Another Two Stooges Shorts

First, Cookoo Cavaliers: 

(Short # 51 in Nyuk Nyuk Nyuk: The Columbia Shorts of The Three Stooges)

The Stooges accidentally purchase a beauty salon instead of a saloon. The first few minutes are them as unsuccessful in the business of selling the fish they catch from a truck. The small olfactory detail that they don’t keep the fish on ice in their truck is the keystone reason why; Curly requires a gas mask to retrieve one from the back. Not even a short jingle promoting their scaly offerings is enough. Via misunderstanding w/ a Hispanic businessman, they go to the Mexican town of Cucaracha where they discover they don’t have a saloon but rather a salon.

They attempt to make-a-go with the business as “there’s a lot of money in making homely dames beautiful;” that’s Larry’s phrase, not mine. A businessman brings four ladies (they belong to a cantina, so no I don’t think it’s that kind of business!) to the boys. Of course it goes incredibly awry. Even before there’s a concrete facial instead of a mud facial, Cavaliers has a number of puns, bad spelling, broken English, and slapstick. 

Not every Hispanic character is played by a Hispanic; as that was expected, otherwise there is little complaint with this pretty good short. The unique accoutrements you’d expect were used to humorous effect and there even is a nice pantomime routine from Curly. Underrated, perhaps this is.

Second, Boobs in Arms: 

(Short # 52 in Nyuk Nyuk Nyuk: The Columbia Shorts of The Three Stooges)

As an aside, I’m glad that I have the Stooges to review for at least the first half of the year, and currently there’s a backlog of several reviews waiting to be posted. The past few days have unexpectedly been busy; the upcoming week I know will have a few busy days… a family friend will be around for a few days. Who knows how often I’ll post during this time. With that declaration made…

Boobs in Arms is one of the best war-themed shorts from the Stooges. They are greeting card salesmen who literally run into a Sergeant in the Army known as Hugh Dare--although perhaps it should be Bad Luck Brian, considering both his poor fortune and his whiny reaction to misfortune. The trio interact with Brian’s wife, who thinks he doesn’t love her any longer. Long story short, he shows up, they run away, and unknowingly enlist in his company. Those familiar w/ the 1935 Laurel & Hardy short The Fixer Uppers, yes the first few minutes are a remake of that.

There is no shortage of puns, sight gags, slapstick, and amusing scenarios as the Sergeant fails to train the Stooges to be good soldiers. His attempts to punish and harm the trio also don’t go according to plan. Once in combat, the laughs continue, and not just because laughing gas is introduced-which leads to the tremendous final few minutes. Richard Fiske portrayed the foil Sergeant; he took more of a beating than usual for a counterpoint to the Stooges. 

He appeared in a few more shorts before serving in combat during World War II. Unfortunately, he passed away in battle during August of 1944. His Hugh Dare was the most memorable character he portrayed.