Topic: Crash Goes the Hash (1944)

[metaldams]

http://www.threestooges.net/filmography/episode/77
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0036727/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1







Man, what a bittersweet short this is.  The bitterness comes from a knowledge of history.  This is one of the last classic healthy Curly shorts where everything is firing on all cylinders and even though it's 1944, this feels like a 1940 or 1941 short.  Rarely will we see a Curly short this good again, and never will we see Bud, Vernon, and Symona, the three greatest character actors until this point, all in the same short performing roles worthy of their talents.  11 months after this was filmed, Bud Jamison passed away way too young at age 50 from cancer.  Minus a touching tribute in 1952's THREE DARK HORSES (if you don't know what I'm talking about, look for it), this is Bud's last Stooge short.  The man went all the way back to Chaplin at Essanay, ended with The Three Stooges, and appeared with everyone else in between.  Cheers to this great talent.  As far as classic Stooge shorts with a healthy third Stooge, the majority of those from now on will have some guy named Shemp.  Thankfully, there are plenty of classics with him to come, but yeah, this feels like the end of an era.

Curly is in fine form, selling lemonade with gusto, dancing and singing, flirting with girls (including Judy Malcolm who makes her debut here), and ending up with Symona in the end.  The actual end of this short may be the quintessential Stooge moment.  It's a classic Moe and Curly slapstick fest with Larry giving some of his greatest reactions ever.  Really, watch the last minute of this short and find me a better example of all three Stooges doing what they do best in their purest, most simplest form.

Other highlights - Bud calling The Three Stooges....well...The Three Stooges and Curly being insulted by it!  Victor Travers getting the mashed potatoes in the face and his priceless reaction.  Moe's battle with the turkey at the sink.  Moe getting his nose smashed in the door, easily one of the most brutal moments in a Stooge short.  Poor Larry getting the hot turkey on his back.  Oh yeah, and they're at a high society party!

Really one of the perfect Stooge shorts out there, and again, it almost feels like the end of an era to me.

10/10

[Paul Pain]

Well, metaldams, it is an end of an era.  With the loss of Bud, the Stooges move on to other actors to foil, sometimes having to deal with mediocre guest stars, such as in BUSY BUDDIES. 

The above pretty much covers the highlights of this short.  I will add though to the Bud discussion; how fitting is it that Bud's last role is arguably his greatest role?  Never before has Bud's character held such importance as he must pose as a conniving crook, maintain the poise of a hired toady in a mansion, and be inimical toward the Stooges.

Curly really carries the Stooges in this short, with a set of well-delivered lines, including a butchering of the Spanish language.

[Shemp_Diesel]

My top three of Curly shorts is 1) Disorder in the Court 2) Grips, Grunts and Groans and 3) Crash Goes the Hash...

Although Pierre and Johnson remain my favorite Bud Jamison roles, I'm glad he was given the meaty part of the butler as his finale--Such levity, you remind me of the Three Stooges.

"Fuller Bull" might be the best joke name in a stooge short. Get your ice cold lemonade, 50 cent apiece or 3 for a quarter.

And, this is the first use of perhaps my favorite stooge visual--the bird walking inside a cooked turkey gag. 

Overall, while I would say there are still some good healthy Curlys left, this definitely is the last one that rates a perfect score.

10 out of 10...

[BeAStooge]

... including Judy Malcolm who makes her debut here

In two roles...

• Fuller Bull's secretary
• Party guest wearing white gown

Her first appearance was in LOCO BOY MAKES GOOD (1942) as 'Miss Stampandale.'

Judy Malcolm (l) and Dorothy Appleby (r)

[Lefty]

No question that this is a classic short.  Bud Jamison went out with a bang (or at least a fight) in what I thought was his best overall performance.  Speaking of that fight, it's always funny when the bad guys are hitting each other while one of the Stooges has his arm in a villain's coat.  Dick Curtis with his pho-nee Frahnch ahk-sent was great.  And we got to hear Curly's normal voice saying, "You go take a picture of those two while I peddle the lemonade."

[Paul Pain]

While many top-notch Curly shorts are still to come, this one is IMO the last "all-time great" he was in.

[metaldams]

Although Pierre and Johnson remain my favorite Bud Jamison roles, I'm glad he was given the meaty part of the butler as his finale--Such levity, you remind me of the Three Stooges.

Pierre for sure!  Number one for me.   The German officer in BACK FROM THE FRONT also ranks up there, but I agree with you guys stating this is one of Bud's better roles.  I'm happy he went out with a roar and not a whimper.

But if you want to see Bud with Shemp and Christine McIntyre in a Columbia short, look no further than....

http://www.threestooges.net/filmography/episode/277

I'll have to pull out my copy and see if Bud's role is any good.  It's not like I have OFF AGAIN, ON AGAIN memorized like I do Stooge shorts.

[BeAStooge]

But if you want to see Bud with Shemp and Christine McIntyre in a Columbia short, look no further than....

http://www.threestooges.net/filmography/episode/277

I'll have to pull out my copy and see if Bud's role is any good.  It's not like I have OFF AGAIN, ON AGAIN memorized like I do Stooge shorts.

Unfortunately, Bud Jamison (and 'Snowflake' Toones) appears in OFF AGAIN, ON AGAIN (1945) via stock footage.  A remake of Charley Chase's TIME OUT FOR TROUBLE (1938), Bud's scene as the hotel detective is lifted from that.  Clever editing... although Bud and Shemp "interact," they're actually on opposite sides of a door, so they're never actually in the same frame.


Bud did work with Shemp in few of his earlier Columbia solos, BOOBS IN THE WOODS (1940), MONEY SQUAWKS (1940) and NOT GUILTY ENOUGH (1938).

[metaldams]

Unfortunately, Bud Jamison (and 'Snowflake' Toones) appears in OFF AGAIN, ON AGAIN (1945) via stock footage.  A remake of Charley Chase's TIME OUT FOR TROUBLE (1938), Bud's scene as the hotel detective is lifted from that.  Clever editing... although Bud and Shemp "interact," they're actually on opposite sides of a door, so they're never actually in the same frame.


Bud did work with Shemp in few of his earlier Columbia solos, BOOBS IN THE WOODS (1940), MONEY SQUAWKS (1940) and NOT GUILTY ENOUGH (1938).

Darn!  Thanks for the tip.

[Shemp_Diesel]

You learn something new everyday. I haven't watched Off Again, On Again as much as I have some of the other Shemp solos like Where the Pest Begins--so I had no recollection of Bud being in it and now I learn it was stock footage...

[Svengarlic]

[metaldams]

Hmmm, you gave me an idea.  I should look for movie posters and decorate the threads.

[Paul Pain]

Looks great metal!

I must add spice to my life and watch some of the Shemp solo shorts.

[Paul Pain]

I watched WHERE THE PEST BEGINS, and must say I thoroughly enjoyed myself.

[JazzBill]

I consider this to be an OK short. I don't find anything that makes it above average, even though it has two classic bits that were used more than once. The bird in the turkey and the arm in the sleeve while in a fight are both in this short. I think Buds best role was Pierre in (Whoops, I'm an Indian) I rate this short a 7 1/2.

[Big Chief Apumtagribonitz]

I asked this when we were at Horse's Collars, and I don't think we came to a conclusion:  is the Arm-In-The-Villian's-Sleeve bit a stooge original?  Nobody seems able to place it as being done by anybody before Horse's Collars, but it's hard to believe that an instant classic like that has no precedents.  Granted, it may have developed in some silents that have since vanished, as most of them have, and it certainly looks like, say, a Mack Sennett bit, but barring any new information ( Vaudeville, maybe? ), it's looking like a stooge original classic in Horse's Collars, reprised nicely here.

[Big Chief Apumtagribonitz]

And yes, I meant to mention that I agree that that is Curly's rarely-heard natural voice, different from his classic comedy voice, different from his post-TIA (mini-strokes, which I think they were, until the big one) voice, and in fact different from his Healy-shorts voice, which was, comparatively, a shy whisper.

[metaldams]

I asked this when we were at Horse's Collars, and I don't think we came to a conclusion:  is the Arm-In-The-Villian's-Sleeve bit a stooge original?  Nobody seems able to place it as being done by anybody before Horse's Collars, but it's hard to believe that an instant classic like that has no precedents.  Granted, it may have developed in some silents that have since vanished, as most of them have, and it certainly looks like, say, a Mack Sennett bit, but barring any new information ( Vaudeville, maybe? ), it's looking like a stooge original classic in Horse's Collars, reprised nicely here.

I honestly can't think of a pre-Stooge example, but if I ever come across one, I'll let you know.

[Kopfy2013]

As Metal states, everything is firing on all cylinders in this short.  I will obviously see in future shorts if this was the last one firing on all cylinders.  I know I have a favorite coming up but it was not because of Curly's physical comedy that it is one of my favorites.

Great filmography on this short. The closeup of the faces are great.  I think the filmography or filming - not sure of the exact term - helps make this short.

Bummer about Bud.  Did he have any kids?

I would have to see all the shorts back to back to pick my Bud favorite but off the top of my head it would be Pierre.

One thing Metal is dead on is the finish. One of the best of all the shorts, as he says 'It it's purest, most simple form'

"Such levity, you remind me of the 3 Stooges" - great line.... I also love when backswing knocks out someone as well as the follow thru.

The mash potato scene was great. He really got it.

I rate this a 9.  The supporting players were great.  I would give Vernon the nod as the best supporting player in this short, but that is me.  Symona always steady in her part....

[Kopfy2013]

P.S. Metal, nice touch putting the lobby cards on for the short.  I like it.

[Dr. Hugo Gansamacher]

Some of my favorite moments in this short are in Fuller Bull's office. First, when the Stooges come in and introduce themselves: the introductions get out of control and the Stooges end up shaking each others' hands and finally kissing each other on the cheek in old-world style and saying "Vivat!" The kissing returns in the final scene, which is one of my favorite final scenes in all the shorts. This time, instead of harmony among the Stooges, Curly accidentally kisses Moe instead of Mrs. Van Bustle (the always excellent Simona Boniface) and they end up exchanging slaps, with Moe turning aside to give a slap to Larry ("I'm standing here! I'm not doing anything!"). Finally, Curly uses the magic hand-wave to turn Moe's head back, lifts his bangs and gives him a resounding conk on the forehead, the whole bit being captured from a rather distant camera position. It's beautiful!

[metaldams]

Some of my favorite moments in this short are in Fuller Bull's office. First, when the Stooges come in and introduce themselves: the introductions get out of control and the Stooges end up shaking each others' hands and finally kissing each other on the cheek on the cheek in old-world style and saying "Vivat!" The kissing returns in the final scene, which is one of my favorite final scenes in all the shorts. This time, instead of harmony among the Stooges, Curly accidentally kisses Moe instead of Mrs. Van Bustle (the always excellent Simona Boniface) and they end up exchanging slaps, with Moe turning aside to give a slap to Larry ("I'm standing here! I'm not doing anything!"). Finally, Curly uses the magic hand-wave to turn Moe's head back, lifts his bangs and gives him a resounding conk on the forehead, the whole bit being captured from a rather distant camera position. It's beautiful!

That distant camera position may one of the most perfect shots in all the Stooge shorts.  I do state that last minute is the Stooges at their purest, but part of that purity may be the way the camera just lays back, stays still, and perfectly shows the boys doing their thing.  It's like watching them on stage.

[ThumpTheShoes]

It's like watching them on stage.

I'll take that a step further. It is like watching the fellas perform a routine on film, uninterrupted. Why is that so important? Because we have so precious few outtakes and behind the scenes footage of the Stooges, any bits like this that are allowed to progress without cuts, any pieces of production audio (think Jules yelling, "Cut!", Larry getting screen direction, and the now-deleted piece of dialogue read off-camera that was excised from Half-Wits' Holiday for the collection dvd) and you get a real, albeit sneaky, glimpse of what went into making a Stooge picture.

Really! To me that stuff is just as important as any of the little tidbits Moe would give us in his later years in radio interviews and television appearances. I'm always looking to see little sneaky behind-the-scenes glimpses of, perhaps, a camera crew reflected in a car door (One of the Charley Chase shorts betrays the viewer's omniscient illusion when the camera crew can be spotted in a reflection more than once during a lengthy driving scene), wobbly scenery (walls and doors in The Hot Scots), a flubbed line (You're really a friend, r-lly spirit!), the director triumphantly gesturing in front of the camera when a special effect works (the ceiling collapse in Pick a Peck of Plumbers), Kirby wires not hidden by the addition of film grain, boom mics and shadows (check out those Yodeling bits from Nutty But Nice)..

Things like that are, IMHO, priceless in older films. Perhaps only in retrospect? Maybe little things like that would take the average viewer out of the film, but just think-- wouldn't it have been great to hear Curly slip out of character in an outtake? Get a little insight into what gets Larry motivated for a scene? All the studio outtakes were scrapped and salvaged to recover precious silver, we know that. Minor editing slip-ups, now, are as close as we'll ever get to that. Poo-poo to Sony for tightening the editing in Half-Wits (the snippet of audio following, "..Let me make gentlemen of you." can be heard intact on the old, single disc release called "Nutty But Nice") as I, personally, do not believe it necessary.

Jeez! Maybe I shouldn't be such a rabid fan? I think I need to run my ages old print of Grips, Grunts and Groans to clear my head.

[Big Chief Apumtagribonitz]

Funny, I guess this is a To Each His Own situation: I have no interest at all in outtakes or behind-the-scenes interviews or after-the-fact commentary.  All I care about is the finished product.  Moe's Mike Douglas interviews to me are quite sad, despite the few nuggets of extra information.  Same with Larry's wheelchair interviews.  I don't need to know that stuff, it adds nothing to my enjoyment of the originals.  I'd truly prefer to watch the De Rita features, which I actually like, than to watch impaired Moe, Larry, and Curly-Joe reminisce about those same things.  I'm a professional musician, and to watch famous musicians talk about their music bores me to embarrassment: music is music, it speaks for itself, if it's any good there's no reason to say a single word about it.  Same with film or any other art, if it's good there's no explanation necessary.  I won't even watch a post-game show after a football game.  Did you watch the game? That's all you need to know.  All else is commentary, literally.  Boy am I in the minority on this one.  To each his own.

[MrsMorganMorgan]

I actually care very little for this short. I am sad about losing Bud; Curly seems ever so slightly off-ish to me, and the dinner table bit just goes on FOREVER and it's not even that good. "Jeepers creepers; what a night!" Ugh. I do like Moe's bit about the turkey "taking a bath at 7:30 and will be well-cooked by 8 o'clock..." Makes me wonder if every woman (and some men) in the audience in the 40s laughed when he sang this? We WISH a turkey was done in a half hour! I do like some of the awesome dresses in the dinner party scene though. One blond is wearing one that I would definitely wear. But I don't get the Wonder Woman dress of the woman that Curly squirts with lemonade. Ugly, odd, and not really right for her body type.

Symone always looks good; even in just her slip. And I didn't use to like Dick Curtis because of his looks but as I've aged I've come to appreciate the oily con man performances he gives. Anyway, I'll give this one a 5.