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The strangely named Three Stooges short Violent Is the Word for Curly is packed with action during its 18 minute run time and offers some classic situations that make it one of their quintessential efforts.

The boys have gotten jobs as service men at a gas station. They are to offer "Super Service" to their customers but instead give 'Stupid Service". Three German professors (Feinstein, Frankfurter and Von Stupor) make the mistake of having their lunch while the Stooges "service" their jalopy. The results are hilarious and a lunch is ruined. Another customer comes in, asking to check on his ice truck. After they destroy the professor's jalopy, they escape in the ice truck which contains the professor's suitcases that Larry threw into said truck.

After the truck runs out of gas, they find out they have to thaw out Curly because he now resembles a frozen dainty. They put him on a spit and after he thaws out he jumps into a creek because he's seared. After dragging Moe and Larry into the creek, the boys dress up in the professor's clothes and are found by Mrs. Catsby of Mildew College; who thinks they're the German professors.

The Stooges wreak havoc on the college but also get the girls to perform a quaint version of "Swingin' The Alphabet". The real professors eventually show up at Mildew and the Stooges do what they can to keep them from leaving.

Violent is packed with a lot of content and classic bits and gags. It probably would have been better if the Stooges made longer shorts but as is this one is still very entertaining after dozens of viewings

Working at a gas station, the 3 Stooges provide "super service" to three visiting European college professors. They accidentally blow up their car, and escape by borrowing a truck "Yukon Ice Cream Co., frozen dainties." Since Curly fell asleep in the back, he becomes a frozen dainty. Moe and Larry barbecue Curly to thaw him out, Moe quips, "20 minutes to a pound-- we'll be here a month." Donning the caps and gowns the professors had in their luggage, the 3 Stooges hitch a ride to Mildew College. Their academic lesson consists of leading the girls in singing along with the very catchy number, "Swingin' the Alphabet." B-A, Bay. B-E, bee. B-I, bickey-bye, (etc.) When the real college professors arrive, they announce they are going to leave the college, but the Stooges get them to come back-- with a bang.

This story was written by the incomparable Elwood Ullman. In the 1930s, he had written for the legendary magazine "Captain Billy's Whiz Bang," which in 1939 inspired "Whiz Comics" in which Billy Batson became Captain Marvel with the Bang of a magical thunderbolt. Elwood would write 37 "Three Stooges" shorts, 14 Bowery Boys movies, and capped his career by writing 2 "bikini" movies for AIP. This short was the debut for Marjorie Deanne (Miss Katsby), her first film in which she played a character with a name. In Marjorie's 6-year film career, she would be in 2 other Stooges shorts: "Dutiful But Dumb" (1941) and "Matri-Phony" (1942). Trivia: the title of this short is a spoof of the movie "Valiant Is the Word for Carrie" (1936).

I saw this with another Stooges short, "The Sitter-Downers." By the late 30's they were trying all sorts of forms. "Sitter" was based on a famous Keaton gag. This is based on the Marx brothers form.

The three take the identities of professors at a girl's school. There's a Margaret Dumaont character, and what you'll see in terms of gags are half Marx and half Stooge.

At the beginning is a pretty sexy shot of one of the young women in a seethrough clingy silk athletic blouse. Postcode adventure I guess. This was Marjorie Deanne who appeared in a couple dozen movies as the designated cheesecake.

Ted's Evaluation -- 1 of 3: You can find something better to do with this part of your life.

Just saw this on Thad's Animation Blog (actually, rewatched would be the better word since I first viewed this in the late '70s on afternoon television). In this one, the boys are gas station attendants who are doing "super service" on three professors on their way to a college they've been hired for. But the Stooges' inept errands has the car they're working on blowing up, so Moe, Larry, and Curly end up running for their lives. They then disguise themselves as those men as a case of mistaken identity ensues...Quite hilarious from beginning to end with the highlight being the "Swinging the Alphabet" number. Especially loved Curly's contribution and the girls' admonition of "Curly's a dope!" afterwards! Directed with great fun by comedian Charley Chase.

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 hilarious Three Stooges shorts is Violent is the word for Curly. In this short are Marjorie Deanne, Eddie Fetherston, Gladys Gale, Pat Gleason, Bud Jamison, and John T. Murray, and Al Thompson. The acting by these actors are all very good especially by Jamison and Deanne. 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 recommend this one to all!