A DUCKING THEY DID GO (1939) -- ThreeStooges.net

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Released April 07, 1939
Featuring Moe, Larry and Curly

Columbia
16.33 min. (Short Subject)

After unsuccessfully stealing a watermelon, the Stooges get jobs as salesmen for the Canvas Back Duck Club and end up selling phony memberships to the Mayor and the entire Police Department. When they discover that there are no ducks at the Duck Club, Curly steals a flock of domesticated ducks and the laughs really start.

Avg. Rating:

[8.53/10]

Cast List

Jerry Howard
Curly

Moe Howard
Moe

Larry Fine
Larry

Cy Schindell
Produce deliveryman

Charlie Phillips
Cop hit by melon

Lynton Brent
Blackie

Jack Gardner
Doyle

Vernon Dent
Vegetarian

Victor Travers
Policeman outside precinct

Lane Chandler
Policeman outside precinct

Bud Jamison
Police Chief

Chuck Callahan
Mayor

James Millican
Duck hunter

Jack Hill
Duck hunter

Victor Travers
Duck hunter

John Rand
Duck farmer

Sam Lufkin
Sheriff Sam

Unidentified A DUCKING THEY DID GO 1
Duck hunters

Unidentified A DUCKING THEY DID GO 2
Man on street

Unidentified A DUCKING THEY DID GO 3
Cop in precinct

Production Crew

Jules White
Producer

Del Lord
Director

Andrew Bennison
Story and Screenplay

Lucien Ballard
Photography

Charles Nelson
Film Editor

Stooge Businesses (1)

Stooge Goofs (5)

Stooge Mayhem (Avg. 1.25)

Stooge Quotes (3)

Stooge Routines (6)

Animal on back or head
A Stooge has an animal on his back or head, and and either he or another Stooge tries to hit or shoot it unsuccessfully.
Also used in: ANTS IN THE PANTRY · CUCKOO ON A CHOO CHOO · I'M A MONKEY'S UNCLE · STONE AGE ROMEOS · THE YOKE'S ON ME
Cop shooting down a light bulb
When the Stooges are running from a cop, the cop fires his gun in the air to stop them. However, he's standing under a light post, so he accidentally shoots down the light bulb, causing it to smash over his head.
Also used in: DIZZY DOCTORS ·
I stood like that,but not for long!
Curly poses as a fighter and says, "I stood like that, but not for long!"
Also used in: DIZZY DOCTORS ·
Inadvertantly Walks Into Deep Water
The usual scenario for this routine is thus: A Stooge wonders how deep the water is in a pond, lake or puddle, and another Stooge says, "It ain't deep ... see?" and starts walking in ankle-deep water. After a few steps, he plunges overhead in water!
Also used in: UNCIVIL WARRIORS · HORSING AROUND
Water-spitting fish/duck
A Stooge has a battle with a fish or duck that continuously spits water at him.
Also used in: BOOBY DUPES · I'M A MONKEY'S UNCLE · STONE AGE ROMEOS
You'll never know...
The Stooges break out singing "You'll never know, just what tears are..."
Also used in: HORSES' COLLARS · HALF SHOT SHOOTERS · SOUP TO NUTS · BEER AND PRETZELS · DANCING LADY · FUGITIVE LOVERS

Stooge Trivia (0)

Fan Reviews (9)

RE: A-Ducking They Did Go
Posted 2006-03-25 19:13:01 by MickeyMoe
Edited 2023-09-03 14:10:38 by [Deleted Member]

This is a decent Curly short; not great, but still fun. I liked the Stooges interactions with the crooks ehind the phony duck hunting club, and the scene with Bud Jamison in his office nearly shooting the mayor was funny. The story ind of slows down when they get to the hunting lodge, but picks up again when the hunt begins. Overall, I think it is a 6 out of 10.

Reviewer's Rating:

(6)

Re: A DUCKING THEY DID GO
Posted 2010-11-29 20:49:30 by cpp

One of the things that separates this episode from others is that the Stooges, Bud Jamison, & Casey Columbo performed a great harmony rendition of the famous, "You'll Never Know Just What Tears Are" song (assuming it wasn't dubbed with other voices). Jamison looked like he enjoyed it. While the Stooges did the song in other shorts, the addition of Jamison's great voice made this version of the song memorable, & added to the popularity of the episode. The other thing that made this episode memorable is Jamison's facial expression when he felt it necessary to be politically correct long before it was called that, by sucking up to the mayor when they both claimed to have shot the duck. His expression says it all.

Reviewer's Rating:

(10)

Re: A DUCKING THEY DID GO
Posted 2010-10-20 23:53:44 by Final Shemp

Plot thin but laughs o-plenty, A Ducking They Did Go gets the Stooge formula right.The short follows the routine of Stooges as vagrants, police officer chase, and con men in its first half. It's nothing to write home about, but it sets itself up rather finely, with giggles to spare. Playing football with a watermelon and the boys selling the police chief on the idea of duck hunting are highlights.The short doesn't set fire until its wacky-quacky hunting scenes. Moe and Larry tossing out decoys to keep their club members happy is grand, and Curly's march of ducks is just beautiful. The climax is entirely man vs. nature, as the Stooges try to get their quota of ducks as well, only to be outsmarted by the foul.It's a lot of fun. This is a short I find I often forget about, or at least underestimate. It doesn't sound all that appealing on the surface, but I'm always surprised by how funny it really is.Final Shemp's Final Word: 3 1/2 Pokes

Reviewer's Rating:

(9)

Re: A DUCKING THEY DID GO
Posted 2010-04-30 16:16:54 by Shemp_Diesel

File this under the good but not great category. I think that can be said about nearly all the stooge offerings from 1939. After that, the 40s kick off & the true golden age of stooge 2-reelers begins.

"I'm so hungry I could eat a skunk, raw!"

3 pokes

Reviewer's Rating:

(7)

Re: A-DUCKING THEY DID GO
Posted 2003-02-21 05:12:00 by Bruckman
Edited 2006-03-25 19:01:44 by Dunrobin

Definitely one of the best second-rank Curly shorts. The opening scenes w/the watermelon, followed by the high- energy membership-selling efforts, are fast-paced and consistently funny (Curly returning to the office and attempting to sell a membership to the man who hired him is a sure-fire laugh--Curly's totally unfazed by the man's exasperation). Vernon Dent has his suit destroyed piecemeal and a visual highlight is the wooden toy duck Curly leads around on a string. Once the boys get to the hutning lodge the action slows a bit and the film isn't really helped by the studio sets intended to represent woods and lake settings, but there are still some funny bits and Curly pied-pipering the ducks into the lake is one of those visual bits you always remember, as is Moe vengefully eyepoking a rubber duck. Whenever shotguns are present, you know the boys will end up on the wrong side of the barrel eventually. Bud Jamison turns in a good supporting performance as an overenthusiastic hunter who snaps up the Stooges' sales pitch.

Reviewer's Rating:

(8)

Re: A-DUCKING THEY DID GO
Posted 2002-03-28 19:53:00 by [Deleted Member]
Edited 2006-03-24 19:59:53 by shemps#1

Something strange happens everytime I watch this short (I can only see it on AMC, for the present). EVERY SINGLE TIME, I either tune in when the boys are in the office with the swindlers or I see the beginning parts, but afterwards, when I try to remember the scenes, it seems really hazy. When I try to think of the watermellon stealing scene, I can only think of "Wee Wee Monsieur", when Curly ran away with watermellons for shoes. I guess one of these times, I'll record those scenes and watch them over and over and over. That will take care of THAT! Anyway, I love this short- probably because much of it takes place in the Great Outdoors. Bud Jamison was pretty funny here, too. I admit that the boys had better interaction with each other in other shorts, but that's not the only thing I judge a short by. I also judge the short by the humor in their interactions with OTHERS. They and the supporting cast do a great job in that department.

Re: A-DUCKING THEY DID GO
Posted 2001-03-30 15:23:00 by Stooge
Edited 2003-06-30 04:34:00 by Stooge

A completely average short. It's pretty good, but nothing that great really stands out. My only complaint is the recycled ending from A PAIN IN THE PULLMAN; it had absolutely nothing to do with rest of the film, and seemed like a lame way for the writers to work their way out of an ending they had a hard time coming up with.

Reviewer's Rating:

(8)

Re: A-DUCKING THEY DID GO
Posted 2001-10-02 01:28:00 by Mike Holme
Edited 2002-03-29 06:01:00 by Mike Holme

A good short, but the ending left a lot to desire. I never really liked Curly's endless attempts to shoot a duck. The scenes I liked the most were in the beginning with the watermelon heist and the stooges getting their jobs.3 pokes Mike Holme

Re: A-DUCKING THEY DID GO
Posted 2001-01-06 20:26:00 by sickdrjoe

One of the more plot-driven 30s Curly jobs; good but light on the violence (dead giveaway: any short when Moe barks, "Remind me to moida you later".) The song at the lodge is a nice, atypical moment that works. Curly gets off some quality screams-o-pain regardless and ANY movie from the Depression that's built around ne'er-do-wells running from a cop brandishing a nightstick is jake with me.

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Working Title(s):	NEVER DUCK A DUCK
Prod. No.:	444
Shooting Days:	4 days From: 1938-11-15 To: 1938-11-18

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