Topic: Revenge on Moe!

[Dr. Hugo Gansamacher]

One of my favorite actions in the Stooge shorts happens when one of the subordinate Stooges retaliates against Moe physically. Of course, in every short, they inflict all sorts of violence and indignity on him by accident--dropping things on his foot, poking him in the eye with a broom handle, and so on. What I am talking about are the moments in which Curly or Shemp or Larry quite wittingly and intentionally gives Moe a good punch or slap in the face, kick in the pants, conk on the head, or other act of violence. (Waving a hand in the air in front of him and causing him to look sharply downward does not count--unless it is preparatory to a conk on the head or the like.)

I have been entertaining the idea of putting together a video collection of such moments, but before I embark on such a project, I would like to solicit items for inclusion from my learned fellow members of this forum. Please name the short and give some specific information about the act of violence. To get us started, I provide a few items that I have thought of:

(1) In Three Sappy People, in response to getting his nose tweaked by Moe, Curly raises Moe's bangs with one hand and gives him a resounding conk on the forehead with the other.  For some reason, this is my favorite revenge-on-Moe moment! Perhaps because it is the only one that comes from Curly, so far as I can recall.

(2) Early in Gypped in the Penthouse, Larry completely clobbers Moe (farblonjets him, as he might have said  ), with a stiff-armed conk in the forehead, a punch in the belly, a slap on the back of the head, a pulling of his coat over his head, and finally a prone kick in the backside with both feet. Near the end of the short, a fight breaks out among the three, in which bystander Emil Sitka gets the worst and Shemp the next worst, but ultimately Larry conks Moe on the head with a bottle and sends him reeling into a wall, where a fish bowl falls on his head.

(3) In Cuckoo on a Choo-Choo, when Moe tries to give the old fist-to-chin, knee-to-elbow kick-in-the-sole-of-the-foot punishment (one of my favorite rituals of Stooge punishment! ) to Shemp a second time, Shemp preempts the final blow by kicking Moe's foot first.

(4) In He Cooked His Goose, Larry uses physical demonstration to instruct Moe in what to do to the guy who is supposedly cheating with his wife when he catches him, slapping him, poking him in the eye, and kicking him in the behind. Later in the short, Shemp gives Moe a faceful of soot with a bellows (only borderline violence, but I thought it should be mentioned) and then a door in the face.

Others?

[horwitz-halfwits]

I so have a good one for you: the moment in No Census, No Feeling when Moe gets mad at Curly for putting alum in the punch and smacks his face, and then Curly smacks him a few times down the face. 

[Shemp_Diesel]

I don't know if these will make the cut, but they are the first ones that popped into my head:

Heavenly Daze: There are quite a few, when Shemp says to Moe, you've been picking on that little guy long enough, it's about time you got a dose of your own  medicine, then slaps Moe in the face or later when Moe ask Shemp's spirit to convince him, then Shemp smashes Moe on the chin.

An Ache In Every Stake: After Moe says to Curly "You need another strike", then smacks him, Curly does the old hand waving gesture then smashes Moe on the chin.

Corny Casanovas: The climatic fight scene when Larry repeatedly smacks Moe on the head with the fireplace shovel.

Malice in the Palace: Shemp does the old hand waving move on Moe, pulling him down to the floor and making him smack his head on the floor.

[Dr. Hugo Gansamacher]

I'm going to continue to number the items for possible future use if I do put together a clip from these bits.

I so have a good one for you: the moment in No Census, No Feeling when Moe gets mad at Curly for putting alum in the punch and smacks his face, and then Curly smacks him a few times down the face. 

Ha ha, thanks; that's a great one--another rare bit of Curly-on-Moe violence! That would be (5). There is a somewhat similar action (6) in Matri-Phony when the boys are hiding behind a curtain, but with Moe mostly giving it to Curly (as usual), though Curly does get a single face-paw in against Moe. The whole action takes place in the first 15 seconds of this clip:

Shemp_Diesel, I will insert numerals into your catalogue, again for my own convenience:

I don't know if these will make the cut, but they are the first ones that popped into my head:

Heavenly Daze: There are quite a few, [7] when Shemp says to Moe, you've been picking on that little guy long enough, it's about time you got a dose of your own  medicine, then slaps Moe in the face or later [8] when Moe ask Shemp's spirit to convince him, then Shemp smashes Moe on the chin.

[9] An Ache In Every Stake: After Moe says to Curly "You need another strike", then smacks him, Curly does the old hand waving gesture then smashes Moe on the chin.

[10] Corny Casanovas: The climatic fight scene when Larry repeatedly smacks Moe on the head with the fireplace shovel.

[11] Malice in the Palace: Shemp does the old hand waving move on Moe, pulling him down to the floor and making him smack his head on the floor.

Thanks for all the specifics!

(12) There is another bit of anti-Moe violence in Cuckoo on a Choo-Choo that I didn't remember earlier: Moe and Shemp exchange slaps, with Larry getting one for interrupting. After they are apparently finished, Shemp gives Moe a last slap as he dances off.

(13) There is also a slap exchange between Moe and Curly in Hoi Polloi (I think this is the "original," or at least the earliest one in the shorts). I looked into the index of Stooge routines (under "Back and forth slap") and found that there are others in Crash Goes the Hash and For Crimin' out Loud. I had to look at the videos to remember them:

(14) In Crash Goes the Hash, the slap exchange occurs at the very end of the short. This is a wonderful sequence (Larry: "I'm standin' here! I'm not doing--!"), with what I think is the most extended exchange of reciprocal violence between Moe and Curly. It ends with Curly using the hand-wave to get Moe's head back and then lifting his bangs and giving him a bop on the forehead, as in Three Sappy People.

(15) In For Crimin' out Loud, in the opening scene, Larry uses the old hand motion to make Moe run across the room and into a door. (16) The slap exchange takes place between him and Moe shortly after that (with Shemp getting conked on the head for interrupting), and is followed by (17) Shemp biting Moe on the nose. (The nose-biting is my least-favorite form of Stooge violence, but I won't let my personal tastes interfere with keeping count.)

[Bum]

My two favorites:

CUCKOO CAVALIERS: When they're all packing the mud on the girl's face, Moe gives Curly a muddy face slap, then starts arguing with Larry. While they're arguing, you can see Curly waiting to get his revenge. As soon as Moe turns away, Curly reaches out and puts some mud on Moe's face. Moe's surprised reaction combined with a quick cut afterwards tells me that Moe didn't know this was coming.

YES WE HAVE NO BONANZA: When Curly [mistakenly] thinks Moe has hit him in the head with a rock, he fires one long-distance off Moe's head. This is one of my favorite scenes of all time, because there's no trickery or special effects involved [fake rock notwithstanding]. Curly picks up a rock, tosses it, and it bounces of Moe's head, all in one shot. I'd absolutely LOVE to know how many "takes" it took for them to get that right!

[Dr. Hugo Gansamacher]

My two favorites:

CUCKOO CAVALIERS: When they're all packing the mud on the girl's face, Moe gives Curly a muddy face slap, then starts arguing with Larry. While they're arguing, you can see Curly waiting to get his revenge. As soon as Moe turns away, Curly reaches out and puts some mud on Moe's face. Moe's surprised reaction combined with a quick cut afterwards tells me that Moe didn't know this was coming.

Glad to meet me! I had to look for that bit. I agree that it looks improvised. I almost always skip the second half of this short because I find what the Stooges do to those girls so horrifying. (That will be no. 18, though the "slap" is hardly more than a brush of the hand: it would have looked more like a slap if they had dubbed in the usual sound effect!)

By the way, there is another bit of Curly-on-Moe violence later in the short (19): just before the boys get to work on the hair of the three girls, Moe tries the old "See that?" on Curly, extending his fist, but Curly slaps it right into his (Moe's) forehead!

Also by the way, I notice that in contrast to Cuckoo on a Choo-Choo, this short has the spelling "Cookoo" in the title.

YES WE HAVE NO BONANZA: When Curly [mistakenly] thinks Moe has hit him in the head with a rock, he fires one long-distance off Moe's head. This is one of my favorite scenes of all time, because there's no trickery or special effects involved [fake rock notwithstanding]. Curly picks up a rock, tosses it, and it bounces of Moe's head, all in one shot. I'd absolutely LOVE to know how many "takes" it took for them to get that right!

That bit (no. 20) makes me laugh out loud every time! Thanks for the reminder.

[Shemp_Diesel]

Here's one from Men In Black Larry smacks Moe with a hammer at about 8:39

[horwitz-halfwits]

I don't know if these will make the cut, but they are the first ones that popped into my head:

Heavenly Daze: There are quite a few, when Shemp says to Moe, you've been picking on that little guy long enough, it's about time you got a dose of your own  medicine, then slaps Moe in the face or later when Moe ask Shemp's spirit to convince him, then Shemp smashes Moe on the chin.

Or how about the part in the short when Shemp punches Moe on the chin, sending him running full speed into a wall, and a vase landing on his head? If that's what you're talking about here, that surprised me and made me laugh so frickin hard!

Malice in the Palace: Shemp does the old hand waving move on Moe, pulling him down to the floor and making him smack his head on the floor.

That has got to be one of the funniest (and cleverest if you were Shemp) Shemp-on-Moe violence bits ever! Unless you would count that as actual violence...

[Dr. Hugo Gansamacher]

Here's one from Men In Black Larry smacks Moe with a hammer at about 8:39

Good catch. Thanks for supplying the video and the exact time in it, as that bit is easy to miss.

Or how about the part in the short when Shemp punches Moe on the chin, sending him running full speed into a wall, and a vase landing on his head? If that's what you're talking about here, that surprised me and made me laugh so frickin hard!

I've got to watch that short again and take notes!

That has got to be one of the funniest (and cleverest if you were Shemp) Shemp-on-Moe violence bits ever! Unless you would count that as actual violence...

It's not very harsh punishment by Stooge standards, but I'd count it!

I also have another: In Tricky Dicks, about halfway through, after Moe causes Shemp to spit out a mouthful of water on to him by suddenly shouting, Shemp uses the pretext of drying off Moe's face to give him some slaps.

[Giff me dat fill-em!]

The Camel Cigarettes TV show with Ed Wynn ... Larry and Moe have a slapfight that ends in a draw, then Moe slaps Shemp

[Giff me dat fill-em!]

I don't know if these will make the cut, but they are the first ones that popped into my head:

Heavenly Daze: There are quite a few, when Shemp says to Moe, you've been picking on that little guy long enough, it's about time you got a dose of your own  medicine, then slaps Moe in the face or later when Moe ask Shemp's spirit to convince him, then Shemp smashes Moe on the chin.

There is also the lovely scene where Larry derides Moe, after Moe and Larry puff on double cigars, ending in Larry saying "ole skunkbait" with no physical repercussions by Moe.

[Dr. Hugo Gansamacher]

Thanks for the suggestions, Giff, but I was looking for acts of violence (not verbal abuse) in the shorts (not in other Stooge appearances).

I just found another bit of Curly-on-Moe violence: in Pop Goes the Easel, when the Stooges start throwing lumps of clay at a canvas and then at each other, Curly, having just taken a lump in the face that was aimed at Moe by Larry, says to Moe, "You're the cause of this!" When Moe replies, "What about it?" for once Curly is not intimidated, and claps the lump right in his face!

[FineBari3]

Great thread! 

I always loved when Moe got it good from somebody else!  I believe that Shemp stands up to Moe the best!  He sometimes gets the final, last punch or slap in!

[Dr. Hugo Gansamacher]

I believe that Shemp stands up to Moe the best!  He sometimes gets the final, last punch or slap in!

I think that that is because Shemp was Moe's older brother, while Curly was the baby of the family. I read somewhere that when Moe, Larry, and Shemp were in vaudeville with Healey, Shemp played the dominant one. When he left and was replaced by Curly, Moe took over the role. Then when Curly was incapacitated and Shemp took his place, they kept the order that they had been playing on screen (wisely, I would say).

Here's another Curly-on-Moe bit: In Uncivil Warriors, when Curly, in drag as "Mrs. Dodge," is asked where her baby is, he uses his assumption of emotional distress as a pretext for twisting Moe's ears as he exclaims, "What have you done with my [KRRRIK!] baby?" 

I'm finding that there are a lot more acts of Curly-on-Moe violence than I was initially aware of!

[metaldams]

Unless if I totally missed it, I can't believe no one mentions Moe getting his finger caught in the faucet in THE SITTER DOWNERS.  Larry gives Moe several smacks in the rear with a 2X4, if memory serves correct, and once Moe goes free, a great chase ensues.  Always one of my favorite scenes.

[Dr. Hugo Gansamacher]

Unless if I totally missed it, I can't believe no one mentions Moe getting his finger caught in the faucet in THE SITTER DOWNERS.  Larry gives Moe several smacks in the rear with a 2X4, if memory serves correct, and once Moe goes free, a great chase ensues.  Always one of my favorite scenes.

Thanks for the reminder, which also reminds me of a similar occasion in Calling All Curs, in the bizarre segment where Moe's face appears in the intercom speaker: after Curly has ascertained that Moe is stuck in there, he starts yanking out his eyebrow hairs.

[horwitz-halfwits]

This has got to be one of the best Curly comebacks ever. Short but great. Look in this vid around the 2:38 mark.

[vomit]

I always like the (very few) scenes when Larry gets sassy with Moe or deals him some mayhem.  Larry was the best middleman ever. 

[archiezappa]

In the episode "Three Missing Links," Moe and Curly do their "around the world" routine, while they're cleaning out Mr. Botswaddle's office.  Moe hits Curly's hand and it swings around and hits Moe on the head (usually, Curly hits himself).  Then, Moe screams "I'll moider ya!"  This was the only time that Moe ever got hit by Curly while doing the "around the world" routine.  Hilarious!

[ThumpTheShoes]

I always like the (very few) scenes when Larry gets sassy with Moe or deals him some mayhem.  Larry was the best middleman ever.

As in the reading lesson from Pies and Guys.. Porcupine gives Moe a menacing, "Don't get personal!" with eye poking fingers ready!

[Dr. Hugo Gansamacher]

In the episode "Three Missing Links," Moe and Curly do their "around the world" routine, while they're cleaning out Mr. Botswaddle's office.  Moe hits Curly's hand and it swings around and hits Moe on the head (usually, Curly hits himself).  Then, Moe screams "I'll moider ya!"  This was the only time that Moe ever got hit by Curly while doing the "around the world" routine.  Hilarious!

Not quite! There's a bit in Cookoo Cavaliers (mentioned in my post #5 above) in which Moe gets a pre-empted around-the-world head-conk from Curly, though it comes from Curly slapping Moe's fist upward rather than Moe slapping Curly's downward.

Thanks, though, for the reference. It is a fine moment in Stooge violence! It is at 2:55 in this clip:

[Shemp_Diesel]

Here's a bit of business from No Dough Boys. It involves the old hand waving gesture & a seltzer bottle at 5:00 to 5:22...

[horwitz-halfwits]

Here is also a part from I'll Never Heil Again when Moe decides to try a third time to get the 13 ball into the pocket. Watch after the part when Moe bops Curly's chin w/ the cue stick by accident. Curly does his barking routine at about the 1:17 mark, then at about the 1:19 mark he pokes Moe in the eyes. You'll have to watch carefully in order to catch this crafty and another rare Curly-on-Moe violence.

[Dr. Hugo Gansamacher]

I found another: in A Bird in the Head, when the Stooges are holed up in the laboratory with Igor the gorilla, Moe tries to administer some punishment to Curly, but Igor, whom Curly has befriended, intervenes on his behalf to make Curly give it to Moe! It's around 6:40–6:55 in the clip below.

In his reaction, Igor seems to be serving as a representative of the audience.  By the way, Moe's curious choice of the name "Ingagy" to address him is taken, according to the page on this short at threestooges.net, from "the title of a low budget horror film about a monster gorilla."

Here is also a part from I'll Never Heil Again when Moe decides to try a third time to get the 13 ball into the pocket. Watch after the part when Moe bops Curly's chin w/ the cue stick by accident. Curly does his barking routine at about the 1:17 mark, then at about the 1:19 mark he pokes Moe in the eyes. You'll have to watch carefully in order to catch this crafty and another rare Curly-on-Moe violence.

It's the fault of the sound editor: he didn't give Curly's eye-poke against Moe a sound effect! Maybe he missed it because it happened so quickly.

[Dr. Hugo Gansamacher]

Curly lands a paint-stained blow on Moe's face late in So Long, Mr. Chumps (around 6:35 in the video below).