The Three Troubledoers (1946)

metaldams · **on:** January 16, 2015, 10:21:55 PM

http://www.threestooges.net/filmography/episode/91
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0039030/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=v69cIp8Xe64

Watch the full short in the link above

Eh, I hate it when this happens - one of those shorts where I don't really have that much to say. There's nothing about this short that's absolutely great, but nothing that's terrible. I suppose Curly's illness comes across in a few lines, though I don't enjoy analyzing that, and it's nothing out of the ordinary for this era.

Well, I'll pick a few things that stand out. Christine McIntyre does a wonderful job as the damsel in distress. I really feel genuine sadness for her character when she has to choose between marrying Blackie or losing her father. The scenes where she's driven to tears are convincing. She really can play all types of roles, from the vamp to the damsel in distress to the cultured opera singer. A really great asset to the boys she was.

Comically, my favorite part is Curly as a dog. I think he's pretty good in this part, him barking with his face poking out of the hay is funny. Love the facial expression. One of the many instances of Curly as animal, and it's funny how the villains literally treat him like one, putting him in a collar. I do wish the scene where Moe and Larry try to get Curly out of the collar lasted longer, but I'm not sure if Curly could do an extended scene like that at this point. Still, at least they attempted dynamite, always a comforting Stooge device.

Just a few more random things - the Moe insult "mashed potato muscles" is definitely a favorite of mine, and the whole sped up race to rescue the damsel with music playing is the kind of thing you only see in an Edward Bernds short.

Passable entertainment overall, and Christine McIntyre boots the score up just a tad, as a less talented pretty girl in her role wouldn't have been the same.

6/10

Shemp_Diesel · **Reply #1 on:** January 16, 2015, 11:41:10 PM

Not much to add from me--this one falls into Dunked in the Deep territory; not exactly terrible, but not really good either. Just a kind of meh short. The few highlights for me would be Curly as the Justice of the Peace--that scene is always worth a laugh or two. And Dick Curtis hams it up very nicely--maybe his best part in his many stooge films.

The downside to this short is that there seem to be many gags that don't go anywhere or just kind of fizzle out--like the whole business with trying to get Curly out of the collar or the gag about Moe's special cannon.

Overall, I would give this about a 4 out of 10--not the worst from this time period, but nothing really good either....

Paul Pain · **Reply #2 on:** January 17, 2015, 04:18:42 AM

Quote from: Shemp_Diesel on January 16, 2015, 11:41:10 PM

Not much to add from me--this one falls into Dunked in the Deep territory; not exactly terrible, but not really good either. Just a kind of meh short. The few highlights for me would be Curly as the Justice of the Peace--that scene is always worth a laugh or two. And Dick Curtis hams it up very nicely--maybe his best part in his many stooge films.

We must agree to disagree. I think this is one of Dick Curtis's worst roles... maybe one of the worst in Stooges history.

Curly is the slowest he's been yet, but his personality is still there. Here we see the debut of the glasses gag, which is later used in THREE LITTLE PIRATES and done excellently and frequently by Shemp.

The problem for me here is the plot line. It's a stale short. Larry is pretty much unmentionable here. The lines are cheesier than limburger.

We'll say 4/10, and I have one more Curly short to give this score to.

Big Chief Apumtagribonitz · **Reply #3 on:** January 17, 2015, 02:37:22 PM

We'll agree to disagree...this one is unthinkable without Dick Curtis. One of the very few episodes where the stooges get upstaged, IMHO. Curly's O K, but not as good as last week. No fault of his, I don't think, just not much there for him to do. When I was a kid I thought that Coney Island Curly was just a joke, then we find out that he really is Coney Island Curly.

Shemp_Diesel · **Reply #4 on:** January 17, 2015, 04:16:54 PM

Heh, I didn't think there would be any dissenting opinions on Dick Curtis' role in this short--but you learn something new everyday. I think the only other western of this type where the stooges get "upstaged" is the later Punchy Cowpunchers.

metaldams · **Reply #5 on:** January 17, 2015, 04:55:37 PM

As for Dick Curtis in this short, I'm a bit on the fence. Depending on my mood, I can find his performance to be overly ham fisted and annoying or campy fun. I can completely understand the dissenting opinions.

I also believe the Stooges get upstaged in this short, and it's by Christine McIntyre. I'm completely captivated by her while Curly is in the middle of a decline and Moe and Larry aren't given much to do.

Shemp_Diesel · **Reply #6 on:** January 17, 2015, 05:08:32 PM

Yeah, Larry definitely doesn't have much to do, which is unusual for this time period. But there will be plenty of Larry in the coming weeks--one I'm looking forward to is about 2 weeks away; the discussion for that one should be a lot of fun...

metaldams · **Reply #7 on:** January 17, 2015, 07:51:45 PM

Quote from: Shemp_Diesel on January 17, 2015, 05:08:32 PM

Yeah, Larry definitely doesn't have much to do, which is unusual for this time period. But there will be plenty of Larry in the coming weeks--one I'm looking forward to is about 2 weeks away; the discussion for that one should be a lot of fun...

Agreed, I'll definitely have more to say that week!

Dr. Hugo Gansamacher · **Reply #8 on:** January 18, 2015, 08:44:46 AM

One measure of how far Curly has declined by this time is the fact that he no longer reacts to a belly-conk from Moe by snapping forward as he used to (whereupon Moe would give him an uppercut conk to the forehead) but merely cries out and raises his hands to the spot—a reaction befitting an amateur comic and not a Stooge. Another is the dismal intimation of the spirit of Joe Besser in Curly's whiny delivery of the line "Not so fast!" when Blackie is counting down in preparation for shooting him and of the line "Don't do that!" when Blackie's two partners haul him up out of the hay.

The Curly scene that comes off the best is the target practice. The thick spectacles obscure his growing physical incapacity and turn it to comedy as he chortles over his wildly (indeed, preternaturally) inaccurate shooting.

I don't understand or share PaulPayne's objection to Dick Curtis in this role. I have always found Curtis the most repulsive of all the Stooge villain actors (and not in a funny way), so I'm never particularly glad to see him, but in any case I don't see that he does any worse in this role than in any others. I do relish the exaggerated double take that he gives directly to the camera when Curly's imposture as the justice of the peace is revealed.

The failure to make more of Moe's potentially very funny "long-range weapon" is indeed disappointing.

Meh!

Lefty · **Reply #9 on:** January 18, 2015, 11:07:46 AM

It's not exactly a favorite of mine, but I wouldn't lump it in with Woman Haters or most Joe shows. Curly's best part was his Justice of the Peace bit. "Do you take this horse for your lawful wedded harness?" Christine McIntyre was at the top of her game as the damsel in distress (or dees overalls). When Dick Curtis fell into the water, the two townspeople should have held him down to drown -- or at least shot him. But that would have ended this short way too soon, I reckon. The sun going down quickly and shooting back up halfway was interesting -- especially Curtis' look on that. And the man who played Nell's father looked like a cross between Vernon Dent and Riff Raff of Underdog cartoons.

Dr. Hugo Gansamacher · **Reply #10 on:** January 18, 2015, 11:12:35 AM

Quote from: Lefty on January 18, 2015, 11:07:46 AM

And the man who played Nell's father looked like a cross between Vernon Dent and Riff Raff of Underdog cartoons.

Excellent observation! I had noted the resemblance to Vernon Dent, but never thought of Riff Raff (and probably had not done so for 40 years!).

GreenCanaries · **Reply #11 on:** January 18, 2015, 11:26:40 AM

Elmo Lincoln (Nell's father) was the original Tarzan, wasn't he?

metaldams · **Reply #12 on:** January 18, 2015, 12:57:54 PM

I have to admit, for years, I thought the guy at the end was Vernon Dent based on appearance, but the voice is obviously different. Now I know who Elmo Lincoln is!

BeAStooge · **Reply #13 on:** January 18, 2015, 01:41:17 PM

Quote from: GreenCanaries on January 18, 2015, 11:26:40 AM

Elmo Lincoln (Nell's father) was the original Tarzan, wasn't he?

Yes, the star of TARZAN OF THE APES (1918), with Enid Markey as 'Jane.'

metaldams · **Reply #14 on:** January 18, 2015, 08:48:22 PM

Quote from: BeAStooge on January 18, 2015, 01:41:17 PM

Yes, the star of TARZAN OF THE APES (1918), with Enid Markey as 'Jane.'

I know it's not...but he still looks like Vernon Dent!

Lefty · **Reply #15 on:** January 19, 2015, 10:31:39 AM

Vernon Dent + Elmo Lincoln = Vernon Lincoln (a car dealership) or Elmo Dent (a toothpaste).

Here is Riff Raff from Underdog:

ThumpTheShoes · **Reply #16 on:** January 21, 2015, 05:20:33 PM

Some good stuff with Curly as the Justice. He never did get the bark right in these last shorts. His "ROWF!" always seemed more of a throaty gurgle, at one point (not in this one?) he even makes a sneeze sound, "AAACHHOOO!!" instead.

Dick Curtis is almost Mortimer Snerd, at times. "Yup!" "A-huh!"

Very good but not the greatest short, and one of the few that I've seen the least amount of times. Makes it feel "newer" than others.

Paul Pain · **Reply #17 on:** January 21, 2015, 07:08:24 PM

WellI am glad to see such divided opinions on certain aspects. Makes for a lively, yet civil, discussion. Ironically, people love Dick Curtis's performance for the same reason I hate it: the hamminess. Though I will say he does well in the Justice's, but then again that was the best scene in the short.

Kopfy2013 · **Reply #18 on:** January 27, 2015, 12:31:08 AM

Thank you Metal for giving the link to the YouTube video. Had to do some insurance work in the house and I cannot even get into the living room to the DVD player and TV so this helps immensely.

I consider this short a little hokey. I feel Dick Curtis performance is a caricature. I do not like it. I don't know if it's his worst performance but I know it's nowhere near his best.

Curly's voice is definitely detracting from the short especially early. The short seems not to be put together well. However, the director is doing a great job at hiding Curly's illness.

I do like when Curly says - after being told his salary - "I can get married". And the guy says "I told you he's a brave man."

I give the short a 6.

Larrys#1 · **Reply #19 on:** February 17, 2015, 04:38:02 PM

Eh, this episode is just ok. The plot is sorta meh and does nothing for me. But I feel that this is one of the better Curly performances during the sick Curly era. He seems to display quite a bit of energy here. A couple of funny parts, mainly the part where Curly pretends to be the justice of the peace, but other than that, this isn't the greatest Curly episode. It's fun to watch from time to time, but one of the lesser favorite episodes.

7/10

BeatleShemp · **Reply #20 on:** August 28, 2016, 04:23:51 PM

I think what's odd about this short is it's unusual combination behind the scenes: It's a short from the second unit department of Hugh McCollum and Edward Bernds, but it was written by Jack White, Jules' brother. It wasn't good material for Bernds to direct, yet he does some wonderful work with it. Not one of Curly's greatest performances, but he was pretty funny in this nonetheless. Yes, Larry was very underutilized in this short. I think is fed-up "Fine invention!" remark was pretty good. Not a bad short, not a great one, it gets 7 out of 10 from me.

Woe-ee-Woe-Woe80 · **Reply #21 on:** November 17, 2017, 10:19:00 PM

A mediocre Curly episode but not as bad as "Beer Barrel Polecats", I didn't think Curly looked as sick in this one like he did in some of the stooge shorts of this period, Moe and Larry also don't seem to have a lot of energy either, I've thought Dick Curtis and Christine McIntyre did a good job with their roles, overall I give this short a 4 out of 10

Dr. Mabuse · **Reply #22 on:** October 11, 2020, 02:24:03 AM

One of the better 1946 entries, with a few great Curly moments. Christine McIntyre is a definite asset. However, I'm surprised Edward Bernds didn't come up with a more appropriate closing shot — the disappointing final image has the boys running down the street totally unscathed. The last and least of the Curly westerns.

7/10

Daddy Dewdrop · **Reply #23 on:** July 27, 2021, 06:32:34 AM

We're back to Curly with this one, my #174 ranked short. Another western and a slightly sick Curly make this one a pretty average short. Also not a huge fan of Dick Curtis, but I'll take him over Jock Mahoney any day of the week. The whole Curly glasses bit is definitely the highlight of this one for me.

#174. The Three Troubledoers

The Three Troubledoers (1946)

ThumpTheShoes