Fuelin' Around

Spies are looking to steal the rocket fuel formula from Professor Sneed who's working with his daughter Hazel Sneed. Larry, Moe, and Shemp are laying carpet in the professor's home. The spies mistake Larry for the professor and kidnap the Stooges to Anemia.

It's rather standard Shemp Stooges. It's the Stooges without the comedic genius of Curly. It's fine but nothing to blow up about.

A professor who has possibly invented some new type of rocket fuel has three German-type spies outside his house waiting to pounce. Also inside the prof's house is his wife and, of course the Three Stooges who are doing some carpet-laying work....and screwing up with the normal slapstick results. The spies decide to capture the "prof" when he leaves the house. Unfortunately, they think Larry is the scientist and the other two guys must be his assistants. They kidnap the Stooges to the "State of Anemia." How well this will be received by you folks probably depends upon how may prior Stooges movies you've seen.

Almost all of the jokes and sight gags in here have been used before, except Curly was in them in earlier days. Heck, even if you've seen them they are still pretty funny. Shemp was always great at making facial reactions, so he can draw lots of laughs.

The usual cast is in here, too. It's amazing how many Three Stooges films in this period had Christine McIntyre, Emil Sitka, Vernon Dent, Philip Van Zant and even Jock Mahoney, who always played a handsome young guy with zero brains. Fortunately for Jock, he went on to bigger and better things, starring in his own western at one time.

I always liked Sitka, who was great at playing nerdy old professors. Actually, he was only about 35 years old when he made this but he was convincing as an older senile guy in a number of other Stooges shorts. Mahoney was also 30, but looked about 18 years old.

By the way, if you are a big Three Stooges fan, I really recommend these "Collection" edition DVDs that feature the boys in the films they did during three-year periods. The transfers are tremendous. I can't believe what a clear picture this is for something 60 years old.

"Fuelin' Around" (1949) is one of the Stooges best and one of Ed Bernds' best directing jobs. It is easily one of the best 3 Stooges films with Shemp (not that other films with Shemp are necessarily bad; I strongly disagree with those who say that the Stooges without Curly are not worth watching). Anyway, in this great film, a man named Professor Sneed (played by wonderful Stooges bit actor Emil Sitka) has perfected a rocket fuel which enemy agents who desire the fuel's formula try to steal. The problem is Larry and Sneed have matching hairstyles so HE (and the other Stooges) are kidnapped instead. Eventually, the real professor is also kidnapped at which point the Stooges are revealed as frauds and must make their escape before their doom hits. Great acting performances by EVERYONE in this film (the stooges, Sitka, McIntyre, Van Zandt, Dent, Mahoney) and, as stated earlier, great direction. This film adds another feather to the Stooges' cap of wonderful films. They seldom get better than this. RECOMMENDED.

FUELIN' AROUND is one of the funniest shorts I have ever seen. Larry is funny, especially since he's the most important stooge in the short. It's much better than it's remake HOT STUFF (1956).

My Rating: A+

The Three Stooges has always been some of the many actors that I have loved. I love just about every one of the shorts that they have made. I love all six of the Stooges (Curly, Shemp, Moe, Larry, Joe, and Curly Joe)! All of the shorts are hilarious and also star many other great actors and actresses which a lot of them was in many of the shorts! In My opinion The Three Stooges is some of the greatest actors ever and is the all time funniest comedy team!

This is one of My favorite Three Stooges shorts with Shemp! All Appearing in this short are Jock Mahoney, Emil Sitka, Vernon Dent, Christine McIntyre, Philip Van Zandt, Tiny Brauer, and Andre Pola! This one is so hilarious! Shemp has a great performance here and in My opinion its one of his best. There is a similar one like this called Hot Stuff and I strongly recommend both of these Three Stooges shorts!