Two More Stooges Shorts

First is So Long, Mr. Chumps: 

(Short # 53 in Nyuk Nyuk Nyuk: The Columbia Shorts of The Three Stooges)

Yes, the title is a parody of Goodbye, Mr. Chips, the novella turned 1939 movie. The short has an ending which seems like an ad-lib but I’ll explain at the end that it wasn’t. The trio have another blue-collar job at the start-sanitation workers in this case. They find oil bonds addressed to a B.O. Davis. He will give them a reward… if they can find an honest man who will work for him.

It is soitently not a surprise that they greatly struggle with this task. They finally run into a wife who proclaims that her husband Percy Pomeroy is honest… but he’s in jail. In the best segment, they attempt to get arrested so they can be sent to the same pokey yet it goes awry on multiple occasions. The laughs continue once they finally are behind bars and are given access to paint.

Whether new or modified, the gags here (including what animal you see in a prison uniform) made me laugh, along with the scenario and the cynicism of not finding an honest man except in prison. The final line seemed like an ad-lib on set; it also broke the fourth wall. However, I read that the ending was in the final script. The final seconds of these shorts sometimes were non-sequitors anyhow-more than once, they reused scenes from earlier shorts-so why not do something different?

Now, Dutiful But Dumb: 

(Short # 54 in Nyuk Nyuk Nyuk: The Columbia Shorts of The Three Stooges)

A.K.A. The one where Curly does battle against an oyster in oyster stew. As I’ll explain later, Curly was the highlight of the short. The trio were tabloid photographers who attempt to capture a photo of movie star Percival De Puyster to his moll. After that goes awry, their angry editor sends them to the country of Vulgaria, knowing that Vulgaria has banned all photography. This was another short I’ve seen often due to its presence on a VHS tape my parents bought me in the late 80’s. At the time I found it odd that a country would do such a thing. As an adult, I realize it’s a potshot against authoritarian governments who are against the freedom of the press. Not that such things could happen in present-day modern countries…

The first half of Dutiful was a fun time; the second half was great. What is still wacky in 2025 is a ray gun (no, not the “breakdancer”) that can fire any firearm. This is used for a gag. After that, Curly hides in a giant radio receiver and ruined the internals so when the Vulgarian military leaders decide to turn the radio on, he is forced to become a one-man-band, creating a zany yet catchy song.

Shortly thereafter, a meal is had at a bar/restaurant, and not only did Curly experience troubles w/ a bottle of beer (sadly, in real life Jerome Howard had difficulties when it came to alcohol), the famed scene featuring him against the oyster occurred. I’ve never played the Three Stooges videogame from the 80’s but this was featured in one of the levels. Curly repeatedly placed an oyster cracker in his oyster stew, but the fresh oyster repeatedly kept on eating those crackers, much to his consternation.

Hopefully nostalgia doesn’t cloud my opinion of Dutiful but Dumb. Thankfully it still makes me laugh as an adult.