Sappy Bull Fighters

With titles like FLYING SAUCER DAFFY, SPACE SHIP SAPPY, and this one, SAPPY BULLFIGHTERS, it was clear that the creative force behind the Three Stooges was running out of steam. This one, in fact was their last short. Of course, having Joe Besser on board didn't help either.

Not to say that Joe Besser was a no-talent loser. I found him hilarious in THE ABBOTT & COSTELLO SHOW as Stinky Jones. Besser just wasn't cut out to be a Stooge, any more than Bill Clinton was cut out to be President, but we won't go there.

Fortunately, their career took off again in the 1960's, so this wasn't their swan song.

Rating: * out of *****

(or as Shemp so fondly put it, "beebeebeebeebeebeebeebeebee.......)

I feel that although Joe's shorts weren't up to the par of Curly and Shemp, they definitely improved over time. The first half of the 16 shorts Joe made with Moe and Larry were not very good, with the exception of Space Ship Sappy. Then, for my money, the last seven or so (starting with Fifi Blows Her Top) were very good, with many belly laughs. Out of that bunch, Sweet and Hot is the only one I didn't really enjoy, although it did have an original concept behind it.

One reason I think Joe's shorts kept getting better is that he began getting bonked by Moe. Joe had expressly stated in his contract that he wasn't to be hit by Moe. In his early shorts, it makes the comedy suffer greatly. Whenever the Larry, Curly or Shemp had a stupidly clever comment directed at Moe, you could be sure Moe would respond with a whack. But with Joe, all he could do was stand there and yell at him. He looked extremely frustrated.

But in the last half of Joe's run, that policy apparently got relaxed as Moe freely pokes and bangs Joe. If you're a real Stooge fan it's a real relief.

I liked Sappy Bullfighters mainly for the first half. The scenes of the boys crying in harmony, the scenes in Greta's cabin, and Larry hiding under the husband's bed are funny. And when the husband tried to chase the boys and ends up putting his head through the door, it smacks of the old-time Stooges!

On Facebook, I managed to watch this-the last Three Stooges short to be released if not filmed. By this time, Joe Besser was cast as the third one after Shemp Howard's death. Also, Columbia Pictures was remaking many of the old Stooges ones as this one had the plot and used some footage from the Curly-starred What's the Matador? That's why you hear some "woo-woo"s from Joe in this one. I found this short pretty funny even when Joe does Curly's lines and mannerisms though it threatened to run out of steam at the climatic bullfight sequence mainly due to some obvious mix of stock footage and pick-up shots. Though they've obviously aged many years from their peak performances, Moe and Larry still have some energy which would serve them well during several more years of features with new member Curly Joe DeRita after Besser left the act to take care of his wife. Another good thing about this short is the presence of the beautiful Greta Thyssen. Hubba Hubba! So that's a nice recommendation of Sappy Bull Fighters.

This is a remake of "What's the Matador" with Curly Howard as third Stooge- and Let's be honest, it's not near as good, mainly because Besser was not Stooge material. But compared to other Besser Stooge shorts, It's great. Greta Thyssen is great eye candy for the male audience members. Gowan.... take the bull by the horns and see this film for yourself. It is funny. Highlights include the Stooges' harmonic crying, Greta's husband discovering Larry under the bed and some jokes that were recycled from "What's the Matador" and the Shemp Stooge short "Don't throw That Knife." For a Besser short, this is a must see.

Not the Stooges best, but Joe is always funny. I am tired of ignorance against what he was trying to do. He wasn't trying to be gay, he was just a funny wimp. Such homophobic modern mentality really is horrible. He was a gentleman and person that made me always feel happy. Why does he have to be be dragged through the mud by people who don't really get the comedy of the day. Joe was a good fit in the Stooges and YES got hit, but to compare any third Stooge to each other is fruitless, all were funny in their own way and did their own thing. Glad some of you DO like Joe and the later films, the ones not too obviously aimed at children have a lot to offer. This one does at least put in a decent amount of new footage and Joe's version of the "I Can't See" gag is better suited to his character. Curly could do plenty Joe couldn't but it's just as true the Howard couldn't do everything Joe could either.