Moron Than Off

Sterling Holloway starred in four movies for Jules White at Columbia. In this one, based on Harry Langdon's I DON'T REMEMBER from 1935, Holloway is a moron whose wife brilliantly gives him money to deliver to the furniture company lest they repossess the furniture. Of course he gives it to Monte Collins for a half-interest in an Irish Sweepstakes ticket.

I've seen the Langdon version, and it is good, carried by Langdon's character. Here, filled out with director White's cheaply-executed violence, the movie becomes an exercise in pain, both of the physical and mental variety.

I'm not a fan of the Three Stooges, but this poorly executed comedy makes me understand that at least they understood comic timing. Despite the real abilities of the two leading players, White overwhelms them with loud noises and cruelty.

I saw this on YouTube. "Moron than of" is a remake of Langdon's "I don't remember". The film is about a man with the weakest memory, he wins the lottery, but can't remember where his ticket is. There is a dark subplot where he tries to kill himself. This is not the funniest of the Columbia shorts, but it is the second best in the "Sterling Holloway" series (after "flat feat"). They copied literally everything from "I don't remember". It also (kind of) stars Monty Collins (who had his own series with Tom Kennedy back in the 30's) and he really stole the show, though.

The worst part is when Sterling wants to kill Monte.

I remember Stanley Holloway from his several appearances on "The Adventures of Superman" T. V. series in the 1950s.

He often appears in small comedy roles in many 1930s and 1940s movies, although he occasionally played the sidekick of the lead in some Westerns. His voice is famous from a bunch of animated features he did for Walt Disney in the 1940s-1960s.

He starred in 15 or 20 shorts in the 30s and 40s. Most of them are fairly entertaining. He was a frequent guest star on television series of the 60s and 70s.

This short is not one of his best, but there are a few hilarious moments towards the end when he is chasing a slip of paper from a winning lottery ticket, which keeps escaping from him.

The movie is only worth seeing if you are a Sterling Holloway fan. The style and music reminds one the Three Stooges, probably because Jules White of Three Stooges fame directed it.