Who Done It?

I was jumping like crazy when the video store called me to let me know that this movie "Who Done It" was in. I'm happy I didn't get a speeding ticket as I was racing there to pick it up.

I have just about all the dialogue and scenes memorized and I laugh constantly from the nuttiness of this movie plus all its characters.

One thing that really gets me is the beautiful women that work in these shorts. In this case I'm talking about Christine McIntyre. I think she has been in maybe twenty plus movies with the Three Stooges and has played a myriad of different characters. A very accomplished actress.

The next thing that gets me is the character "The Goon". I always wonder where do they pick these guys up from. You know full well that our heroes, the Three Stooges will always find some way to defeat these monsters. Until they do, it's funny just watching the Stooges just trying to avoid him.

As far as I am concerned, this is one of the better, if not one of the best Three Stooges shorts!

The radio announces that The Phantom Gang has stuck once again. Wealthy Mr. Goodrich fears being next and calls upon the Alert Detective Agency which consists of Larry, Moe, and Shemp. Goodrich's niece, his butler, and monstrous goon Nikko are actually part of the Phantom Gang. They knock him out and take him captive to take his money. Then the Stooges show up.

The setup is a little clunky. I'm not sure the Stooges should be tied up or that The Phantom Gang makes sense. Being tied up leads to one functional joke but the start could be much smarter. Why would The Phantom Gang give a warning to Goodrich? I do have to say that this is probably the best Shemp so far. I like the drink switcheroo turning into a Curly bit. I like picture bit. This is basically a Scooby mystery if it's all Shaggy and Scooby.

What can you say about this one? One of the all-time greats and in my top 5 of Shemp films. Every stooge is on top of his game here and Shemp & Christine McIntyre make a fabulous duo. Their on screen chemistry is amazing.

The detective themed episodes with Shemp were almost always classics and this is the best. Highlights include Shemp's camera that gets distracted by Christine's finer assets (the niece is nice), Larry's smile at the camera, the poisoning scene, the chase from the goon and of course the "light to dark" fight sequence at the end. This short is stooge heaven.

Definitely one of the best Shemp short films you can come by.

"Who Done It?" contains many surefire laughs and gags. It is not only one of the best Stooges films with Shemp, it is one of the finest short comedies Columbia produced. Director Bernds originally wrote the screenplay in 1946 for the Stooges, but when Curly Howard suffered a career-ending stroke, it was tailored for the Columbia comedy team of Schilling and Lane (their version was released as "Pardon My Terror.") It obviously was too good for the Stooges to pass up, and it was finally filmed by the Stooges at the end of 1947.

Old Man Goodrich calls ace detectives Shemp, Larry, and Moe out of fear that he will be murdered. When they arrive at his home, Goodrich has disappeared, and his niece and assorted goons try to get rid of the Stooges. Will they find Goodrich and bring the niece and goons to justice?

Shemp is particularly funny in this film. His reactions after being given a mickey by Christine McIntyre are superb; he gives his trademark sound (eeeb-eeeb-eeeb) and Miss McIntyre is noticeably trying not to laugh! Other funny scenes: the close-up of Moe's mug looking through the camera lens; and the in-the-dark fight with all cast members involved.

Nikko the goon (played by Duke York) is one of the most unusual looking characters ever portrayed in a Stooges film. With his kinked hair, he could almost pass for a Stooge, if he didn't tower over everyone else! "Who Done It?" is a gem among the Stooges films with Shemp. Even die-hard Curly fans will enjoy this one! A true Stooge classic. 9 out of 10.

One of the very best Three Stooges shorts ever. A spooky house full of evil guys and "The Goon" challenge the Alert Detective Agency's best men. Shemp is in top form in the famous in-the-dark scene. Emil Sitka provides excellent support in his Mr. Goodrich role, as the target of a murder plot. Before it's over, Shemp's "trusty little shovel" is employed to great effect. This 16 minute gem moves about as fast as any Stooge's short and packs twice the wallop. Highly recommended.