Topic: The Ghost Talks (1949)

[metaldams]

http://www.threestooges.net/filmography/episode/113
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0041412/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1


https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=0jje7GB7cyM

Watch THE GHOST TALKS in the link above



      My work schedule is strange and always flucuates.  I've had Thursday's off the majority of the summer, and since I have either friends or family plans this weekend, I'm getting this week's review in early.  THE GHOST TALKS is to this point the lowest rated Shemp short on threestooges.net and continues to be for a while.  Look, I'm a hopeless fan boy, so I enjoy the majority of these things to some extent, THE GHOST TALKS being no exception.  It's also not one of the better Shemp shorts, but it once again falls into the comfort food category for me.  Three characters I know and love and a haunted house setting in black and white that satisfies the old horror fan in me.

      Speaking of the horror setting, I love the mise en scene of this thing (I just used a fancy French term correctly in a Three Stooges review.  I hope you guys are at least half as impressed with me as I am of myself).  The castle looks great, and the lighting of this short is excellent.  Love the way the castle windows reflect on the walls whenever there's a lightning strike.  Yeah, it's cliched like most of this short, but it's a cliche I like, gosh darn it, so that's what I mean by comfort food.

      Comically, my favorite part by far is Shemp's "Desmond of the Outer Sanctorum" (howdy to said poster if he's reading this), speech.  A fun slice of ham from Shemp, and the topper is when he looks in the mirror and is scared of his own reflection.  I also enjoy Larry speaking to the spirit in French and Irish and his little scare reaction.  Another comfort food gag - whenever there's a three piece table that closes, and the middle piece is missing, closure is not satisfied until someone's head gets caught in the middle space and subsequently crushed.  Thank you Moe for doing us the honors. 

      Yes, the rest of the short is cliche.  Frogs getting in hats making them jump.  The ever trusty bird in the skull gag.  Tons of scare reactions.  Hey, whatever, works on a rainy and cloudy day off from work such as today.  There's a reason why I'd rather watch THE GHOST TALKS today than GONE WITH THE WIND.  Oh, and then there's Lady Godiva herself.  She of young beauty, long legs, and great enthusiasm (well, OK, batting .667 is still better than Ty Cobb can claim).  Yes, the boys act like cartoonish lugs at the sight of a beautiful woman, make of that what you will.

      It's a muggy and lazy day, THE GHOST TALKS does the job just fine.  Admittedly not one of the better Stooge shorts, but I love Stooge shorts in general, so still enjoyable for a guy who can review 113 of these things weekly and plans to soldier on.  1949 is upon us, my friends.

8/10

[Shemp_Diesel]

You know, I was thinking about the year 1949 as compared to '48--and even though the year (imo) doesn't get off to the greatest start with this short and doesn't end well with the later Dunked in the Deep; sandwiched in between those 2 shorts is a lot of all-time classics--the short we discuss next week, no doubt being the cream of the crop.

As for this week's short, I've never been too high on this one--but on the other hand, it's far from being the worst thing the stooges ever did & I would take this short any day of the week over Creeps.

Rather than rant again about how the stooges and "haunted houses" is not my personal cup of tea, I'll just single out some of the highlights: Moe's reaction when he realizes the armor spoke to him--and maybe my favorite scene of the entire short--the frog going down Shemp's shirt and, of course, Shemp going on about the 6 lions.

As for Lady Godiva and her "performance"--I believe my take on that has always been, forget about her acting & focus in on those nice legs--insert wolf whistle.

To wrap up, I think I'll give this what may be a high 6 out of 10....

[Lefty]

Lady Godiva was the best "visual item" in the entire short.  Hard to believe, but on the 29th of this month, she will hit the big nine-oh.

The "Desmond of the Outer Sanctorum" skit was probably the best part of the short.  Now if only Rick Santorum could go there, I would be happy.

Then there's Moe's Japanese imitation:  "You're really a friendry spirit!"

[metaldams]

Then there's Moe's Japanese imitation:  "You're really a friendry spirit!"

LOL! Yes, I did notice that.  I want to believe that was a bad line reading that made the final cut. Somewhere in Heaven, Charley Chase is smiling.

[Paul Pain]

This short is OK, but that's the problem: it's OK.

We have Shemp and his Desmond of the Outer Sanctorum bit.  Moe gets his neck squished in an ancient wooden table.  A suit of armor makes wise cracks.  The boys make scare reactions.  Overall, it makes a nice little package, but it's nothing special.

Bring on WHO DONE IT. 

[metaldams]

You know, I was thinking about the year 1949 as compared to '48--and even though the year (imo) doesn't get off to the greatest start with this short and doesn't end well with the later Dunked in the Deep;

I happen to love DUNKED IN THE DEEP, which is what I'm talking about when I say some of these shorts over the next few years should get some dissenting opinions.  Probably won't happen next week, though.

[Shemp_Diesel]

Yes, shorts like Dunked and the later Self-Made Maids should definitely draw varying opinions. Looking forward to it--as for next week, I have to imagine it will be mostly bouquets for that short...


 

[Desmond Of The Outer Sanctorum]

"Desmond of the Outer Sanctorum" (howdy to said poster if he's reading this)

I am now!! 

[Paul Pain]

Yes, shorts like Dunked and the later Self-Made Maids should definitely draw varying opinions. Looking forward to it--as for next week, I have to imagine it will be mostly bouquets for that short...

 

I'll be a dissenter on WHO DONE IT? with my lowly 9/10 for it... 

DUNKED will be interesting as I haven't seen it in over a decade, so... Things change over time!

Going back to this, am I the only one who LOLs every time Shemp and Red Skeleton have their exchange?

[Shemp_Diesel]

Yes, I too get a kick out of "Red Skeleton" and Shemp showing a rare display of wit towards the end of the short when Moe & Larry see him holding the broom and Shemp goes "If I hadn't taken it away from 'em he would have killed you both."

[Dr. Hugo Gansamacher]

This is a seriously feeble effort. We even have to put up with the tired old bird-in-the-skull business again.

Shemp's little turn as Desmond of the Outer Sanctorum, ending in his howl of terror when he sees himself in the mirror, is the only really worthwhile gag.

[Dr. Hugo Gansamacher]

I wonder if this short sets a record for smallness of cast. Only two actors besides the boys appear on screen, Lady Godiva ("Whoa, Charger!") and Peeping Tom (silent in the flashback). In addition, we hear the voices of Tom in the suit of armor (Phil Arnold, later the "Nevertheless, I reiterate" guy in Tricky Dicks), "Red Skeleton," and the chess-playing skeleton (both of the latter two voiced by Jules White, according to the page on this site).

[Paul Pain]

I wonder if this short sets a record for smallness of cast. Only two actors besides the boys appear on screen, Lady Godiva ("Whoa, Charger!") and Peeping Tom (silent in the flashback). In addition, we hear the voices of Tom in the suit of armor (Phil Arnold, later the "Nevertheless, I reiterate" guy in Tricky Dicks), "Red Skeleton," and the chess-playing skeleton (both of the latter two voiced by Jules White, according to the page on this site).

There was only one person besides the Stooges on the screen in SELF MADE MAIDS. *shudder*

[Shemp_Diesel]

As far as smallness of cast, if you wanted to go to the hodgepodge remake Creeps, in that one it was just the stooges and the voice of Phil Arnold, who if I remember correct did have some new dialogue dubbed in about the suit of armor being Sir Tom--I'm not 100% sure if I'm right; it has been awhile since I watched the mess that is Creeps.


 

[metaldams]

I'm pretty sure CORNY CASANOVAS is a four person show.

[Big Chief Apumtagribonitz]

Somehow this one manages to transcend its limitations, mainly the claustrophobic set.  I think it's because the pace is brisk, the jokes are pretty good, and the slapstick is robust without being grotesque.  I'd also agree that the look and the lighting are good.  Even the frog-down-Shemp's-back gag, every single frame of which is so fake that a kindergartner could figure it out, ends up O K, I think because of the sped-up spinning.  And, of course, four major-league pies.

[Big Chief Apumtagribonitz]

And yes, the bird-in-the-skull gag is dumb and stale indeed.

[Shemp_Diesel]

I'm pretty sure CORNY CASANOVAS is a four person show.

Right you are about Corny--I'm surprised I didn't think of it sooner or as Larry would say "boy, am I dumb."

And I take it we won't count the cat who had the bad reaction to Shemp's portrait as a supporting player...   

[Big Chief Apumtagribonitz]

O K , not a top-ten classic,  but here for sure is the way to build a gag, to make the laughs way longer than you'd predict:
     1.) creaky door
     2.) Larry: " What was that? "
     3.) Shemp: ( nonchalantly ): "Why, that was " ( going into comedy mode ): " Why that was the creaking door!"  Shemp goes into the Desmond bit, which, for those too young to know ( this includes all of us ) is a parody of the '40's radio show "The Inner Sanctum", sort of a radio Twilight Zone.  He keeps this up until
     4.)  He sees himself in the mirror and terrifies himself, stumbles away, bumps the wall and
     5.) the shield falls on his head
     6.) They revive him, he asks what happened, Larry replies "strange happenings" and Shemp replies:
     7.)  " That's strange "
     8.) Moe roughs him into the next bit.
     Eight gags out of one nothing straight line.  That's how to create comedy.

[Desmond Of The Outer Sanctorum]

I wonder if this short sets a record for smallness of cast.

Have we all forgotten about Oil's Well That Ends Well?

[Shemp_Diesel]

Have we all forgotten about Oil's Well That Ends Well?

You're right, I totally forgot about that short--but then again, don't we all wish we could forget the "Joe Besser" era (I kid, I kid)--sort of...

 

[Kopfy2013]

"Red "skeleton makes an appearance in the short. I like that it was a friendly spirit  not an evil spirit.

 I now see why I like Lady Godiva chocolates.  I think the acting among the three stooges was rather evenly distributed.

 I will give it a six which is still above average.

[Desmond Of The Outer Sanctorum]

And yes, the bird-in-the-skull gag is dumb and stale indeed.

I've always wondered why anyone thought that was funny, or made any sense at all, enough for it to be used even once, much less over and over.

[metaldams]

I've always wondered why anyone thought that was funny, or made any sense at all, enough for it to be used even once, much less over and over.

I couldn't agree with this statement more.

[Woe-ee-Woe-Woe80]

One short I never really understood the dislike for, I've always thought "The Ghost Talks" was a good, enjoyable short although it's far from one of the best Shemp episodes, it does have good pacing and always liked the conversation between the stooges and the steel armour, my favorite scene was when Larry & Shemp are howling over the beautiness of Lady Godiva only for Moe to slap them around.

I give this short a 7/10