Category: Humor

Dizzy Pilots (1943)

Director:  Jules White

Screenplay: Clyde Bruckman

Stars: Moe Howard, Larry Fine, Curly Howard and Al Thompson

Tagline: Dog-Gone Good Fun!

The Plot…

The boys (Larry, Curly and Moe) claim that they have invented an airplane that will revolutionize flight.  Military and Government inspectors are coming to test their claims.  If the plane is all they say, the boys will get a deferment from joining the military.  If the plane falls short of their claims, the boys will be in the army now.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

In Dizzy Pilots Moe gets the worst treatment, which is rare in any Stooges’ short.  There is extended business when Moe falls into a trough of kick drying rubber that forms around his body.  Larry and Curly shoot air into the gunk and Moe is in danger of floating away.  Larry and Curly’s attempts to get him down are priceless.  Curly gets the most laughs when his Drill Sargent shows the proper way to “present arms” and Curly follows his Sarge’s every movement.

Dizzy Pilots contains about 5 minutes of footages from their Boobs in Arms short, but the scenes fit right in.

Dizzy Pilots earns 5 of 5 stars.

Calling All Curs (1939)

Director:  Jules White

Screenplay: Elwood Ullman, Searle Kramer from a story by Thea Goodan

Stars: Moe Howard, Larry Fine, Curly Howard

Tagline: Dog-Gone Good Fun!

The Plot…

The boys (Larry, Curly and Moe) are veterinarians running a pet hospital.  When a couple of con men steal one of the prize dogs, Larry, Curly and Moe have to recover it before their rich client discovers it is missing!

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

Although Calling All Curs is a fairly generic Stooges’ short, it was one of Curly’s favorites because of his love of dogs.  Calling All Curs is one of the few Stooges’ shorts where the boys are successful professionals.  They’re usually out of work and struggling to get by.

Calling All Curs earns 4 of 5 stars.

Idiots Deluxe (1945)

Director:  Jules White

Screenplay: Elwood Ullman

Stars: Moe Howard, Larry Fine, Curly Howard, Vernon Dent and Al Thompson

Tagline: None.

The Plot…

Moe is on trial for beating up Larry and Curly.  Moe explains that he was suffering from a bad case of nerves.  Moe’s doctor had prescribed quiet relaxation.  And Moe was trying to rest.  Then Larry and Curly started practicing their “The Original Two-Man Quartet” act!  Once Moe “kindly” explained his situation, Larry and Curly wanted to help.  So they took Moe to the woods to get away from it all.  What could go wrong?

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

Idiots Deluxe is probably my favorite Stooges short that doesn’t involve ghosts, monsters, mad scientists or gorillas.  Surprisingly (especially considering the set-up) Moe doesn’t beat up Larry and Curly as much as usual!  Every scene contains laughs and there’s more comic wordplay in this one than usual.  Sadly, this was the last Stooges short made before Curly had his stroke.

Idiots Deluxe earns 5 of 5 stars.

Booby Dupes (1945)

Director:  Del Lord

Screenplay: Del Lord

Stars: Moe Howard, Larry Fine, Curly Howard, Vernon Dent and ‘Snub’ Pollard

Tagline: The Stooges are mixed up in some fishy business.

The Plot…

Larry, Curly and Moe are fish salesmen.  Curly gets the bright idea that if they caught their own fish, they could cut out the middlemen.  So the boys buy a boat and head out to sea.  What could go wrong?

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

Booby Dupes starts out just like the Stooges 1940 short Cookoo Cavaliers.  The boys are fish sellers and they get some business with a woman wanting to buy a fish.  Vernon Dent shows up as a ship Captain.  Curly steals his uniform and tries to make time with Dent’s girl.  There’s more hijinks repairing the boat and when the boys make it out to sea.  Booby Dupes is a solid Stooges’ short.

Booby Dupes earns 4 of 5 stars.

The Three Troubledoers (1946)

Director:  Edward Bernds

Screenplay: Jack White

Stars: Moe Howard, Larry Fine, Curly Howard, Christine McIntyre, Dick Curtis and Elmo Lincoln 

Tagline: None.

The Plot…

Larry, Curly and Moe are cowboys in the old west.  Badlands Blackie has killed every Sheriff and Deputy in Deadwood Gulch. Now there’s a new Sheriff in town… and his name is Curly!  What could go wrong?

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

Despite The Three Troubledoers being made shortly after Curly suffered a stroke, he still gets center stage.  The Three Troubledoers has less of Moe giving Larry and Curly the business.  That means there’s more time for clever sight gags.

Dick Curtis, as Badlands Blackie, looks much taller than his listed 6’3″.  Of course in cowboy boots and playing against Curly (5’5″), Larry (5’4″) and Moe (5’3″) he would.  Elmo Lincoln, the actor who first played Tarzan in the movies, has an uncredited role as Neil’s father.

The Three Troubledoers earns 4 of 5 stars.

A Christmas Story Christmas (2022)

Director:  Clay Kaytis

Screenplay: Nick Schenk, Clay Kaytis based on a story by Nick Schenk, Peter Billingsley based on characters created by Jean Shepherd

Stars: Peter Billingsley, Erinn Hayes, Julie Hagerty, Scott Schwartz, R.D. Robb and Zack Ward

Tagline: Ralphie comes home.

The Plot

It’s 33 years after the events that took place in A Christmas Story.  Ralphie (Billingsley), his wife (Hayes) and their two children are returning to Ralphie’s childhood home for Christmas.  Although his father recently passed, Ralphie’s mother is still alive.  Ralphie wants to give his entire family a memorable holiday, the type of Christmas his old man would have pulled together.

The pressure on Ralphie is increased because he’s given himself until the end of the year to become a published author.  Time is running out.

Not a lot in the old neighborhood has changed.  Ralphie’s old pals, Flick and Schwartz are still around.  So is their old nemesis, Scut Farkus!

All seems to be on track until something unforeseen happens and then all bets are off.  Will Ralphie’s family Christmas come together?  Will Ralphie become a published author?  Is Farkus still a creep?  All will be known by Christmas Day!

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

It’s hard to catch lightening in a bottle twice.  A Christmas Story is such a beloved classic, that to try and replicate it, is a tall order.  While A Christmas Story Christmas doesn’t come near the bar set by the original, it does get a lot of mileage out of bringing back so many members of the original cast.

Returning cast members include Peter Billingsley (Ralphie), Scott Schwartz (Flick), R.D. Robb (Schwartz) and Zack Ward (Farkus).  Darren McGavin who played Ralphie’s father had died and incorporating his passing into the story worked.  Melinda Dillon played Ralphie’s mom, but she didn’t return for this story.  Julie Hagerty was a nice choice to replace her.  Erinn Hayes, who played Ralphie’s wife was really good.  I’m surprised we don’t see more from her.

If you enjoyed A Christmas Story and aren’t expecting another classic, then give A Christmas Story Christmas a shot,  It’s better than a bunny suit.

A Christmas Story Christmas earns 3 of 5 stars.

Movie Maniacs (1936)

Director:  Del Lord

Screenplay: Felix Adler

Stars: Moe Howard, Larry Fine, Curly Howard, Bud Jamison and Heinie Conklin

Tagline:  None.

The Plot…

Larry, Curly and Moe go to Hollywood thinking that they’ll become movie stars.  Moe believes he knows what makes a great movie.  When they sneak on to a studio lot, they are mistaken for out of town Studio Executives that were due to arrive.  The boys are given carte blanche to make any changes they want… and boy, do they!

The Three Stooges in charge of a movie studio!  What could go wrong?

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

It’s fun to see “behind the scenes” of the making of a movie and even better when the Stooges are showing actors how to act.

Movie Maniacs earns 4 of 5 stars.

Cookoo Cavaliers (1940)

Director:  Jules White

Screenplay: Ewart Adamson

Stars: Moe Howard, Larry Fine, Curly Howard

Tagline:  None.

The Plot…

Larry, Curly and Moe are unsuccessful fish salesmen, so they decide to buy a saloon.  The only (well, first) problem is they bought a salon.  A hair salon in Mexico!  The boys decide that they’d make great hairdressers.  What could go wrong?

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

The boys get some laughs trying to sell their smelly old fish.  The real chuckles come when they open their hair salon.  Imagine mani/pedis, mud packs, hair creams and more administered by Larry, Curly and Moe!

Cookoo Cavaliers earns 4 of 5 stars.

Punch Drunks (1934)

Director:  Lou Breslow

Screenplay: Jack Cluett, story by Moe Howard, Larry Fine, Jerry Howard

Stars: Moe Howard, Larry Fine, Curly Howard and Dorothy Granger

Tagline:  A Columbia 2 Reel Broadway Comedy

The Plot…

Moe discovers that any time Curly hears “Pop Goes the Weasel” he gains super strength and becomes violent.  With Larry on the violin and Moe as fight manager, Curly becomes a professional boxer known as K.O. Stradivarius.  What could go wrong?

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

Punch Drunks contains several firsts…

• Punch Drunks is the first and only Three Stooges film selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant”.
• It contains the first time Curly exclaims his famous “Woo-woo-woo!”
• Punch Drunks also features the first time Curly used his catch-phrase he’s a “victim of soycumstance!”
• It is the first time Larry plays the violin (which he would go on to do in 8 other shorts)
• Punch Drunks contains an obscene gesture – during introductions for the fight, an audience member can be seen “shooting a bird”

Punch Drunks is one of the Three Stooges most beloved shorts.  Punch Drunks contains funny gags, but it doesn’t resonate with me as well as some of their other shorts.  I like Punch Drunks, but feel it lags a bit when Larry has his two “running” scenes. I expected more laughs from Curly’s big fight. I think Punch Drunks is good, but most folks feel it is one of the boys’ best.  Your mileage may vary.

Punch Drunks earns 3 of 5 stars.

Half Shot Shooters (1936)

Director:  Jack White

Screenplay: Clyde Bruckman

Stars: Moe Howard, Larry Fine, Curly Howard, Stanley Blystone and Vernon Dent

Tagline: None.

The Plot…

As the last battle of World War I rages, Sgt. MacGillicuddy (Blystone) finds the Stooges (Moe, Larry and Curly) sleeping.  When the war ends, the Sarge gives the boys a beating for being cowards.  After the Stooges are discharged they see Sgt. MacGillicuddy on the street.  They thank him and show the medals they received for being wounded in action!  Moe, Larry and Curly then give the Sarge a taste of his own medicine.

17 years later… The boys are tricked into re-enlisting!  Want to guess who their commanding Sargent will be?  Yep, good ole Sgt. MacGillicuddy.  What could go wrong?

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

Half Shot Shooters is one of the most violent of all the Stooges shorts.  Usually we get eye-pokes, punches, slaps and the like, but no real damage is shown.  In this one Moe gets a broken arm, the boys are made deaf by the Sargent and it ends with the Stooges being killed!  Of course, the violence is not graphic but at the time was considered too intense for kids.  Half Shot Shooters was actually banned in Holland!

Half Shot Shooters marks the first appearance of Vernon Dent.  Dent would go one to appear in 60 Stooges’ shorts!

Half Shot Shooters earns 3 of 5 stars.

Cash and Carry (1937)

Director:  Del Lord

Screenplay: Clyde Bruckman, Elwood Ullman from a story by Clyde Bruckman

Stars: Moe Howard, Larry Fine, Curly Howard and Sonny Bupp

Tagline: None.

The Plot…

The boys (Moe, Larry and Curly) return to their shack in the dump only to find a young boy inside doing his homework.  Moe tells the boy to leave.  The little fellow says he’s sorry and starts to pack his school work.  The Stooges see the boy is wearing a leg brace.  The boy’s older sister says, that they didn’t think anyone lived in the shack.  She’s saving her money to get her brother an operation to fix his leg.  They tell the girl and boy they can stay.

The Stooges then head out to raise $500 for the operation.  They buy a “treasure map” from a couple of shysters. The map leads the boys to a deserted house next to the US Treasury.  Curly finds an “X” marked on a wall… What could go wrong?

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

Cash and Carry is one of the most sentimental of all the Stooges’ shorts.  If a handicapped, polite little orphan who needs a leg surgery doesn’t tug your heart strings, you may be missing a ticker.  Having a cameo by President Roosevelt is a nice touch.  ; )

Cash and Carry earns 4 of 5 stars.

Cactus Makes Perfect (1942)

Director:  Del Lord

Screenplay: Elwood Ullman, Monte Collins

Stars: Moe Howard, Larry Fine, Shemp Howard, Ernie Adams and Vernon Dent

Tagline: None.

The Plot…

The boys (Moe, Larry and Curly) are brothers out to make their fortune.  They buy a bogus gold mine map and end up finding gold. Little do the Stooges know, two crooks are waiting to rob them!

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

Catus Makes Perfect is a fairly generic Stooges short.  Still any outing with Curly is worth a look!

Cactus Makes Perfect earns 3 of 5 stars.