jimtinder

"They Stooge to Conga," The Three Stooges' first release of 1943, has earned the reputation of being the most violent film in their 24-year short subject span. True, the film is violent, sometimes to the extreme; however, the violence is short-lived, the Stooges are not permanently hurt, and the end result is mayhem and mirth of the first order.

A careful comparison of "They Stooge to Conga" with their 1936 film "Half-Shot Shooters" offers proof that "Conga" is not their most violent film. In "Shooters," arms are broken and eardrums are busted. In "Conga," Moe gets his scalp, eye and ear poked with a climbing spike. While cringe-worthy in itself, this violence is not long lasting, allowing the viewer to relax and enjoy the unfolding comedy.

Give "They Stooge to Conga" another chance. Look past the critical analysis that condemn this film's violence and just enjoy it as another Stooges wartime farce. 7 out of 10.

"Warlock Moon" offered B-movie suspense, coupled with a small budget. The film was made in my hometown of Livermore, CA in 1972, but was held from release until 1975 because of reasons already commented upon by another poster.

The premiere was held at the Vine Cinema in Livermore. As I recall, the theater was packed with teens, mostly from the two high schools in town (Livermore and Granada). It was on a double bill with "The Other." Girls screamed in horror throughout the film, although in hindsight the film had little horror. One teen got tired of the screaming, and told the audience to shut up, which brought some laughs.

It was interesting to see scenes of Livermore on the screen...the public library, the abandoned TB center, the old Vineyard shopping center. If you grew up in Livermore in the 70s, you might remember this little film.

"Musty Musketeers" combines new footage with the 1948 Stooge film "Fiddlers Three." With this remake, a few elements of the storyline are smoothed out, and an entertaining sword fight replaces some of the original film.

The Stooges are living in Cole-Slawvania, around the time of King Arthur. They want to marry their sweethearts, but cannot wed until Princess Alicia, daughter of King Cole (Vernon Dent) marries first. The Stooges stumble onto a plot by the evil Mergatroid (Phil Van Zandt) to marry the princess and take over the kingdom.

In this hybrid remake, the Stooges are not court jesters, as they were in "Fiddlers Three." As such, the songs they sing at the beginning of the original film are sadly edited out. In their place, however, is more story exhibition showing the Stooges and their fiancées. A fun sword fight makes up the extra new footage, and seeing Shemp bite Mergatroid's nose is hilarious!

It is often amazing to see how smoothly the new footage of the Stooges was placed into earlier films. Director Jules White deserves much credit for this. Sets were meticulously redone, sometimes five to seven years after the original sets were constructed. Wardrobe is to be credited as well; the Stooges and Phil Van Zandt appear to wear the same costumes in the new footage as they did six years earlier. The Stooges should be credited as well; except for a little extra baggage under Moe's eyes, the Stooges don't appear to have aged at all!

The seamless addition of new footage into the old, along with the fun sword fight, makes "Musty Musketeers" one of the better hybrid remakes. Although "Fiddlers Three" is available on DVD, "Musty Musketeers" is not. See it if you get the chance, though. 7 out of 10.

Moe and Larry are newly henpecked husbands, having married Shemp's demanding sisters. At his music studio, Shemp learns he will inherit a fortune if he marries someone himself!

"Husbands Beware" is a remake of 1947's "Brideless Groom," widely considered by many to be one of the best Stooge films with Shemp. The remake contains most of the footage from that film. The new scenes, shot May 17, 1955, include the storyline of Moe and Larry marrying Shemp's sisters, along with their cooking of a turkey laced with turpentine! A few new scenes are tacked onto the end of the film as well(a double for Dee Green was used; if you blink, you will miss the double's appearance.)

"Husbands Beware" would have made for a good film with just the plot line of marrying the sisters. Budget considerations, coupled with fewer bookings for two-reel comedies, influenced the decision to use older footage.

Although completely new films were still being made by the Stooges, most of their releases by 1955-56 were made up of older films with a few new scenes tossed in. "Husbands Beware," while one of these hybrids, is watchable and entertaining; we get to see most of "Brideless Groom" again, and the new scenes are funny enough to get the viewer through the film. This film is one of the last Stooge comedies to feature new footage of Shemp, and it was released six weeks after his death.

7 out of 10.

Another Stooge comedy set in the Old West, "Shot in the Frontier" shows the Stooges defending their town and their new wives from mean gunslingers. This film is a carbon copy of basic western plots the Stooges examined in many previous films. However, the film contains a couple of rarities that makes the film worth seeing at least once.

First, the film contains many scenes set outdoors. By the early fifties, most of the Stooges films contained scenes shot entirely inside Columbia sound stages, to save money previously spent on outside location shots. The film is aided by the natural outdoor locales (even if it is on a Columbia back lot!) Second, there is some incidental music in the background of "Shot in the Frontier," a rarity not only for the Stooges but for most Columbia comedy series.

Third, "Shot in the Frontier" contains all-new footage. By the early fifties, to save costs, Columbia and producer Jules White reused extensive footage from earlier Stooge films, shot a few new scenes, and theatrically released the "new" films. "Shot in the Frontier" is all-new and the film is a welcome change from other 1954 Stooge films that reuse old footage.

Unfortunately, the plot is nothing new, and the film gets a little tiresome. Some gags work well (like Larry shooting gum out of a shotgun) but there is the underlying feeling that we've seen it all before. Columbia has never released this film on VHS or DVD. It is worth seeing, if only that it was entirely new footage coupled with outdoor locales. 6 out of 10.

"Baby Sitters' Jitters" shows the Stooges as wannabe babysitters, in an effort to pay their back rent. Their first job poses a problem; the parents of the child have been fighting, and the mother is worried about the father taking back the child. Will the Stooges step up and take on the father?

You'll be hard pressed to find this film on TV or DVD. It was released on VHS in 1990, but not by Columbia, and it has never gotten a DVD issue. One scene that might make modern viewers cringe is the cavalier way the mother nonchalantly drops a loaded gun into junior's crib!

All in all, however, "Baby Sitters' Jitters" is a solid Stooge effort from the early 50s. The boys give it their best, especially when Shemp concocts a soup for the ages -- complete with oodles of cayenne, sage, and what Shemp calls "powdered bacon" (actually baking powder - Shemp couldn't read very well!)

At times, Junior is a bit much to take (who would want to babysit this kid?) but the Stooges make up for it with their blend of patented slapstick. Find this film if you can! 7 out of 10.

"Who Done It?" contains many surefire laughs and gags. It is not only one of the best Stooges films with Shemp, it is one of the finest short comedies Columbia produced. Director Bernds originally wrote the screenplay in 1946 for the Stooges, but when Curly Howard suffered a career-ending stroke, it was tailored for the Columbia comedy team of Schilling and Lane (their version was released as "Pardon My Terror.") It obviously was too good for the Stooges to pass up, and it was finally filmed by the Stooges at the end of 1947.

Old Man Goodrich calls ace detectives Shemp, Larry, and Moe out of fear that he will be murdered. When they arrive at his home, Goodrich has disappeared, and his niece and assorted goons try to get rid of the Stooges. Will they find Goodrich and bring the niece and goons to justice?

Shemp is particularly funny in this film. His reactions after being given a mickey by Christine McIntyre are superb; he gives his trademark sound (eeeb-eeeb-eeeb) and Miss McIntyre is noticeably trying not to laugh! Other funny scenes: the close-up of Moe's mug looking through the camera lens; and the in-the-dark fight with all cast members involved.

Nikko the goon (played by Duke York) is one of the most unusual looking characters ever portrayed in a Stooges film. With his kinked hair, he could almost pass for a Stooge, if he didn't tower over everyone else! "Who Done It?" is a gem among the Stooges films with Shemp. Even die-hard Curly fans will enjoy this one! A true Stooge classic. 9 out of 10.

"Three Troubledoers," filmed in May 1945, is one of a dozen or so Stooge films from 1945-46 that features an ill Curly Howard. Earlier that year, he had had a few small strokes, limiting his physical and verbal comedic talents. Despite his illness, Curly rises to the occasion in this film, marking "Three Troubledoers" among the best Stooge films from this period.

The Stooges come to the aid of lovely Nell (played wonderfully by the equally lovely Christine McIntyre), who is being blackmailed into marriage by evil Badlands Blackie (played to the hilt by Dick Curtis). Curly becomes the town's sheriff, while Moe and Larry become his deputies. Nell promises to marry Curly if he can spare her father from Blackie's evil machinations. Can the Stooges save him in time?

Curly manages some laughs in his stint as Justice of the Peace. Seeing him with a hairpiece is funny enough! Other funny scenes include the setting sun that rises back up again, the attempt to remove the dog collar from Curly's neck, and Curly's reaction to Nell's father.

While most films from this time period are difficult to watch because of Curly's illness, "Three Troubledoers" is not, because Curly rallies his energy for this film in much the same way as he would in "Micro-Phonies" (made after "Three Troubledoers," but released earlier).

This film is featured on the DVD "Stooges and the Law." 9 out of 10.

"The Yoke's on Me" is undoubtedly the most controversial film in the Stooges' 23 years of shorts. The reason is understandable; by today's standards, this film can be considered racist. For this reason, it is rarely shown, if ever, on television.

Let me just state that, for the record, the Japanese seen in the film were not soldiers; they were Japanese-Americans sent to a relocation center during World War II. They were treated and shown as the evil enemy in this film. By all accounts - including the US government, who made an apology and reparations in the 1980s - Japanese-Americans during World War II were as loyal and hardworking as any American. Their imprisonment during this time is a dark blot in American history.

There are some Stooge laughs in this film, but the memories of how Japanese-Americans were treated during this time sullies the entertainment value. Let's not confuse the loyal Japanese-Americans with their representation in this film as evildoers. Loyal Japanese-Americans and the World War II-era evil empire of Japan are not synonymous. 2 out of 10.

"Cuckoo on A Choo Choo" has often been called the worst Three Stooges short. While it's not their best film, the uniqueness of this work in the series begs for a second look.

Larry and Shemp have swiped a railroad car called Schmow, with Larry hoping to marry his girlfriend. Shemp is a rich drunk who would rather woo an imaginary canary than the sister of Larry's girlfriend. Moe plays a railroad detective who discovers the car.

"Cuckoo on a Choo Choo" is a broad satire on "A Streetcar Named Desire." Larry satires Marlon Brando's role in that movie, and it is a delight to see him in a role other than middle Stooge. Shemp's drunkard character adds some comedic highlights as well.

True, the film is budget-thin (the streetcar is basically the only set) and tedious at times. But the satire and the broad humor make this film unique (much like the uniqueness of their first Columbia film, "Woman Haters," which included rhyming dialogue).

This is not the worst film in the series (the racist "The Yoke's on Me," which shows Japanese-Americans that escaped from a California relocation camp, surely rates that honor). I encourage Stooge fans to seek out this hard-to-find film and compare it with "The Yoke's on Me" or half of the Joe Besser shorts for awfulness. "Cuckoo on A Choo Choo" offers enough funny business and satire to appeal to the casual Stooge fan. 6 out of 10.

"Listen, Judge" is a sort-of remake of the Stooges' 1941 film "An Ache in Every Stake." This film features tried and true Stooge gags, along with a few surprises.

The Stooges are in court before a judge (Vernon Dent) and are released from vagrancy and chicken stealing charges. The Stooges get into their usual trouble after getting off the hook, and the judge is not pleased with getting a chicken in his face after releasing them! Fixer-uppers, they make a mess of Kitty McHugh's home -- and then find the judge is a guest at dinner! Will he recognize them?

"Listen, Judge" presents stalwart gags, including stuffing a turkey stooge-style. One twist: after Shemp puts the obligatory "can of tomatoes" inside the turkey, Moe removes the can's label and then puts the can back inside (Moe says, "paper in stuffing! Ick!")

One surprising gag occurs in this Edward Bernds'- directed film. When Shemp tests the doorbell the Stooges have "fixed," he is charged with electricity. Moe twists a bulb into his Shemp's ear, and the bulb lights up. Larry shorts out Shemp by twisting a screwdriver into his other ear (you can see the screwdriver twist into Shemp's ear by several inches). This is a surprise gag for Bernds, who normally shied away from extreme visual gags such as this(director Jules White tended to go for the cruder gags).

Another surprise is the appearance of John Hamilton, best known as Perry White in the "Adventures of Superman" TV series, which began production around this time. It is his only appearance in a Stooges film.

Good laughs, and a few surprises, gives this film a lift. 7 out of 10.

Jackie, who has a crush on his teacher, Miss Crabtree, is afraid that she will get married and leave the school. When a strange man comes around the school asking for Miss Crabtree, Jackie and the gang are convinced he's going to marry her. They tell the stranger several stories about her -- saying she puts red stuff on her lips, has two sets of false teeth, one wooden leg, two husbands, and twenty-one kids. Unknown to the gang, the man is actually Miss Crabtree's brother! What will happen to the gang when Miss Crabtree finds out?

"School's Out" is a sequel to the Little Rascals film "Teacher's Pet," and is a fine follow-up for Hal Roach and company. The laughs are constant throughout the film, and the kids are so natural that you would swear you are watching a real situation. The feelings they display are genuine; they truly love their teacher and don't want to see here go anywhere.

Much of the dialogue in "School's Out" is hilarious; Roach dialogue writer "Beanie" Walker deserves the credit. Some lines slipped past the censors! When Miss Crabtree is driving the children to school, they are steadfast in saying they will never get married. Farina says, "I'm not getting married, and I'm raising my children the same way!" Mary Ann states, "I heard my mother say she made my father marry her!" Out of the mouths of babes...

Miss Crabtree's brother is played by Creighton Hale, an actor with greater silent screen credits than talkies ("The Cat and the Canary" is perhaps his most famous silent role). Most of his talkie career went unnoticed in uncredited roles. This appearance, and his two later Rascal roles in "Big Ears" and "Free Wheeling," are undoubtedly his most familiar talkie roles. He displays enough feigned surprise at the gang's comments about his sister to warrant laughter.

If you loved "Teacher's Pet," you'll love "School's Out." A finer comedy sequel would be tough to find in any decade. 9 out of 10.

"Teacher's Pet," the second release during the "Our Gang" series' 1930-31 season, is also one of the finest films in the series. Following the excellent "Pups is Pups," "Teacher's Pet" continues the laughs, while also offering sentiment and heart.

It's Miss Crabtree's first day at school, and she wants to make a good impression on her students. She orders cake and ice cream for the children, and intends on letting them have a day off on their first day back from vacation.

Jackie, Chubby, Farina and Buddy have other plans. They are sure that with a name like Crabtree, their new teacher won't be as swell as their former teacher, Miss McGillicuddy. Buddy brings a mouse, Chubby brings red ants, and Farina brings sneezing powder in an effort to ditch school the first day. Jackie has plans of his own; but when he gets a ride to school from the new teacher - and he doesn't know she's the new teacher - he explains the plot to her. What will Miss Crabtree do?

Hailed by many film historians as one of the best films Hal Roach ever made, "Teacher's Pet" is loaded with indelible images of warmth and humor. There is an obvious connection between Jackie and Miss Crabtree that is charming and endearing. The kids give natural, likable performances. With this film, Jackie Cooper became the leader of "Our Gang/The Little Rascals", a position he would hold until leaving the series for features the following year.

The setting of the film reminds us of a simpler, quieter time seventy-five years ago. No intrusive cell phones, no rush hour, no strip malls are here. A simple, rural one-room schoolhouse; a leisurely walk along a dirt road; and shade underneath plentiful trees gives the viewer a chance to relax and enjoy the film. Who wouldn't want to go back to this time of simplicity and quiet?

The Rascals' theme song, "Good Old Days," makes its debut in this film. The film was immediately followed by a sequel, "School's Out." A winner from start to finish. 10 out of 10.

"Bear Shooters," an "Our Gang" film from early 1930, contains many tried and true comedy elements from the series. The film is also notable for featuring a one-shot character, never to be seen again.

The Gang endeavor to go on a bear hunt. The have guns and weapons of various sizes, shapes, and accuracy! They go in their wagon of questionable stability to a creek. They stumble across a bootlegger's territory; the bootleggers decide to put a scare into the kids. Will the bootleggers be successful, or will the Gang have the last word?

"Bear Shooters" is a middling early talkie in the "Our Gang" series. The film contains enough laughs to see it through, but the plodding of early talkies such as this makes the film somewhat difficult to watch. Fortunately, with the previous release of "When the Wind Blows," the Hal Roach studio began to use background music in the films, which helped to move the films along. Before long, the background music became almost as famous as the films (particularly in this series, and in Roach's "Laurel and Hardy" films). Music is present here, and it does help.

Curiously, Leon Janney is added to the Gang as "Spud," and takes the lead in this film. This is Janney's only appearance in the series; he's good, but his character certainly doesn't add much, and the fact that Janney was thirteen when he made this film also added to his one-shot appearance.

"Bear Shooters" is a pleasant but unimportant entry in the series. 6 out of 10.

Costello plays Tubby, a fan of the Nickelodeon flickers, sometime around 1914. Abbott is Slim, who convinces Tubby to buy a motion picture studio with his aunt's money. The duo are conned by Joe Gorman (Fred Clark) who follow him to California. Will the duo catch up to Gorman, or will Gorman get the best of them?

"Meet the Keystone Kops" is probably the last fun film Abbott and Costello made. It is a surprise, considering that Costello just recovered from a major illness. Indeed, Costello looks thinner than in any of his previous films, so calling his character "Tubby" is somewhat off the mark.

Both Abbott and Costello are at their slapstick best. This too is a surprise, considering that Costello supposedly told Abbott in an earlier time not to slap him anymore!

Fred Clark is deliciously evil as Joe Gorman and is one of Abbott and Costello's finest foils. Clark's skill as an actor, coupled with his sense of comedy, are wonderful to see.

7 out of 10.

"Go to Mars" has been unfairly maligned as Abbott and Costello's worst film. A careful comparison to "Mexican Hayride" or "Dance With Me, Henry" would certainly prove this point. While it doesn't rate in their Top 10, "Go to Mars" has many funny and wonderful moments.

Among the great gags: Costello asking Abbott for a nickel to go through the Lincoln Tunnel; The Statue of Liberty ducking out of the way of the rocket. Costello's reactions to space flight are also funny.

What drags the film down for me in the rankings are the following two items. First, the "space map" the rocket scientist uses to point out Venus and Mars; How can he find the two small planets among numerous pictures of large galaxies? If the map were accurate, Venus and Mars would not be in the Solar System, they would be two stars between galaxies! If these nitwits were in charge of the space program we would have never gotten to the moon! Second, the last 20 or so minutes are rushed compared to the rest of the film. It seems that in no time at all, Costello has gone from a prisoner on Venus to king. And then, just as quickly, is dethroned. This portion of the film is over too quickly, especially considering the bevy of Venus beauties we get to see!

Take a quick look: that's Harry Shearer of "The Simpsons" and "Spinal Tap" fame in an uncredited role as a boy at the orphanage early in the film.

Not their best, but certainly not their worst. 6 out of 10.

The Gang arrives at a neighborhood magic show, with Johnny Downs as the magician (in his last "Our Gang" appearance). The Gang is amazed at Johnny's big trick, making Jean Darling turn into a rabbit with some magic powder (the trick is done with a hidden trap door). The Gang swipes Johnny's magic powder and decides to use it on Farina's sister. To their amazement, they think they have transformed her into a monkey (it's actually a loose monkey who has taken her place at the last moment.) Can the Gang turn her back?

"Chicken Feed," while possessing some funny gags, ultimately fails with some bad gags, which are often tasteless. The idea of turning Farina's sister into a monkey -- and then holding Farina back while he tries to rescue his sister -- ranks as one of the most tasteless gags in "Our Gang" history.

The treatment of the animals in the film is also brought into question. A monkey and a goose have water sprayed in their faces, and the poor goose's neck is trapped through a knothole with a horseshoe.

This film was directed by Robert A. McGowan, who was more often credited as "Anthony Mack." He was the nephew of the Gang's main director, Robert McGowan. While "Uncle Bob" McGowan's films contained heart and often sentiment, nephew Mack's films -- like "Chicken Feed" --often veered into questionable territory. "Uncle Bob" McGowan was on a break from the series, leaving it to his less talented nephew. It's no surprise that Anthony Mack resurfaced some eleven years later to co-write the abysmal MGM-produced "Our Gang" films.

The storyline, obviously in bad taste, must have been successful at the time. It was reworked five years later into the equally tasteless Gang film "A Lad An' A Lamp." Not only do we have to sit through the same tasteless storyline in that film, but we get to hear tasteless dialogue as well!

At least "Chicken Feed" was silent. 4 out of 10.

Poor Pete the Pup. He wants to hang himself because his master, Joe, has given up playing with him and going fishing for the love of a girl. A dog friend of Pete's stops him in the nick of time, and in flashback Pete tells him of his sorrows; Pete becomes a drunkard and is chased away by Joe. The last straw comes when another dog knocks Joe's sweetheart into a lake and Pete is blamed for it. Will Pete carry through with his suicide or will Joe apologize?

Full of clever humor and situations, "Dog Heaven" is one of the best of the late-silent "Our Gang" comedies (a period lasting roughly from 1927 to 1929). Pete the Pup proves a fine animal actor; his facial expressions convey emotions seldom found in other animal actors, especially when playing drunk!

That said, at times it appears as if Pete is really hanging from his neck! There may have been an invisible wire aiding his support, but the manipulation here is a little unsettling. All in all, however, watch "Dog heaven" for good laughs and a good canine performance. 9 out of 10.

The Gang are inner city kids with nowhere to play, so they improvise a baseball game at a street intersection. The officer on the beat, "Hard Boiled" McManus, thinks the kids are nothing but troublemakers and sends them away. A police investigator witnesses McManus's cruel treatment of the kids and others and replaces him with a kinder, gentler officer. This officer befriends the Gang and makes them Junior Officers, complete with their own paddy wagon. The usual brand of Our Gang chaos ensues; will the Gang capture criminals and get back at McManus?

"Official Officers" is not the best "Our Gang" silent film, but it is better than average. Joe Cobb has some funny moments; Joe likes bananas, but the fruit vendor has placed them on a rope above his reach. No problem; Joe sits on a lift for painters and is able to capture some bananas as the painters climb up the side of the building!

There is not much focus on the Gang as officers; some comic moments could have been developed from this scenario, but they were not fleshed out for the film. All in all, however, "Official Officers" is above average. The print of the film viewed for this review is crisp and clean for the most part; it appears the film was saved for home movie use and it represents one of the cleaner "Our Gang" silent films in existence (many Gang films from this period suffer from being duped nearly white.)

A nice outing. 8 out of 10.

The Stooges are office cleaners mistaken as doctors by bank robbers. The leader has been shot in the arm and the Stooges are forced to operate! Will they get out of this "Gem of a Jam"?

"A Gem of A Jam" proves the old saying that the sum of the parts are greater than the whole. There are individual scenes that shine: the Stooges do their classic bit, the "Cossack Dance." The scene with Curly being "operated" on instead of the bank robber offers some hilarious results, and when Curly falls into a tub of plaster, prepare to laugh. And don't forget the welcome comic antics of Dudley Dickerson.

Viewed together, however, "A Gem of a Jam" doesn't add up. The bank robber plot is dropped in favor of making Curly look like a ghost. There is not much of a cohesive whole to this film; modern viewers may cue past moments of sluggishness for genuine laughs.

Some funny moments, but not a Stooge classic. 6 out of 10.

It's World War I, and the Stooges are tormented by their sergeant (Stanley Blystone). Even when the war ends, Curly and Larry receive black eyes and Moe gets his arm broken by the sarge. The Stooges exact some delicious revenge upon him, however!

Cue ahead 17 years to the depression. The Stooges are tricked into re-enlisting in the army, and their good ol' sarge is their to take them by the hand once again. Will the Stooges and the sarge mend fences this time?

"Half-Shot Shooters" was banned in Holland, and it's not difficult to see why: ultra-violence permeates this short. One reason the Stooges are funny is that the slaps and pokes they receive are brief and the pain is minimal. We can relax knowing that and enjoy their films.

What is NOT funny is seeing the Stooges inflicted with long-lasting pain that is fully in view of the audience (black eyes, a broken arm, busted eardrums). In addition, this torment is inflicted by a sadistic sergeant who enjoys what he does to the boys.

"Half-Shot Shooters" has some funny moments, but the violence level here can make even the most devoted Stooge fan uncomfortable. 5 out of 10.

"Gents Without Cents" on the surface may seem like another Stooge comedy for an indiscriminating audience, but underneath it emerges as one of their finest comedies of the World War II period.

The Stooges play entertainers trying to get a booking with promoter Manny Weeks (John Tyrrell). They meet up with three ladies who also have an act. Can they all convince Manny to give them a shot in his show?

"Gents Without Cents" includes two classic Stooge routines. The first is when they audition in Manny Weeks' office. They do their "rat-tat-toodle-toodle-day-day" song and show that they were capable of more than slapstick. Second, the film features their all-time classic "Niagara Falls" routine.

It is interesting to note that "Gents Without Cents" was filmed without the "Niagara Falls" routine. The scene with their "Niagara" performance was meant for the 1943 Columbia feature "Good Luck Mr. Yates" but was edited out of the final print. Luckily, the scene was saved and was inserted into "Gents Without Cents" seamlessly when the rest of the short was filmed in mid-1944.

It is wonderful to see Curly in great form here, handling his lines and scenes with precision. When the Stooges made another "variety" film in 1946, "Rhythm and Weep," Curly had had a stroke and the results were not the same.

"Gents Without Cents" stands out among a crop of generally weak 1944 Stooge shorts. 10 out of 10.

The Stooges are ordered by their wives to find jobs or never darken the house again. Fortunately for them, they have awakened bright and early at 11 AM to start searching for work. Their wives read an ad to sell "Brighto," and tell the Stooges to get the sales jobs.

The boys arrive at the Brighto office as "three of the best salesmen who ever saled." They immediately launch into a selling frenzy, running out into the street and down sidewalks hawking Brighto. The Stooges run into trouble when they sell Brighto as a cleaner and not as the medicine it is intended to be. Will they still make a sale and get out of trouble?

"Dizzy Doctors" succeeds on two levels. First, the aforementioned manic way the Stooges sell Brighto; second, when they arrive at Los Arms Hospital to hawk their wares. The scene where they try to cure a man hospitalized for dandruff is hilarious. The hospital scenes harken back to their 1935 Academy Award nominated film, "Men in Black."

A good, solid Stooge comedy. 8 out of 10.

"Hoi Polloi" could be regarded as the first classic film of the Three Stooges series. The Stooges play trash collectors who are selected by two professors to be the determining factor to a bet. One professor says that heredity determines social position; the other claims that environment makes gentlemen. The environment professor tries to make gentlemen out of the Stooges, and the usual chaos ensues!

"Hoi Polloi" delivers solid laughs and a good storyline. Helen Howard, Moe's wife, is now credited with giving the basic storyline to Felix Adler, who received credit for the story at the time the film was released.

This basic plot was reworked as "Half-Wit's Holiday," Curly's last starring Stooge film, in May 1946. Some elements of "Hoi Polloi" appeared in post-Curly Stooge films; most of the plot was remade with Joe Besser in the Stooge film "Pies and Guys" (1958); the spring gag was used by Joe DeRita in "Have Rocket Will Travel" (1959). These reworkings, while not as good as the 1935 original, reflect the quality of the story and the humor found in making gentlemen of stooges.

A total romp. 10 out of 10.

"Sweet and Hot" is one of the last Stooge two-reelers shot at Columbia. As such, the production values are poor, and let's face it --this film is merely a pilot to showcase Muriel Landers.

I will defend this film, however, as NOT being the worst film in the Stooges canon. (That honor must surely go to the racist "The Yoke's on Me.") Muriel Landers has a modicum of talent; she later appeared on early episodes of "Laugh In" and previously appeared as the love interest (!) of Sammy Petrillo in "Bela Lugosi Meets a Brooklyn Gorilla."

I must also defend Joe and Larry. The talents of Joe Besser burst forth here. He tears paper and does a little dance. What's bad about that?

Okay, so some of my comments are tongue in cheek. "Sweet and Hot" is no classic, but it's not the worst Stooge film, either. Although it musk rank in the bottom 20. 4 out of 10.