Topic: G.I. Wanna Home (1946)

[Big Chief Apumtagribonitz]

I am again a few weeks late here, but I just had a brainchild:  before we get too deep into the Shemp era, would anyone care to contribute a list of their personal favorite Curlys?  Let's say, their top five?  You can defend your preferences or not, or refer us back to your original comments in the weekly reviews. You can put them in a strict one-thru-five order or not, according to personal preference.  You can change your mind later.  My point is it would be informal.  In time, we could similarly list our favorite Shemps, and then maybe come to a top-ten-of-all-time.  Metal, please don't think I'm trying to usurp your alpha status, I'm just ad libbing, it's just an idea.  And I'm a beta if there ever was one, if not a downright scissorbill.
     For example, I'll go out on the limb and start.  In no numerical order, or really any other order, I think my top five would be, subject at any time to arbitrary change:

     Dizzy Doctors
     Woman Haters  ( So shoot me, I like the music )
     All The World's A Stooge
     Cash And Carry
     Spook Louder
     Cactus Makes Perfect

     Yes, I know, that's six.  It's informal.  Anybody care to play?

[Shemp_Diesel]

I think my Top 5 Curlys would be (in this order):

Disorder In The Court
Grips, Grunts and Groans
Crash Goes the Hash
Pardon My Scotch
In the Sweet Pie and Pie

[Dr. Hugo Gansamacher]

Chief, if you are serious about collecting answers, you should start a separate thread (and include a link in this and other "Weekly Episode" threads) for your question.

I don't have an answer ready yet, but I certainly hope that Women Haters doesn't appear on the final list.

[Big Chief Apumtagribonitz]

The whole point is I'm really not serious.  Just the whim of an idle hour.  If someone wants to take it more seriously, with separate threads and everything, be my guest.  That will save me from working on the job.

[MrsMorganMorgan]

  I'm getting in on this one waaaaay late. Frankly, almost anything after Micro-Phonies makes me very sad, except for Three Little Pirates. I know the ascendency of Larry was the result of Curly's illness; he does all of the gags with Moe. However, and I LOVE Larry, he is a born background guy; the Stooge that stands in the background and reacts to what Moe and Curly are doing. Doesn't mean you shouldn't watch him; he does some awesome stuff back there, and even though he really tries to make his presence felt in these scenes what I feel the most is the absence of Curly's natural magnetism and perfection and how you couldn't look at anything else when he was onscreen. I feel Larry's promotion into Curly's lines and shoes is unsatisfactory and sad, especially because he started looking really old really fast; fat and middle aged. For instance, the drawer washbasin scene in Three Loan Wolves. Curly in his prime = funny. Larry filling shoes = boring and contrived. I don't want to upset any Larry fans here but this is my feeling about the whole egg thing and pretty much everything Larry does in Curly's diminished shorts. I can't stand this short. I find Curly's stint with the potato painful. I know he was trying but damn you Harry Cohn; I didn't need to see that.

Aren't you guys glad I'm back?

[Dr. Hugo Gansamacher]

Aren't you guys glad I'm back?

Of course. Here's your celebratory pie.
 

You were expressly missed a few weeks ago when a question about clothes came up. Unfortunately, I don't recall which short was under discussion or what the question was.

[Signor Spumoni]

Doctor, I believe the question was about one of Moe's hats, specifically the one that looks somewhat bashed in.  Someone wondered if that were a real style, and said that Mrs. M-M would likely know.  But I'm no help because I forget which short that was.

[Signor Spumoni]

I forgot to say:  nice to see you back in the neighborhood, Mrs. M-M

[MrsMorganMorgan]

I love you guys!!

[Paul Pain]

I love you guys!!

Ah... shucks! 

[BeatleShemp]

This short to me has always had the feel of a Shemp short. I am easily picturing Shemp in Curly's role here.  Despite that, I think Curly's performance was decent. Jules seemed to handle the situation well by giving Moe and Larry more to do, and that is commendable. The egg shampoo scene is the best for me and I agree with Metaldams about the out of the blue "shut up" shouted by Moe off camera as the vacuum bag is getting ready to blow. Very funny stuff here.

[Woe-ee-Woe-Woe80]

I've thought Curly seemed more lively and energetic in this short than he did in the two previous episodes "Monkey Businessmen" and "Three Loan Wolves" although he wasn't given a whole lot to do, I think "G.I. Wanna Home" is one of the better post-stroke Curly episodes and thought this short had a lot of great moments like Larry poking a needle on Curly's bottom, Curly pulling the Stooges "car", Curly trying to take a bite of his sandwich, the scene where Larry falls off a tree and lands on Moe, Moe's reaction to Larry falling off of a tree, some random guy ruining the stooges "home" with a tractor
and the bunkbeds scene (which I've thought was as great as it was in "In The Sweet Pie And Pie" and "I Can Hardly Wait"), I've thought Curly does a good job in this short despite his illness but Moe and Larry really carry most the short together

An 8 out of 10 for me (this short ties with "Three Little Pirates as the best short from 1946)

[Dr. Mabuse]

One of the better 1946 efforts directed by Jules White and the last Curly short to utilize outdoor settings (evident in the first three minutes). With the exception of "Uncivil War Birds" and parts of "Rhythm and Weep," Curly is more energetic than in any of his final White-directed outings.  A pity that the ending is so lame; otherwise, my rating would be a little higher.

6/10

[Woe-ee-Woe-Woe80]

One of the better 1946 efforts directed by Jules White and the last Curly short to utilize outdoor settings (evident in the first three minutes). With the exception of "Uncivil War Birds" and parts of "Rhythm and Weep," Curly is more energetic than in any of his final White-directed outings.  A pity that the ending is so lame; otherwise, my rating would be a little higher.

6/10

I agree Curly was more energetic here than he was in some of his final White directed shorts like "If A Body Meets A Body", "Beer Barrel Polecats", "Three Loan Wolves" and "Half Wits Holiday".

[Daddy Dewdrop]

We're back to the "sick" Curly era, although he has a bit more energy here than in other efforts from that time.  The gags are hit or miss, but overall I enjoy the "outdoor" house concept (at least until the end).

#162. G.I. Wanna Home

[I. Cheatam]

The short has its moments, but it's very obvious Curly is getting more and more frail. Moe and Larry do their part to help the short (particularly the egg shampoo scene).