Mestres da Confusão

(IMO) - The well-known team of Howard, Fine, and Howard (that's Curly, Larry, and Moe) have got to be 3 of the zaniest stooges, ever, in all of movie-comedy history, bar none.

And, here in "Slippery Silks" (among all of the insults, eye-pokes, face slaps, and belly wallops) the Three Stooges find themselves unexpectedly promoted (through the wackiest circumstances) from being artistic woodworkers to that of high-fashion designers of women's clothing.... (Well - La-de-da!)

And, of course, in this surprisingly sudden career transition you can be 100% sure that the Three Stooges are gonna cause all sorts of hilarious mayhem, and whatnot, that is guaranteed to tickle more than just your funny-bone. Oh - Yes - Indeed!

One thing I learned about watching the Stooges for decades, DON'T ask questions.

Here's why...

It all starts out with the guys working as skilled carpenters(?), assigned to a rare, antique cabinet, yes, probably worth a million bucks today! How did they land this gig? Moe and Curly literally destroy the thing (in the tradition of Laurel and Hardy) and run for their lives from the clutches of the owner, Mr. Morgan (Vernon Dent).

Luck comes knocking at their door? Their late uncle happens to leave them a fancy French boutique, worth a fortune, and the guys become overnight fashion experts. How can that be? Answer: Just roll with it.

BEST part to follow; Moe, Larry and Curly stage a fashion show with the help of Mrs. Morgan (Symona Boniface), the wife of the guy who wants to wring their necks!

Don't ask about that coincidence either. A positively insane chain of events.

I agree. This culminates with one of the wildest cream-puff fights, the sloppier the better. Moe commented many years later he had perfect aim when it came to pies, saving the studio a fortune in re-takes. Whatever the prop department put in the pies and puffs made an expensive MESS. Symona Boniface, perfect exasperated foil for the Stooges, was often compared to Margaret Dumont and her escapdes with Marx Brothers. A salute also to hot headed Vernon Dent. In a class by himself. Actress June Gittelson returns, now playing a "plump" party guest. June was becoming a fixture in the films, and we loved her.

Written by Scottish Ewart Adamson, who excelled at writing comedy short films and screenplays for decades. His screenplay is a minor masterpiece. Directed by Jack White, alias Preston Black, who must have had a blast setting this one up.

Always on Columbia dvd, remastered and released generally by decades, 30s, 40s and 50s episodes. Thanks again to METV for running these oldies Saturday nights. You make our weekends.

The story begins with the police looking for the boys. No, it's not because they broke any laws but they've inherited a women's fashion shop...and they're trying to notify them. In the meantime, you see that the Stooges are carpenters...and they've just destroyed a $50,000 ancient Chinese box! When the police catch them, they think they're going to jail...but it's just about the inheritance.

Now that they are the proud owners of a very upscale ladies shop, the trio naturally blow it because all they understand is carpentry...and how to be idiots. See how all this degenerates into a huge fight involving mostly cream puffs...and an occasional pie.

This is pretty lowbrow...even for the Stooges. I am not saying it's bad but sometimes slapstick takes the place of laughs or plot...especially the last five minutes or so of the short. Not among their best nor worst comedy shorts.

By the way, the perception by many is that in the old days (particularly silent films days) that pie fights were relatively common. This really isn't the case and only a few films featured this gag.

The last entry in the Columbia 2-Disc Set of Three Stooges shorts is a standard affair, watchable but not exactly a classic (to be honest, very few of these, if any, were!). The boys cause havoc at a shop selling rare items, then discover they've inherited an atelier; the funniest bit is the climax, with the exhibition of their surreal models – dressed in clothes resembling furniture (complete with drawers wherein to keep their cosmetics)!

These shorts are essentially pleasant and certainly harmless – but they're not in any way on the same plane as their contemporaries Laurel & Hardy; one film of theirs I'd love to rewatch, however, is WE WANT OUR MUMMY (1939) – which I used to watch as a kid (my father owned a copy on Super 8!)...

Slippery Silks (1936)

** 1/2 (out of 4)

The Three Stooges inherit a rich silk shop but of course they manage to screw it up. The second half of this short, taking place in the silk shop, is rather unfunny, although we're treated to another food fight. The first half has the boys in a wood shop causing all sorts of damage and this is here all the laughs are to be found. Curley falling into the nails and all the gags with the glue are among the highlights.

Now available on Columbia's 2-disc set, which features over 20 shorts, all digitally remastered and looking better than ever.