Screen legends that The Three Stooges are, their name carries a level of recognition that their works don't always deserve. Some films are delightful, yet many are kind of middling; as their brand of comedy tends to wear thin in a full-length feature alongside whatever the defining shtick is, it's fair to wonder if it wouldn't have been better had the troupe stuck to one- or two-reel shorts. To be sure, they want only to entertain, and with a fairly steady stream of situational humor, gags, animated characters and performances, and witty dialogue on top of the foremost slapstick, one is guaranteed a good time in some measure with most anything the Stooges do. The question is to what extent, and how well any given premise will come off. In reading of 1951's 'Gold raiders' one quickly surmises that it was marked by a somewhat harried production; to begin watching, it seems apparent enough that the screenplay is more or less a mashup of the comedians with a straight western. And, well, for better or worse, the flick fits right in with most of what the Stooges released, at least in terms of major motion pictures: it's decent enough, but mostly on a rather passive level.
It's well made in most regards. One can't fault the cast for committed performances, and the acting tends to be rather lively; the actors arguably do most of the work of providing energy to the proceedings, and they might actually be a chief strength. Those stunts and effects that are employed are well done, quite in line with the average contemporary genre piece, and much the same goes for the sets, costume design, hair, and makeup. While nothing remarkable, I even appreciate aspects like the cinematography, editing, and music, and for that matter eve the root story. On the other hand, both as written and realized most any scene of intended humor loses its luster pretty fast, regardless of how clever it might be in and of itself. This might be chalked up to the cartoonish sound effects wearing thin, a bit that's allowed to linger too long or that doesn't land well in the first place, a deficit in the necessary vitality, or other factors. One way or another, even as they share at least equal time on screen with the other stars, the Stooges meaningfully contribute to the reverie less than George O'Brien, Clem Bevans, Sheila Ryan, and the other folks that are playing it straight. To put it another way, the fun that the movie has to offer has more to do with the western adventure than with the intended comedy.
'Gold raiders' is enjoyable, certainly; please don't let me give the impression that it's bad, or that I altogether dislike it. Everyone involved did a good job, and some odds and ends are sharper than others. Even if it doesn't leave a huge mark, the western saga is sufficiently well done that I think it helps the whole to stand a tad above "average." That's just the thing, though - it really kind of seems like the title could have been made as a pure western, without the Stooges' involvement at all, and it would have been much the same piece if not stronger. Be that as it may, I'm glad for those who get more out of it than I do. I think this is suitable enough to earn a soft recommendation; so long as you're not specifically anticipating a riotous comedic farce, there's a lot to like here. Don't go out of your way for it, and save it for a lazy day, but as a 50s western 'Gold raiders' is worth checking out if you have the chance.
