All the World's a Stooge

Posing as different characters in "Time Out for Rhythm" helped the Stooges in their previous short, May 1941's "All the World's A Stooge," their 55th two-reeler film where they are hired to pose as refugee children. As a play on words for the William Shakespeare comedy, 'All the World's a Stage,' the movie opens with the Stooges as window cleaners who are mistaken for dentists. After trying several avenues to extract an aching tooth to wealthy Ajax Bullion, they resort to lighting a stick of dynamite in his mouth, solving his tooth ache. Fired from their job, the Stooges are hired by Mr. Bullion Ajax to pretend they're children form war-torn Europe whom his eccentric wife wants to adopt since it was the popular thing to do during the time. Things turn chaotic as the Bullions host a party to introduce the three little darlings. Larry, the little girl of the three, calls himself Mabel, the name of Mr. Fine's real life wife.

Research failed to explain what happened to Curly's right knee when he's seen as one of the adopted kids. He sports a bruise on his knee clearly in view just below where his breeches end on his lower thigh. Towards the picture's conclusion, Curly remarkably has a bandage on the same spot. Character actor Emory Parnell as Mr. Bullion appears in his only Stooges' film. Part of the Preston Sturges stock company of actors, Parnell was a main staple in television, appearing in such programs as 'The Real McCoy' and notably in 'Petticoat Junction' and 'Green Acres.'

Somebody at Columbia Pictures must have remembered Spencer Tracy admonishing Katharine Hepburn when she tried to adopt a war orphan in Woman Of The Year. Because in this Three Stooges short All The World's A Stooge the main part of the story involves the Stooges being adopted as war orphans.

Lelah Tyler playing a Spring Byrington type society matron thinks it would be just perfectly grand to adopt a war orphan because it's just the latest fad. That's all her put upon husband Emory Parnell needs and he decides to teach her a lesson. So he hires three very recently out of work window washers who've been practicing dentistry without a license and on him to play war orphans.

Just the sight gags of Moe and Curly in Little Lord Fauntleroy suits and Larry in drag is enough. But the three of them manage to create enough mayhem in the Parnell/Tyler household on the screen that they might have discouraged many a family from actually adopting an orphan kid. It all ends at a party where as you know inevitably pastries are served and we all know where they wind up.

Moe, Larry, and Curly at their best.

All the World's a Stooge (1941)

*** (out of 4)

Classic short from The Three Stooges starts off with them working as window cleaners in a dentist office and sure enough a man comes in mistaken them for the doctor. After removing and replacing his teeth, the man asks the three to come back to his house and pretend to be refugee children so that his wife will be happy but of course things don't turn out too good. As with a lot of the Stooges shorts, this one here really breaks down into two one reelers with each half containing some good stuff. Of the two I think I preferred the first half inside the dentist office because we're treated to all sorts of funny gags including the boys accidentally letting cement dry inside the man's mouth and they must come up with a way to free it. Another funny gag involves them having to make a getaway and there being a cop that gets in the way. The second half of the film gets off to a great start simply by seeing Moe and Larry in a Little Lord Fauntleroy outfit with Larry in drag! Fans of the Stooges should really enjoy this short and if you're new to the group then this is also a nice place to start.

The Butler's name is listed as "Botters", however, while watching this episode it sounds like his name is "Bupkis", which would be more in line with Stooges humor. "Bupkis", for those of you unfamiliar with the term, is a Yiddish word that means nothing of value, worthless, or something along those lines. I'm not sure if the official script lists him as Botters, and they ad-libbed, but, regardless, Bupkis is a way funnier name. Listen closely to the opening scene, and see what you think. The wife speaks very quickly, so you really have to listen. The Stooges always used funny names for their butlers. One was called Sappington, and several others had similar names. I'd love to hear back from others, as to what they heard. I love how "Bupkis" rolls his eyes at literally every comment the wife makes, and hurls verbal barbs at her, yet sounds polite, and the lady of the house is oblivious to the fact that she is being insulted. Just another "Stooges" jabs at the complete phoniness and ridiculousness of "High Society". The regular guy wins again in this short.Overall, this is one of the best Stooges shorts out there. Enjoy!

This is another wild and wacky Three Stooges from their Columbia Pictures days. Although it was now 1941, this one still had the zany look and feel of the '30s episodes. In other words, it was pure lunacy and fun to watch.

In just 17 minutes, the boys go from window washers to dentists to refugee children in little kids' outfits (which you have to see to believe!) Along the way, you get tons of slapstick gags and totally outrageous behavior, with credibility stretched the max. The latter was perhaps never more so than this Stooges story because everyone believes these 40-year-old guys are six-year-old!

There are a lot of familiar faces in this one, people who played in a number of Three Stooges shorts, and they are all fun to watch. Emory Parnell was especially good as "Ajax." Richard Fisk, who plays the dentist ("Dr. I. Yankum") is best remembered as an Army drill sergeant who the Stooges drove nuts in a couple of episodes.

The dentist scenes, by the way, will make you squirm. The sound effects are incredible. It is "Marathon Man" but with laughs!