Topic: Fuelin' Around (1949)

[metaldams]

http://www.threestooges.net/filmography/episode/116
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0041396/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1

http://www.emilsitka.com/fuelinaround1949.html

Read Emil Sitka's diary entry in the link above

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

Watch FUELIN' AROUND in the link above



      Número 116 out of 190 is 1949's FUELIN' AROUND, which ranks as another in a long line of average Stooge shorts.  Average Stooge shorts are a good thing in the grand scheme of things since I like Stooge shorts better than average entertainment, but tend to blend in amongst a large canon of 190 shorts. 

      One thing that does stand out is the way FUELIN' AROUND reflects the time period it was made.  For years, we had WWII shorts, but we haven't discussed these for a while due to the war's end in 1945.  This short, filmed in 1948 and released in 1949, was filmed during the beginning of the Cold War.  While we have a country called "Anemia" in this short, no doubt the foreign spies and the competition to land a rocket fuel lends a Soviet feel to the proceedings (a play on Armenia). Though not quite as prevalent as World War II, The Cold War would influence The Three Stooges sporadically over the years, two shorts after this being another example.

      I do enjoy the plot device of the spies mixing up Larry for Emil Sitka due to the wild hair, and the beginning of this short we due have many random sensible acts of Stooge violence.  Moe, on two different occasions, really makes great use of the combination of a hammer and Larry's skull, two objects God made specifically to intertwine together.  The rapid pace at which Moe slams Larry's unfortunate chrome dome with the hammer plays like a Three Stooges thrash metal anthem. Fast and heavy!  Moe getting caught underneath the rug is also a highlight.  I always love shots of any Stooge suffering slapstick indignities in close up while in tight quarters like Moe is here.

      As far as the supporting cast, very good in this one. Vernon is fine as the general.  Phil Van Zandt is wonderful as the idiot who wrongly captures the boys, and is especially entertaining as the boys bamboozle him with their made up formula for the rocket fuel, one of those welcome Stooge staples I never tire of.  Christine McIntyre is as lovely as ever, getting to flirt it up with both Shemp and Jock Mahoney (also good as the awkward guard), and as for Emil Sitka, he plays an excellent but thankless role.  The poor guy, in his thirties, gets to act with a beautiful woman three years older than him.  Does he romance her?  Does he save her from doom?  Is he her hero?  No.  Why, this slightly older beautiful woman gets to play his....daughter.  Ouch!

      The ending feels like another rush job, one of those cases where they simply ran out of time so they had to give The Three Stooges a quick get away.  Oh well, another good short overall.

8.5/10

[Paul Pain]

If I do say so myself, you state this is "average" and give it an "average" 8.5 rating, yet you give the same sort of praises you give a 9 or a 10.

The opening scene is a torture session.  Boards, scissors, carpet stretchers, hammers, telephones, and even the carpet itself are used as torture devices.  I enjoy how Larry acts like he's just the foreman when in reality Moe's, of course, the boss.  Emil makes a nice startled look when Moe slams Larry for such boldness.

The scene where the boys get grabbed is funny, especially watching "Shemp" get tackled by Harold Brauer.

Three Stooges + Chemicals = burning concoction.  Shemp's delivery of the formula both via funnel to Moe's arm and by mouth to Phil Van Zandt are classic Shemp, especially the way Van Zandt asks for the spelling of it!  Then there's the glove slap contest.  Need to escape?  Burn a hole in the floor with "the stuff."  Need to escape?  Use "the stuff" as fuel.

While the escape scene is a bit rushed, one cannot help but admit that it is a clever way to finish off the plot in a short amount of time.  Having an explosive ending to the Stooges is just like having the mud puddle in Laurel & Hardy.

After working for years in a chemistry lab, I can't help but give this 10/10 because I laugh the entire way through this short.

Wait for 1951 and a short where I will jump up and down with praises for Phil Van Zandt and Vernon Dent.

[metaldams]

If I do say so myself, you state this is "average" and give it an "average" 8.5 rating, yet you give the same sort of praises you give a 9 or a 10.

The opening scene is a torture session.  Boards, scissors, carpet stretchers, hammers, telephones, and even the carpet itself are used as torture devices.  I enjoy how Larry acts like he's just the foreman when in reality Moe's, of course, the boss.  Emil makes a nice startled look when Moe slams Larry for such boldness.

The scene where the boys get grabbed is funny, especially watching "Shemp" get tackled by Harold Brauer.

Three Stooges + Chemicals = burning concoction.  Shemp's delivery of the formula both via funnel to Moe's arm and by mouth to Phil Van Zandt are classic Shemp, especially the way Van Zandt asks for the spelling of it!  Then there's the glove slap contest.  Need to escape?  Burn a hole in the floor with "the stuff."  Need to escape?  Use "the stuff" as fuel.

While the escape scene is a bit rushed, one cannot help but admit that it is a clever way to finish off the plot in a short amount of time.  Having an explosive ending to the Stooges is just like having the mud puddle in Laurel & Hardy.

After working for years in a chemistry lab, I can't help but give this 10/10 because I laugh the entire way through this short.

Wait for 1951 and a short where I will jump up and down with praises for Phil Van Zandt and Vernon Dent.

I wouldn't take my ratings all too seriously, they're kind of spur of the moment and just for fun. The thoughts in the review tend to have more substance (at least that's the intention). 

As far as that 1951 short, I have a feeling which one you're talking about, and that's a 10/10 rating from me you can take seriously.

[Shemp_Diesel]

I would say the best parts of Fuelin' definitely take place in the opening reels. Who's men? Us, men. Moe getting his shoe cut into and looking for his missing toes--and, of course, Moe trapped under the rug (Moe, you was that lump).

All the scenes after the boys leave the Professor's house are pretty good, but for me the laughs are not as many as compared to that great opening section. Still, it's a very good short in the stooge canon.

8 out of 10....

[Bum]

I've always found this short interesting because it contains something I believe is unique: The scene of Christine and Emil in the jail cell [and Christine flirting with Jock Mahoney] has to be the longest Stooge-less scene in any Stooges short ever. It's nearly a minute-and-a-half of uninterrupted action featuring no one but the supporting cast. Is there a scene in any other film that even comes close to that?

[Dr. Hugo Gansamacher]

Some good Stooge action in the carpet-laying scene, especially when Moe gets caught under the carpet and Shemp tries to get rid of the lump, slamming Moe's head into the floor and then applying the stretcher to his backside.

Moe, on two different occasions, really makes great use of the combination of a hammer and Larry's skull, two objects God made specifically to intertwine together. 

Well observed.

In the part of the short in the prison in Anemia, Shemp gets to indulge in some characteristic weird noisemaking when giving Captain Rourke the "formula." "Spelled sideways, that's t—, t—, t—, t—." "How do you spell this, 't—, t—, t—, t—'?" "That's right: put it down!" I enjoy seeing the dummy of Shemp get stretched when he is caught trying to escape through the hole in the floor, but I know not everyone finds dummy action as hilarious as I do.

I've always found this short interesting because it contains something I believe is unique: The scene of Christine and Emil in the jail cell [and Christine flirting with Jock Mahoney] has to be the longest Stooge-less scene in any Stooges short ever. It's nearly a minute-and-a-half of uninterrupted action featuring no one but the supporting cast. Is there a scene in any other film that even comes close to that?

Your icon made me think of Dudley Dickerson's scene with the lion in Hold That Lion, but I checked the video on YouTube and found that the scene is only a minute long.

[metaldams]

I've always found this short interesting because it contains something I believe is unique: The scene of Christine and Emil in the jail cell [and Christine flirting with Jock Mahoney] has to be the longest Stooge-less scene in any Stooges short ever. It's nearly a minute-and-a-half of uninterrupted action featuring no one but the supporting cast. Is there a scene in any other film that even comes close to that?

Great observation!  I do love that scene, both performers do a fine job.

It's been a while, but I can't remember if that Muriel Landers/farm animal musical montage in SWEET AND HOT has The Stooges in it.  That's quite a lengthy non Stooge like bit, to say the least, but not straight acting like in this one.

[Paul Pain]

I've always found this short interesting because it contains something I believe is unique: The scene of Christine and Emil in the jail cell [and Christine flirting with Jock Mahoney] has to be the longest Stooge-less scene in any Stooges short ever. It's nearly a minute-and-a-half of uninterrupted action featuring no one but the supporting cast. Is there a scene in any other film that even comes close to that?

The opening scene of TERMITES OF 1938 may be close to that long.

In the part of the short in the prison in Anemia, Shemp gets to indulge in some characteristic weird noisemaking when giving Captain Rourke the "formula." "Spelled sideways, that's t—, t—, t—, t—." "How do you spell this, 't—, t—, t—, t—'?" "That's right: put it down!" I enjoy seeing the dummy of Shemp get stretched when he is caught trying to escape through the hole in the floor, but I know not everyone finds dummy action as hilarious as I do.

It's hard to decide what's more hilarious: the torture that the Shemp-dummy goes through, or Shemp's comments as it's happening.

EDIT: TERMITES has 1:19 of Stoogeless camera work.

[Shemp_Diesel]

I was just thinking, we're in a good stretch of Shemp shorts right now--kind of like the early part of the Shemp era with Fright Night and most of the shorts following that episode. I don't think any of us participating in the weekly discussions have anything to gripe about--except maybe when we get to Dunked in the Deep...

 

[Lefty]

Fuelin' Around is a good short with lots of laughs.  My favorite parts were the carpet-laying scenes (I guess the Stooges are not that "rug-ged"), Shemp kicking the guards who were stuck in the bars of the cell, and when they give Rourke the formula.  "Say, did I give you carbolic acid?  I'd love to."  The ending did seem a bit rushed, and not in the literal sense of the Stooges escaping.

[Big Chief Apumtagribonitz]

I agree, this is very good, we're in a good run of Shemps, and this one in particular is as good as a good Curly.  When the jug crashes onto Shemp's head, I still can't decide whether he says " How'd that mule get in here? " or " How'd Aunt Beulah get in here? " ( i.e. a crockery-slinging virago of an aunt ).  Logically, I'm guessing it's "mule", but I still can't hear it exactly that way.  Funny, after all the head abuse that they all constantly take, that this particular jug knocks Shemp so goofy, and that on top of that, a further concussion from Moe actually straightens him out.  Jock Mahoney makes one of the great exits.  I like this one a lot.

[metaldams]

I don't think any of us participating in the weekly discussions have anything to gripe about--except maybe when we get to Dunked in the Deep...

 

....then two weeks from now should be interesting.  Prepare to explain yourself, cause I know I will.

[Desmond Of The Outer Sanctorum]

When the jug crashes onto Shemp's head, I still can't decide whether he says " How'd that mule get in here? " or " How'd Aunt Beulah get in here? " ( i.e. a crockery-slinging virago of an aunt ).  Logically, I'm guessing it's "mule", but I still can't hear it exactly that way.

I always heard "How'd that mule get in here?"

[Paul Pain]

I side with "How'd that mule get in here?"

I agree, this is very good, we're in a good run of Shemps, and this one in particular is as good as a good Curly.  When the jug crashes onto Shemp's head, I still can't decide whether he says " How'd that mule get in here? " or " How'd Aunt Beulah get in here? " ( i.e. a crockery-slinging virago of an aunt ).  Logically, I'm guessing it's "mule", but I still can't hear it exactly that way.  Funny, after all the head abuse that they all constantly take, that this particular jug knocks Shemp so goofy, and that on top of that, a further concussion from Moe actually straightens him out.  Jock Mahoney makes one of the great exits.  I like this one a lot.

Stockholm syndrome

[Paul Pain]

Completely irrelevant, but metaldams, have you ever seen the OUTER LIMITS episode "The Form of Things Unknown"?

[metaldams]

Completely irrelevant, but metaldams, have you ever seen the OUTER LIMITS episode "The Form of Things Unknown"?

Can't say that I have, why?  I'm stronger on old movies than TV shows.

[Paul Pain]

Can't say that I have, why?  I'm stronger on old movies than TV shows.

If you ever want to see a low-budget psychological horror show, this episode would have you covered.  Kind of TWILIGHT ZONE like but with the skills of David McCallum thrown in.

[metaldams]

If you ever want to see a low-budget psychological horror show, this episode would have you covered.  Kind of TWILIGHT ZONE like but with the skills of David McCallum thrown in.

I'll try to check it out this weekend.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=3Uc9qgnzfpo

[Kopfy2013]

 Nothing more to mention that has not already been mentioned. Nothing extraordinary for me here. I give it a six.

[Woe-ee-Woe-Woe80]

Great stooge film, my favorite scenes are the guards and Moe & Larry stretching Shemp, Larry cutting off Moe's shoe and Moe retaliating back by whacking Larry in the head with a hammer approximately 10 times! LOL, Moe getting stuck underneath the rug and Larry & Shemp giving him all kinds of abuse thinking it was a wrinkle, the General (Vernon Dent) getting mad at Rork (Phillip Van Zandt) and demoting him from Captain to Private and Hazel flirting with the kind guard while grabbing his keys.

Not quite a classic because the scenes where they're in Amenia were less funny than the scenes where the stooges were laying carpet but it's still a great short, I give it a 9/10

[Woe-ee-Woe-Woe80]

The opening scene of TERMITES OF 1938 may be close to that long.

It's hard to decide what's more hilarious: the torture that the Shemp-dummy goes through, or Shemp's comments as it's happening.

EDIT: TERMITES has 1:19 of Stoogeless camera work.

I also remember going a couple minutes without seeing the Stooges in "Idle Roomers", this was during the Wolf Man snooping around the hotel.

[Dr. Mabuse]

One of the few Shemp two-reelers that feels like the Curly era. Improved production values, an all-star supporting cast and plenty of laughs. Nice to see Shemp outdoors for a change. Bernds and Ullman really deliver the goods.

9/10

[Big Chief Apumtagribonitz]

O K, I'm ungodly late to this party, and I hope my posting problems are over ( we'll find out ), and the subject of this post is so dinky as to be downright inconsequential, but:
     If you go to Emil Sitka's diary entry on Fuelin' Around, you will see a still of the stooges in the jail cell emoting with a pair of dummy legs hanging from the ceiling.  What's weird is that in the actual short, Shemp is the one trapped on the floor above with his legs hanging down,  but there he is in the still, mugging with what must be his own legs.  Obviously just a quickie shortcut for a lobby pic, but certainly one I've never seen before, and one which proves beyond any doubt that I need to get some kind of a life.

[NoahYoung]

This is probably my favorite short with Shemp. I have "Hot Stuff" on Super 8 sound, but always wondered why Columbia's Super8/8mm division didn't release this one instead back in the 70s.  When it's offered on 16mm, it usually goes for big bucks. I may get it some day*.

I love the scene where they are mixing the chemicals. That alone is enough for me to make this one great.

*You may notice I will talk a lot about collecting on real film. That's my preferred way to watch. I collect all the great comedians, and have 30 Stooge shorts, all unedited except for 7 abridged editions (2 sound, 5 silent - each runs about 8 minutes).

The Stooges really come alive when projected on a big screen (although people have TVs now that are just as big as my projection screen, but it wasn't like that 15+ year ago.) I have only once experienced seeing them on film with a crowd -- that was in college in 16mm, but they didn't use the large auditorium that they usually used to screen films. It was just a small classroom.

[metaldams]

This is probably my favorite short with Shemp. I have "Hot Stuff" on Super 8 sound, but always wondered why Columbia's Super8/8mm division didn't release this one instead back in the 70s.  When it's offered on 16mm, it usually goes for big bucks. I may get it some day*.

I love the scene where they are mixing the chemicals. That alone is enough for me to make this one great.

*You may notice I will talk a lot about collecting on real film. That's my preferred way to watch. I collect all the great comedians, and have 30 Stooge shorts, all unedited except for 7 abridged editions (2 sound, 5 silent - each runs about 8 minutes).

The Stooges really come alive when projected on a big screen (although people have TVs now that are just as big as my projection screen, but it wasn't like that 15+ year ago.) I have only once experienced seeing them on film with a crowd -- that was in college in 16mm, but they didn't use the large auditorium that they usually used to screen films. It was just a small classroom.

By the time I was a kid VHS was just starting, so I missed out on The Blackhawk Film days.  Hearing people slightly older than me talking about collecting these films and even saving rare silent shorts sounds great.  I live in a small studio apartment so there’s no way I can store a film projector and screen, but it sounds like a great hobby.