Crash Goes the Hash

In the Three Stooges previous short, February 1944's "Crash Goes the Hash," the three are mistaken for newspaper investigative journalists by a newspaper editor who promised a handsome reward if they photograph romantically together a visiting prince and his rumored American socialite fiancee, Mrs. Van Bustle (Symona Boniface). Actor Bud Jamison plays the prince's assistant, Lord Flint, who arranges a reception for the royal. To get inside, the Stooges pretend they're cooks. "Crash Goes the Hash" was Jamison's final Stooges' movie appearance after starring in 38 of their films, beginning with their first Columbia Pictures short, 1934 "Woman Haters." Although seen in several more movies, he died in September 1944 at 50 from, his family claims, phlebitis of the leg, where a blood clot went straight to his lungs, killing him. He had suffered from Type 2 diabetes.

"Crash Goes the Hash" also was the rare time Curly is captured on film speaking in his real-life low voice rather than his on-screen high-pitched one. The scene occurs around the lemonade table at the reception where Curly is in charge of dispensing the drink. In a deep voice he instructs Larry to take a picture of the prince. The short was written by Felix Adler, who also scripted the Stooges' only Academy Awards nominated film, 1934 "Men in Black," as well as Hollywood's first parody of Adolf Hitler in the Stooges' 1940.

This one falls into my top 5 favorites featuring Curly. The Stooges play laundrymen who are mistaken for rival reporters by an editor. He sends the Stooges to go and cover a pressing story. This particular episode is famous for an ongoing gag where Curly can't seem to smoke a cigar without getting it smashed prior to lighting. It also has the classic "parrot in the turkey" gag which was seen in a few other Stooge shorts.

Some other moments that come to mind in this one for me are when Larry gets a scalding hot turkey platter placed on his back by Moe. Perfectly timed to occur when he bends over after getting gum on his shoe. This one has so many great moments, so many great one liners. Everytime Moe sings that song to the turkey in the sink, "Nice little turkey, getting its bath at 7:30 and will be well cooked by 8 o'clock" I roll on the ground laughing my head off. As if it would only take half an hour to cook one. Watch this one if it ever runs on TV or on video. It's a classic!

The 2nd funniest short besides Disorder in the Court and You Nazty spy. Curly, Larry and Moe portray three Reporters working for Fuller Bull and for a $100 bonus. To get a review of the Prince of Ubeedarn, The stooges pretends to be Cooks and Butlers. Only to find out the prince is a crook and has him arrested. The widowed socialite chooses to marry Curly instead of the Prince.

Crash Goes the Hash (1944)

*** 1/2 (out of 4)

Here's an often hilarious short, which finds the Three Stooges being hired as reporters and their job is to sneak into the home of a rich woman and snap a picture of the Prince who is rumored to be about to propose. Of course, with Moe, Larry and Curly nothing is going to go right.

I'm a little surprised that this short doesn't have a much better reputation because it contains non-stop laughs from the opening sequence to the final seconds. There's really not a minute that goes by that doesn't feature at least one laugh and there are several very big ones scattered throughout the running time. One of the most hilarious sequences comes with the boy's cook a turkey, which comes back to life when a real bird gets inside it. Another terrific joke deals with Curly "picking up" some ice. Fans of the series will certainly love this one.

Don't you just love it when the Stooges totally trash a high-society party? That's just one of the many crazy scenes in this one. This particular Three Stooges film might have more gags per minute than any of the many they made. It's unbelievable; non-stop lunacy, led by Curly's antics, for 17-and-a-half minutes.

It may have been near the end of the great Curly's career but he was never more energetic and full of all his physical slapstick and silliness as he was here. He did about physical bit he was famous for, from the snapping fingers on his face, to slapping his head, to all the step dances. I was exhausted after watching this guy. He was fantastic.

Symona Boniface was perfect as the rich socialite Mrs. Van Bustle. If you can't recall what this woman looks like, try to think of Margaret Dumont, the Marx Brothers foil. That's her quote at the top of this review.

Another actor who always was playing either a butler (as in here) or a crook in the Stooges films was Bud Jamison. He was hilarious in many Three Stooges efforts.

All the boys - including the now-very baggy-eyed Moe - seemed to be at the top of their game in this feature. All of them do what they do best, and many times over here in this story in which the boys pretend to be newsmen out to get a scoop.

I have no idea how many gags were in here, there were so many. This is simply great stuff: one of the Three Stooges' best films.The underrated Larry also made me laugh a number of times, with just the look on his face. I don't want to leave him out.

P.S. I never seem to get tired of the bird-in-the-bird sight gags, which the Stooges used many times. They always make me laugh out loud. Here, a parrot winds up inside a turkey.