Micro-Phonies

This is one of the Stooges' best comedies, with a good variety of gags and constant laughs. The three are doing maintenance work in a radio studio when Curly gets mistaken for an opera diva (it sounds impossible, but you'll have to see how it happens). Before they can set things right, Curly is offered plenty of money to sing, and from then on the boys decide to fake it, with some hilarious results. Every sequence in this one is quite good, with some funny and creative situations, plus plenty of the usual Stooges-type humor. "Micro-Phonies" is one of their best films.

At some point in late 1944 or early 1945, Curly Howard suffered the first of what was to be a long series of strokes. Due to this, his ability to function and to perform varied widely from day to day and week to week. Always-protective brother Moe insisted he check into a hospital, where the younger Howard was diagnosed with acute hypertension, obesity, and eye problems. He had also been a heavy drinker for years. The doctors (and Moe) insisted that Curly rest; as a result, the Stooges cut back production in 1945. Over the next two years, Howard's abilities varied greatly; the comedian often appeared sluggish, and many scenes had to be shot repeatedly. Nonetheless he made 16 more shorts in the interim, until a massive stroke on the set of "Half Wits Holiday" ended his career in early 1947.

Fortunately for Stooges fans, Curly was near the top of his game for "Micro Phonies," because it is one of the best that the trio made. With new director Edward Bernds at the helm, the film is put together well, with a good mixture of slapstick, music, and dialogue.

Observant viewers will notice that Curly is lip-syncing most of the actual words to "Voices of Spring" (which was actually sung by Christine McIntyre). The Italian aerie that Gino Carrado is trying to sing as the boys throw cherries into his mouth is "Vieni Sul Mar." And during excerpt from the recording of the Sextet from Lucia, while there is considerable clowning around,, you can actually see Larry and Curly lip-syncing many of the correct words of the their parts of the aria --- in Italian! This isn't surprising to Stooges fans, as all three were known to be perfectionists who took their craft, slapstick or not, seriously.

It should also be known that Moe was a good bass-baritone singer who was in casual quartets. Larry was a studied violinist and pianist, but he wasn't known as a singer.

Overall, "Micro Phonies" is one of the better Stooges works, and it deserves a look if you find it on TV or the internet.

If Back to the Woods isn't the best Stooge short, this one is. The Boys pull through "Together" on this one. One more big laugh. The Boys pose as Opera singers where Curly is the enchanting Senorita Cucaracha. It's a hilarious ride from start to finish filled with air-borne fruit, sword fights, and a pipe beaten boss (i.e. watch Larry mistakenly hit the boss with a pipe and then haul). HA HA HA!! Go Larry. This entry was made in 1945 and look for Curly's weakness in his voice and movements. Moe and Larry really pull him through this one to make it the best series entry, but it's fair to say Curly was out of his prime here. After this entry and "3 Little Pirates" the Boys were never the same. Granted, they were still funny (with Shemp) but were never again like this.

Bottom Line: The Best Stooge of them all. 10/10

This is without a doubt the funniest of the Curly stooges shorts. I've seen it dozens of times and it always makes me laugh. Hilarious pantomime sequences. A perfect example of "musical comedy". Even people who don't like the knuckleheads remember this one fondly.

Most Stoogephiles consider this to be the best Stooges short bar none, and they're right. Curly is a scream dressed up in drag as "Senorita Cucaracha", and Moe and Larry are in top form as "Senor Mucho" and "Senor Gusto", respectively. Christine McIntyre's beautiful operatic voice is given full rein--she actually was a trained opera singer--and it's wonderful. The great Gino Corrado is hilarious as a pompous Italian singer terrorized by the Stooges at a society party. Some truly funny gags, good direction and very tight editing make this rise to the very top of the Stooges' prolific output. What's even more amazing is that Curly was having severe health problems at the time, and in several of the shorts he made during this period, you can see that he is obviously ill; his timing is way off, he speaks very slowly and haltingly, and has trouble getting around. Fortunately, his health was in an upswing when he made this film, and it shows. Classic Stooge comedy, and enjoyed by even non-Stooge fans (I had a girlfriend who couldn't stand the Stooges, but even she laughed at this one). A must-see.