PLAYING THE PONIES (1937) -- ThreeStooges.net

Bottomless Bucket
The bucket the stooges are using to hold the water for Thunderbolt to chase around the track you can see near the end of the chase that the bucket has no bottom to it.

Dubbed-In Yells
All of Larry's yelling when he has the rake caught in his behind is obviously dubbed in. It doesn't match his actual mouth movements and you can even slightly hear his real yells if you listen carefully.

Location Change
Curly casts his fishing line in the water then he puts one hand above the fishing pole reel, and the other hand below the reel, but in the next shot, both hands are suddenly above the reel.

Missing Hat and Clock
After Moe eats the Chili Pepperinos, he runs to the water trough and drops the clock and his hat on the ground. Then, Curly does the same thing right after him and runs the same path to the trough. But the hat and clock are missing from where they landed on the ground.

On-the-Set Injury?
After the swinging door hits Moe on the face, the camera cuts to a close-up of him getting up from the floor, and he has actual tears rolling down his eyes as if he was really hurt.

Visible Hose
When one customer is downing a whole pitcher of water after eating too many pepperinos, you can see the hose that the water drains into below his elbow.

Face Slaps: 8

Eye Pokes: 0

Head Bonks: 1

Pastry Thrown: 0

"You told me to race him around the track --- and I did, and I beat him."
(Curly)

"Why don't we get out of this restaurant business, anyway?" "Why don't catfish have kittens?"
(Larry & Moe)

"Waiter, why is this dog growling at me?" "Oh don't mind him. He's just mad 'cause you're eatin' off of his plate."
(William J. Irving & Moe)

Chef chasing dog past customer
In a cafe, a chef runs out of the kitchen chasing a dog past a customer sitting at a table, who is waiting for hot dogs. The customer gets the wrong idea and thinks that the cafe's hot dogs are made out of real dogs.
Also used in: MALICE IN THE PALACE · RUMPUS IN THE HAREM
Goiter
Curly has something big hidden under his shirt. When somebody notices and asks him what that is, Curly says that it's a goiter.
Also used in: BEER BARREL POLECATS
Moe getting hit by swinging door
When the Stooges are going through a Western-style swinging door, Curly and Larry go first. After they push the door in and walk inside, the door swings back and hits Moe on the face.
Also used in: PHONY EXPRESS
Pouring water through a raw chicken
A Stooge makes chicken soup quickly by pouring hot water through a raw chicken and into a bowl.
Also used in: BUSY BUDDIES · SHIVERING SHERLOCKS · OF CASH AND HASH

The second and final short directed by Charles Lamont.
Source: PLAYING THE PONIES (1937)
Added by MR77100 on 2009-05-29 01:23:02
Status: Confirmed

Re: PLAYING THE PONIES
Posted 2010-08-26 18:36:18 by Final Shemp

Simple plot and good laughs, Playing the Ponies is a lot of fun.Curly's antics in the kitchen at the beginning of the short start us off with a bang, with Moe and Larry acting as waiters covering up the lousy food."Excuse me, is this pork or veal?""What did you order?""Veal.""It's veal!"The race scenes are consistently amusing, especially Curly running around the track faster than the horse. The use of chili peppers as a secret weapon is wild, and gives the short gas.It's a good short, but not a great one. I was constantly entertained, and that's good enough for me.Final Shemp's Final Word: 3 Pokes

Reviewer's Rating:

(8)

Re: PLAYING THE PONIES
Posted 2010-04-14 18:31:33 by Shemp_Diesel

A good short & probably the last from this period in the mid to late '30s where Larry is given a good portion of the spotlight. (It's kerosene!)

3 pokes

Reviewer's Rating:

(7)

Re: PLAYING THE PONIES
Posted 2000-07-25 04:27:00 by Stooge
Edited 2008-06-12 20:28:28 by Stooge

One of my favorite Stooge shorts. Larry gets a lot of great moments in this short, especially when he has the rake caught in his behind. That scene always has me rolling.Interesting Points:- The two con men in this short are played by the same actors who played the two con men in the short released right before this, CASH AND CARRY. I wonder if that was intentional and they were trying to show continuity. But if so, you would think the Stooges would recognize them and learn to stay away from them.Funniest Moment:- Larry with the rake caught in his behind

Reviewer's Rating:

(10)

Re: PLAYING THE PONIES
Posted 2003-09-01 20:04:00 by CurlyQlink41144

Another one of my favorites, a very good short from beginning to end. I like how every time Larry puts the money in the cash register Moe checks to see if hes not taking any for himslef

. Also when that guy says "Nothin for me" Moe takes his glass of water and walks away with it. Moe and Curly in that motorcycle is one of the funniest things I ever saw, Moe making such a serious face when doing something so hilarious is probably what gets me

Not too many good quotes I can think of so -1/2 poke.

Reviewer's Rating:

(9)

Re: PLAYING THE PONIES
Posted 2001-09-07 01:38:00 by [Deleted Member]
Edited 2002-03-28 08:44:00 by [Deleted Member]

It's always funny (but unfortunate, as it's a real disorder) to see a horse with a little slack in the back. I love the scenes you all mentioned, but there's also the very hilarious scene at the end where Moe bumps Curly's arm and makes Curly spill cham-pag-nee all over himself. Great short. I feel sorry for Larry's stunt double when he rode out of the stable, hitting his head on the top of the doorway. You can easily tell it isn't Larry. This short reminds me of the "missing 60" horse racing short, "Even as I.O.U.". Does anyone have a preference between these two? I can't say- I haven't seen "I.O.U." in ages.ISLIPP when Curly drops the water. ®2001

Re: PLAYING THE PONIES
Posted 2001-09-06 09:33:00 by Genius In the Lamp

Like Thunderbolt, this one's a winner. From Curly fixing chicken soup (pouring hot water over a chicken in a strainer), to the chili pepperinos, to Larry's sore behind from landing on the pitchfork, there are some great scenes. Any why is it that when the boys buy a horse, it always has that strange spinal curvature?

Reviewer's Rating:

(9)

Re: PLAYING THE PONIES
Posted 2001-01-06 15:09:00 by Mike Holme

This short is way better than just one poke! That kind of rating belongs with a film like "Commotion on the Ocean"! The gags in this film were funny, like when the stooges try to steal the food and the silverware before selling the restaurant.

Prod. No.:	401
Shooting Days:	7 days From: 1937-05-12 To: 1937-05-19

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