The Stooges Enter the 40's

Here are the first two shorts they did that were released in 1940, including one of their most famous efforts: 

You Nazty Spy!

(Short # 44 in Nyuk Nyuk Nyuk: The Columbia Shorts of The Three Stooges)

So, the Stooges spoof HITLER… this is one of the most famous shorts from the trio due to their parody of the Nazi party back when World War II had already began but the United States was isolationist. Chaplin’s The Great Dictator was filmed first but didn’t release until after this short; thus, this was the fist mocking portrayal of Hitler on screen. It was nice seeing a trio of Ashkenazi Jews make fun of the Nazi Party, especially viewing this with 2025 eyes.

The way that the boys rose to power in the country of Moronika wasn’t an accurate retelling of how Adolf rose to power in Germany-it’s a complaint I’ve seen and while true, that wasn’t the point. The short was a simple mockery. Businessmen in the munitions field are unhappy in Moronika because the country’s king is a pacifist. He’s overthrown and the trio are installed as puppets in a dictatorship. Unfortunately, businessmen have become involved in political upheavals, both before and after. Look at what happened in Iran in 1953, for example. At least now we don’t have to worry about businessmen becoming intertwined w/ a federal government, especially currently in the United States…

To return to levity, those businessmen (Ixnay, Amscray and Onay) install the Stooges as puppets; they happened to be “stupid men” installing wallpaper in Onay’s house. There is still slapstick but naturally there is a focus on an onslaught of funny verbal humor-some of it obscure… Moe speaks Yiddish, for example. Moe’s declaration of “Moronika for Morons” spoofs “Germany for Germans” and there’s some slang/phrases from the time used.

Several thoughts did cross my head while watching You Nazty Spy! I better not share them here-even if they don’t cause the review to get deleted by a moderator, it could spark discourse/arguing that would be a can of worms I’d rather not open. I’ll just say that this may be uncomfortable for many Americans currently. The atypical short still delighted me.

Now, this received a sequel (!) called I’ll Never Heil Again, released the next year and will be discussed by me in a few weeks. I was glad to review this short—even if I am glad to have started reviewing the Stooges chronologically this year so the real world could be ignored for a bit.

Rockin' Thru the Rockies: 

(Short # 45 in Nyuk Nyuk Nyuk: The Columbia Shorts of The Three Stooges)

Don’t confuse this with the 1945 feature film Rockin’ in the Rockies, a rare feature film where the classic lineup of the boys appeared in more than just a cameo role. I need to view that one day; heck, in the second half of the year I should at least review again (or for the first time) at least one of the 60’s films Moe and Larry did with Curly Joe DeRita. As for Thru, it is an amusing short set in the second half of the 19th century where the trio escort a theatrical act-a trio of young ladies, managed by a tough hardened older woman who was great in her salty role-to San Francisco. They run into trouble with (among other things) a snowstorm and Indians… once again, white guys cosplaying as Native Americans.

The ending is incredibly abrupt to the point of being jarring. The final 90 seconds were rushed beyond belief. Be that as it may, it was an interesting short which at least did feel fresh. Several routines from the past returned, only modified so the chuckles were different. Plus, getting to see them interact w/ both snow and ice allowed for new comedic moments. Of the quartet of ladies (Kathryn Sheldon, Lorna Gray, Linda Winters, Dorothy Appleby) only Sheldon as the older lady Nell-she leads Nell’s Belles-is allowed to make much of an impression. A bear appears for a few minutes and enters the cabin during the night; the expected hijinks occur.

Criticisms aside, there’s a great short segment involving ice fishing which was another new novelty. Thankfully, even in efforts that aren’t at the highest tier or two, they typically have at least one moment I’m a fan of. There’s also a reference to a famous scene in It Happened One Night.