A MERRY MIX-UP (1957) -- ThreeStooges.net

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Released March 23, 1957
Featuring Moe, Larry and Joe

Columbia
15.9 min. (Short Subject)

Larry, Moe and Joe are one of three sets of identical triplets born one year apart. Chance brings the nine brothers together after many years apart. With three of 'em married, and three of 'em engaged, plus wives and fiancees who can't tell them apart, misunderstandings reign. Add to that a very confused waiter with a meat cleaver, and the chase is on!

A reworking of Laurel & Hardy's feature OUR RELATIONS (1936). Felix Adler provided the screenplay for both films.

For the final group shot, the Stooges were each placed behind a marker. Director Jules White thought Larry was behind the wrong marker. Larry said he was right and saved the studio money for this critical process shot.

Costar Diana Darrin ('Jane') was interviewed at the 2006 Fan Club Meeting in Fort Washington PA. Her interview appears in The Three Stooges Journal # 118 (Summer 2006). Ms. Darrin was also a guest of the 1993 Three Stooges Convention in Philadelphia; see Journal # 67 (Fall 1993).

Avg. Rating:

[5.75/10]

Cast List

Larry Fine
Larry

Joe Besser
Joe

Moe Howard
Moe

Moe Howard
Max

Larry Fine
Louie

Joe Besser
Jack

Suzanne Ridgeway
Jill, Louie's wife

Harriette Tarler
Letty, Max's wife

Nanette Bordeaux
May, Jack's wife

Joe Besser
Jeff

Moe Howard
Morris

Larry Fine
Luke

Ruth Godfrey
Leona, Luke's fiancee

Jeanne Carmen
Mary, Jeff's fiancee

Diana Darrin
Jane, Morris' fiancee

Frank Sully
Waiter

Frank Sully
Narrator

Johnny Kascier
Moe double

Duke Fishman
Joe double

Charles Cross
Joe double

Unidentified A MERRY MIX-UP
Stooge doubles

Production Crew

Jules White
Producer

Jules White
Director

Felix Adler
Story and Screenplay

Irving Lippman
Director of Photography

Harold White
Film Editor

Paul Palmentola
Art Director

Dave Montrose
Set Decoration

Irving J. Moore
Assistant Director

Mischa K. Bakaleinikoff
Music

Stooge Businesses (0)

Stooge Goofs (0)

Stooge Mayhem (Avg. 6.25)

Re: MERRY MIX-UP, A
Posted 2008-08-13 20:01:27 by DocWatson

This is one of the better Joe Besser shorts. The screenplay is actually pretty funny, and the boys are pretty good. Don't expect a classic but it is watchable for what it is, and sometimes funny.

2.5 out of 4 from me.

Reviewer's Rating:

(6)

Re: A MERRY MIX-UP
Posted 2001-09-23 16:34:00 by Stooge
Edited 2008-06-16 23:49:26 by Stooge

The best of the Besser shorts and the only one that's good from beginning to end. This had a creative plot and funny scenes, and even The Bess tones down his annoyingness and gets a few chuckles out of me. I admit I laughed when he said "I like to watch women fight over me." I liked the small part when the Stooges dance after they get engaged, and Moe and Joe bump into each other when dancing. The ending was good with the waiter chasing all the triplets with the hatchet.

Reviewer's Rating:

(8)

Re: MERRY MIX-UP, A
Posted 2007-07-08 09:47:32 by FourthThird
Edited 2007-12-25 17:36:34 by FourthThird

If this can be described as "overrated," then I'd say that's only because the humor sags during the rather sappy "reunion" scene. Otherwise this is a lot of fun to watch. Whether this is the best Besser short is debatable, but to me it stands out as an example of Joe being well integrated into the team. Those who wrote later shorts with Joe should have been required to study "Merry" as an example of how to make use of him.Contains a good candidate for best Besser-as-Stooge moment: "I like to watch women fight over me." (Makes primping motion with nonexistent hair.)In only his third Stooge short, Besser takes: a head bop from Moe, five slaps from women (four in quick succession!), a plate broken on the head, and at least four whacks with a purse.Kind of creepy to realize that Nanette Bordeaux was dead several months before this was released, though. That must have happened right after this was filmed.

Reviewer's Rating:

(8)

Re: MERRY MIX-UP, A
Posted 2007-12-16 09:54:58 by benjilbum

Hey Shemp-Joe, you hit the nail in the head. The screenplay was written by long-time Stooge writer Felix Adler, who also wrote the screenplay for L&H "Our Relations" which was one of their best films. This was a pretty good Joe short.He didn't mesh with the Stooges, and I think even he would have admitted that, but he did occasionally get off a good line or two. This one and "Guns a Poppin' are my favorite one's with him. But even weak Stooge efforts like this are light-years ahead of most of what passes itself off as "comedy" these days.

Reviewer's Rating:

(6)

Re: MERRY MIX-UP, A
Posted 2007-12-09 10:26:54 by hailstone

Just caught this short on youtube for re-appraisal after not seeing it for 20+ years. I think it is the best of the Besser shorts, which isn't saying a whole lot. The storyline in this one is absurd and improbable (like all good Stooge shorts) and the Boys really ham it up in this one - especially their scenes with the girls. Besser, in particular, has several funny lines for a change.

Re: A MERRY MIX-UP
Posted 2002-09-20 18:42:00 by Uncle Buzz

My candidate for the bes-st Besser entry, largely because Besser seems relaxed enough to take more face slaps and pokes than usual (many from the hands of his lovely co-stars.) It's fun to see two old timers like Moe and Larry ogle the Columbia "B" babes in the restaurant. I Love Joe's , "what's the matter? You girls been drinking or something?" One of the few Bessers I own on 16mm.

Reviewer's Rating:

(6)

Re: A MERRY MIX-UP
Posted 2001-05-16 02:59:00 by Mike Holme
Edited 2002-03-30 03:58:00 by Mike Holme

One of the better Besser shorts, but I think the best is "Quiz Whizz" which plays just like a regular Curly or Shemp short. There were plenty of funny scenes in this one but there is a severe lack of violence between the stooges.2 1/2 pokes

Re: A MERRY MIX-UP
Posted 2002-02-19 15:52:00 by Shemp_Diesel
Edited 2002-02-19 15:55:00 by Shemp_Diesel

If the term overrated can be applied to a Besser short, this is it. While this may be a notch above the truly horrendous 2 reelers such as 'Horsing Around/Triple Crossed', it's not really that funny save for a few moments at the beginning & the ending was decent. Not a bad try but nothing that ranks w/ even an average Curly or Shemp episode. Just my $0.03.2 pokes

Reviewer's Rating:

(4)

Re: A MERRY MIX-UP
Posted 2002-01-30 20:09:00 by BeatleMoe

This film is definitely my favorite Besser Film. The plot would have worked out great with Curly and Shemp just as easily as it did here. The part where they pass the ten around, owing twenty, paying ten, and paying the other ten was funny. Joe does a great bit where, after Moe bonks him on the head, does a painful bit, but says he's not hurt, but "not bad acting, huh?"Memorable Scene: The waiter sees all three sets at the end of the chase.Rating: 4 starsBeatleMoe

Re: A MERRY MIX-UP
Posted 2001-07-26 05:15:00 by [Deleted Member]

This is the Best Besser short. It may get a little confusing, but I don't care. You gotta love the part where one set of triplets gets triple-slapped twice by one of the girls! She slaps them one way, then the other! The guy that played the waiter was pretty funny too.

Reviewer's Rating:

(8)

Re: A MERRY MIX-UP
Posted 2001-04-14 22:49:00 by [Deleted Member]

This may have very well been the best Besser short. I loved the premise. It was, no doubt, patterned after the Laurel and Hardy movie, "Our Relations" which I also enjoyed.

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Working Title(s):	A MERRY MARRIAGE MIX-UP
Prod. No.:	4252
Shooting Days:	3 days From: 1956-05-14 To: 1956-05-16

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