This is more high concept than typical. Before I review the short, the fact that the past few days for me have been ridiculously busy and it’s impacted my schedule—that is why there’s been more shorts reviewed than feature-length pictures. However, that chaos has ended and while May in general has had some lousy days, the rest of the month should be swell. I’ll return to the cinema more than once, for starters. Now, back to Heavenly Daze…
The opening few minutes is in Heaven and Shemp is an angel talking to his uncle Mortimer, who was played by Moe wearing a beard. Mortimer tells him there was a clerical error and without using the word “Hell,” says that Shemp will spend eternity in Hades unless he can return to Earth to reform his lout buddies Moe & Larry, but without presenting himself in a corporeal form.
Some will furrow their brow at Shemp’s raging hormones over the attractive angels in Heaven, or how it resulted in a rather suggestive gag. The Heaven set does look like a set, no matter how much fog they use. Otherwise, this was amusing. The living can’t see nor hear Shemp but he can physically move objects and even strike people. After time spent w/ the attorney I. Fleecem, Moe & Larry attempt to swindle a rich couple w/ a fraudulent invention. Shemp attempts to stop this malarkey and reform his cousins.
It was a nice change of pace to see Shemp as the lead and troll people. This includes the Black butler that Moe & Larry hire for their scheme. He was portrayed by Sam McDaniel; yes, the brother of both Hattie and Etta McDaniel. This was different yet funny at the same time, featuring the same sort of slapstick that I adore.
There’s even two stunts bolder & more dangerous than usual. The most impressive of the two apparently went fine, but the other resulted in Larry getting a gash on his head. According to hearsay, Moe chased director Jules White in anger; the latter promised the gag would be safe.
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