulaic but there is not a dull moment, and although the gags are not the most creative (the dynamite on the water gag for instance is reminiscent of the one in the Bugs Bunny and Yosemite Sam cartoon 'Captain Hareblower') there are plenty of them and they are all never less than amusing.
Particularly good was the final portion, which to me was quite hilarious, the bit with the plank is one of the series' cleverest and funniest moments and the ending is a contender for the best of all the Roland and Rattfink cartoons. The animation is mostly decent, with the backgrounds being quite vivid and elaborate (underwater was well done). Both Roland and Rattfink, especially Rattfink who is on top form throughout whereas Roland wasn't quite as confident to begin with), are in roles in the story perfect for them, in a way that was consistent with their personas, and unlike a few of their other cartoons it didn't feel like the writers were experimenting. Lennie Weinrib's voice acting overtime became more confidently contrasted so it was easier to differentiate between the two, which is the case here in 'War and Pieces'.
On the whole, one of the series' best. 7/10