Movie Maniacs

The Three Stooges released two short films within one month, the first "Ants in the Pantry, the second, February 1936's "Movie Maniacs." Sneaking into a film studio lot, the three aspiring movie stars are mistaken for the newly-arrived studio executives. The trio walk in the middle of a shoot and take over from the frustrated director. The actress playing the 'Leading Lady' was Mildred Harris, who earlier was Charlie Chaplin's first wife. As a child film actress at age 10, Harris began her career in 1912, and attracted the attention of Chaplin, 29, when she was 18. The soon married, only to separate a year later. Harris was proliferate in silents during that era, but failed like many of her peers to make the successful transition into talkies.

"Movie Maniacs" contains one of the more controversial sequences in the Stooges' catalogue. Each Stooge demonstrates his kissing technique to the scantily dressed dancing girls on the set. When the short was shown on television in the late 1950s, the scene was sliced because of its suggestive nature to its young TV audience. "Movie Maniacs" used two lions, named Tanner and Jackie, the Stooges find themselves with in a room. Tanner was used in the MGM opening credits logo, who the more rambunctious Jackie was conscripted if more than one lion was needed in filming.

The Stooges are heading to Hollywood as stowaways on a train. They've created quite the setup in the boxcar where they are traveling...almost like a hotel on wheels.

Once in Hollywood, they are mistaken for executives with Carnation Pictures. Because of this, they are given control of the studio...and they begin making films their own way. In one, Curly plays the pretty lady and Larry her ardent suitor! Eventually the studio figures out the mistake...though considering how awful the film the Stooges are making, it's surprising it took this long! What's next? See the film.

Overall, this film is a big disappointment...much of it because their prior short, "Ants in the Pantry" was comedy gold. This one, by contrast, is a rather run of the mill short and could have been funnier given the situations. Good for die-hard Stooge fans...others...not so much.

Movie Maniacs (1936)

*** (out of 4)

Three Stooges short has the boys going to Hollywood to become stars. They get thrown out of the studio lot but sneak their way back on and are mistaken for movie execs. Now they try their way to make movies. The most laughs come from the start of the film with Curly trying to cook breakfast and Larry trying to press Moe's pants. The stuff in Hollywood has a few clever lines but no big laughs.

This is now available in Columbia's 2-disc collection, which features over 20 shorts from the boys, all digitally remastered.

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!

One of the most unique Three Stooges shorts is Movie Maniacs. In this short are Bud Jamison, Harry Semels, Mildred Harris, Kenneth Harlan, and Heinie Conklin. The acting by these actors are good especially by Jamison and Semels. There are many funny scenes here that I think most Three Stooges fans will love! In My opinion this one of the most different Three Stooges shorts. I strongly recommend this one!

This Three Stooges short was a particular disappointment given the Hollywood milieu; in fact, the opening scene aboard the train is more inventive than the ensuing studio silliness! The comic trio are mistaken for movie executives and given the run of the studio (the president's name, Fuller Rath, emerges as the film's best gag): unsurprisingly, they drive the director and leading actors to distraction with their antics and end up by replacing them (with Moe as director, Larry the leading man, and Curley – naturally in drag – takes on the part of the leading lady)! The film is okay in itself, but clearly not in the same league as feature films on the subject starring other contemporary comedians – such as Harold Lloyd's similarly-titled MOVIE CRAZY (1932) and W.C. Fields' NEVER GIVE A SUCKER AN EVEN BREAK (1941).