Topic: A Plumbing We Will Go (1940)

[I. Cheatam]

Dudley actually had a few featured roles in some of the non-Stooge two reelers, particularly Phoney Cronies with El Brendel and Tom Kennedy, as well as the four "scare" comedies that starred Hugh Herbert.

[Paul Pain]

After 7 years, I have watched this one again.  Professor Bilbo's assistant is even hotter now than she was 7 years ago, which is disgraceful because I was already older than Claire James back in 2014.

Looking now, I realize what makes this one so amazing is that has me in full ROTFLMAO without the usual Stooge antics.  It's all Stooge level destruction and comedy, but it's got a mix of Stooge-on-Stooge violence, Stooge's getting into chases, and Stooges destroying stuff.  All three elements are done perfectly, and, oh, yeah, Dudley Dickerson rules as always.

[metaldams]

After 7 years, I have watched this one again.  Professor Bilbo's assistant is even hotter now than she was 7 years ago, which is disgraceful because I was already older than Claire James back in 2014.

Looking now, I realize what makes this one so amazing is that has me in full ROTFLMAO without the usual Stooge antics.  It's all Stooge level destruction and comedy, but it's got a mix of Stooge-on-Stooge violence, Stooge's getting into chases, and Stooges destroying stuff.  All three elements are done perfectly, and, oh, yeah, Dudley Dickerson rules as always.

I just looked Clair James up, she was 19 when this was filmed.  Good God!  You’re what, in your twenties?  Not too far a stretch for you, but that version of her can be my daughter.

You’ll know you’re getting older when Bess Flowers starts looking better.  It’s the ultimate Stooge maturity test.

[Big Chief Apumtagribonitz]

It's your tall chick fetish, nothing more.  Don't worry, you're as immature as ever.

[Paul Pain]

I just looked Clair James up, she was 19 when this was filmed.  Good God!  You’re what, in your twenties?  Not too far a stretch for you, but that version of her can be my daughter.

You’ll know you’re getting older when Bess Flowers starts looking better.  It’s the ultimate Stooge maturity test.

When we first watched this in 2014, I was just shy of 21 years old.  So she's not entirely out of my league.  Heck, I'm currently having a bit of thing going with a 19 year old  . 

I'm not to Bess Flowers yet, but Christine McIntyre is definitely more my type now than she was 7 years ago.

"You're my type, baby.  A woman!"

[metaldams]

When we first watched this in 2014, I was just shy of 21 years old.  So she's not entirely out of my league.  Heck, I'm currently having a bit of thing going with a 19 year old  . 

I'm not to Bess Flowers yet, but Christine McIntyre is definitely more my type now than she was 7 years ago.

"You're my type, baby.  A woman!"

Christine McIntyre at ages 35 - 40 was as attractive to me at age 21 as she is to me now.  She’s ageless.

Here’s Bess Flowers at age 24 or 25 in Charlie Chaplin’s A WOMAN OF PARIS.

[Paul Pain]

Christine McIntyre at ages 35 - 40 was as attractive to me at age 21 as she is to me now.  She’s ageless.

Here’s Bess Flowers at age 24 or 25 in Charlie Chaplin’s A WOMAN OF PARIS.

She is certainly deserving of being the most accomplished person in the history of film!  Quite the lovely young lady in that film was Bess Flowers.

As time goes by, the admiration for Symona Boniface's dignified air grows, but she fails to become more attractive 

[hiramhorwitz]

As time goes by, the admiration for Symona Boniface's dignified air grows, but she fails to become more attractive 

There's a great portrait of Symona Boniface at The Stoogeum, probably taken when she was in her twenties, that might change your opinion.  I'm unable to find a copy of that particular portrait online, but here's one that gives a slightly different perspective, nonetheless.

[metaldams]

There's a great portrait of Symonia Boniface at The Stoogeum, probably taken when she was in her twenties, that might change your opinion.  I'm unable to find a copy of that particular portrait online, but here's one that gives a slightly different perspective, nonetheless. Strangely, I'm finding that the attached photo is only visible when I'm logged in, so I'm guessing you will need to be logged in to see it, too.

I think I mentioned this before, and I did just watch the short recently - she’s in her early thirties in Charley Chases’s THE CARETAKER’S DAUGHTER (1925) and is attractive there.

Even with the Stooges, she was beautiful in a dignified way, like Paul mentioned.  Certainly not homely.  The last few years she started aging, but that was probably the cancer.  There’s a big difference even between Half Wits Holiday and Heavenly Daze, for example.

[Big Chief Apumtagribonitz]

Ahh, Symona, Symona.........

[Paul Pain]

Yes, in that photo Symona is quite the attractive lady indeed.

[Dr. Mabuse]

Motion Picture Herald: "What the Picture Did for Me" (August 24, 1940)

[NoahYoung]

OK, I am gonna get nitpicky. My beef with this short is that they are not real plumbers. They are mistaken for plumbers. So of course they know nothing about plumbing. To me, it would be funnier if they were portraying real plumbers.

Everyone remembers the plumbing scenes, but about 4 minutes go by before they pretend to be plumbers, and about 5 before they start a-plumbing. I am not saying, however, that the first 4 minutes are not funny.

Given its reputation, and the fact that it is over-shown, I am always a bit disappointed overall when I watch it. I consider it, however, to be a well above average Stooges short. It is not one that I reach for to view that often, however.

[Shemp_Diesel]

Welcome to the forums Noah. Somehow, I feel better knowing that I'm not totally alone in thinking that this has always been one of the more "overrated" Curly shorts. I even thought it was funny how this short was put on a VHS, back in the day, with 2 other overrated shorts...

Anyways, I'll shut up & wait for the tomatoes to be thrown at me....   

[NoahYoung]

Thank you.

I was first disappointed in it way back in the mid-80s while in college. I'm not sure I had seen the complete short at that time, but had certainly seen the clips from it in STOP, LOOK, AND LAUGH numerous times. My big disappointment back then was how long it took to get to the plumbing scenes. It's only a 17 minute short. 5 minutes of setup - 12 minutes a-plumbing.

It wasn't until later years that I came up with the hypothesis that people pretending to be plumbers, and making a mess of it, really isn't as funny as if said people were supposed to be real plumbers.

Again, I find it to be a well above average short with the Stooges, and over-all (with or without them.)

P.S. I have had many a Moe, Larry, and Curly do plumbing at my house. A case of life imitating art.

[Big Chief Apumtagribonitz]

The first five minutes are important, because it establishes that they are on the run from the law.  They are pretending to be plumbers not because they are stupid ( although of course they are stupid ), and not because they are silly, and not because they decide to be plumbers on a whim ( hey, today let's be plumbers! ) but because they're trying to stay out of jail.  They're on the lam, they're hiding out.  Without those first five minutes, they're just silly billies playing plumber.

[NoahYoung]

When you put it that way -- I guess I kinda agree. Yet, to me, it would still be funnier if they were plumbers.
And as I said, the first 5 minutes is funny.
I was just being nitpicky. I've read too many books on the comedians I love, and they were always nitpicky, too, pooh-poohing films I loved.
So it rubbed off on me. 

[metaldams]

Yeah, Big Chief nailed it, perfectly valid excuse why they’re plumbers and another aspect I love is the high society party they’re crashing - Bess Flowers is excellent, and it’s simply an excuse to see Dudley do his thing.  The setting works well in addition to the mayhem and performances.

[Woe-ee-Woe-Woe80]

While "Plumbing" is a great short I do notice Moe doesn't dish out much punishment to the other stooges, I also felt Larry wasn't given much to do in the middle portion of the short, I thought the pre-plumbing scenes were great because we got to see the Stooges on the run from the law and having difficulty staying out of trouble.

[metaldams]

While "Plumbing" is a great short I do notice Moe doesn't dish out much punishment to the other stooges, I also felt Larry wasn't given much to do in the middle portion of the short, I thought the pre-plumbing scenes were great because we got to see the Stooges on the run from the law and having difficulty staying out of trouble.

I think the water and pipes give enough punishment to Curly to compensate for Moe - at least for me.

[Woe-ee-Woe-Woe80]

I think the water and pipes give enough punishment to Curly to compensate for Moe - at least for me.

I do agree that the water and pipes scene is definitely one of Curly's greatest moments, especially during the little moment when Curly thinks he has solved the problem but we all know that he doesn't.

[fayremead]

 "A Plumbing We Will Go" provided the inspiration for Don Martin's "An Early Morning Bathroom Scene" (MAD Magazine #84, January 1964). An angry customer demonstrates how his plumbing fixtures have been switched as he berates the plumber who was only supposed to stop a leak. His attempt to get the poor lunkhead fired by phoning the plumbers' union becomes a washout! A Three Stooges influence is evident in many other Don Martin cartoons.

Doug Gilford's Mad Cover Site https://www.madcoversite.com/mad084-48.html

[Daddy Dewdrop]

Not quite a stone cold classic in my book, but plenty of laughs and Curly rings the bell again and again.  Ranking at #33 overall is nothing to scoff at.  As I've mentioned before, every short from here on out is great, just some slightly better than others.