Topic: Dunked in the Deep (1949)

[metaldams]

http://www.threestooges.net/filmography/episode/119
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0041323/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=6Tf4W86wgHk

Watch DUNKED IN THE DEEP in the link above



      Last week, Big Chief stated VAGABOND LOAFERS was the short where he started losing interest.  Watching that short, with all its stock footage and reused ideas, as well as the threadbare nature of this short, I feel that VAGABOND LOAFERS might be the start of the true low budget era of Stoogedom, even more so than usual.  Watching that short back to back with DUNKED IN THE DEEP, I'm really noticing the difference.  Researching the filming dates, indeed, it does appear VAGABOND LOAFERS was the start of a new season of filming.

      OK, bare sets, four actors not counting stunt doubles, but is this always a bad thing?  Well, obviously, it's all in the eye of the beholder.  I've always had a soft spot in my heart for some of these low budget Shemp shorts that don't rely heavily on stock footage, and this is the first of its kind, at least at this level.  I enjoy DUNKED IN THE DEEP and other shorts of this type the way I enjoy, I dunno, let's say The Ramones.  Nothing too intellectually stimulating, but on a very basic level, I'm having fun.  What's wrong with that?

       Basically, we have four guys hamming it up in front of a camera doing what they do best at it's basic core.  We've come to expect this from Shemp, Larry, and Moe, but Gene Roth easily gives the most memorable performance I've seen him in as Borscht.  His broken English is classic and has been paid tribute through several posts and user names over the years on Stooge boards.  I typed the word "English" above, I meant to say "Ingles." The line "dat melon is here" for some reason gets quoted by my brother more than any other Stooge line.  Don't ask me why.  Also, the Borscht character is obviously a Russian spy, the second short, after FUELIN' AROUND, to have a Cold War feel.  Great petformance by Gene Roth.  By the way, when he's smashing the table and having the salami land in the boys' mouth, his non stop blabbing is hysterical.

      Shemp gets some good reaction parts in this one when he drinks the "pre-war" drink and has that great close-up.  Also love it when he gets nauseous and gives Moe the impression he just got vomited on!  Great white face job on Shemp there.  Also love Shemp and Larry battling it out by the dynamite and getting some hits on each other.  A rare extended slapstick scene between the two not involving Moe.  The chase between Shemp and Gene Roth is also a favorite.  The obvious cut and paste job of the scene adds to the charm for me, and so does Shemp nonchalantly walking at one point.  Moe's anti climatic knock out of Borscht is another highlight, one of those so dumb it's funny moments.  Love the way Borscht just casually answers Moe's call, as if they aren't in battle.  Shemp snoring on the hammock under the flaming trash can?  Classic.  Oh, and the window gag and "We're off to see the sea" are from BACK TO THE FRONT.

      Stooge punk rock is in session, I totally get this era is not for everybody.  Looking forward to all different opinions here, but I like these types of simple shorts, they make me smile.  Also, can you believe it?  We've finished the forties!

10/10

[Kopfy2013]

 This was a good one. Great chemistry. I think sometimes it's better to have less character players.

 I love the white Shemp.  The chase scene where Shemp is watching Borscht go round and round. I give it an 8.

[Paul Pain]

We shall see.

I for one am a fan of DUNKED IN THE DEEP.  There is actual character development here, something Stooge shorts typically abhor.  The settings are quite appropriate and give the right atmosphere for this.  When one considers that this author also penned NO DOUGH BOYS, things seem even clearer.

Gene Roth is excellent as Borscht, which is a very nice homage to the Stooges ancestry, or a dig at the Russians, depending on how you look at it.  Either way, borscht is a Ukrainian concoction.  The performance put up by Gene is comically devilish, but dynamic.  As the short progresses, he gets increasingly irate and more blood thirsty.  The Cold War era feeling is deep in this one.

Shemp is Shemp.  What can I say?  Parts of this were obviously written for his ability to take comic falls better than any other Stooge, something I would guess he learned from working with Abbott and Costello.  No one can put on a face like he can either.

Larry is well-utilized early but falls flat later as it just becomes three minutes of Larry knocked out.  His petty argument with Shemp is very Moe-like, particularly, in the fakeness of that argument.  Chuck steel pipe why don't you!

Moe proves himself to be the mastermind of things.  His best moment, however, is the pulley.

I think you summarized it all for me.

9/10

[Shemp_Diesel]

You know, I just recently rewatched Dunked, to get ready for the weekly discussions--my opinion of it has not changed much. I still find it to be a rather slow short--everyone involved here seems to be moving in "low gear." I'm not sure I can articulate in words what's wrong with this short, but it's definitely (to me) one of the weaker ones--especially given the string of great shorts that came before it.

4.5 out of 10...

[metaldams]

You know, I just recently rewatched Dunked, to get ready for the weekly discussions--my opinion of it has not changed much. I still find it to be a rather slow short--everyone involved here seems to be moving in "low gear." I'm not sure I can articulate in words what's wrong with this short, but it's definitely (to me) one of the weaker ones--especially given the string of great shorts that came before it.

4.5 out of 10...

That's fine and all, but no mention of Borscht.  Do you have an opinion on him?  Giff me an answer in plain Ingles.

[Dr. Hugo Gansamacher]

Give me dat fillum!

I agree that this is a great performance by Gene Roth, though I am still holding a scrap of admiration in reserve for the moment in a later short (I don't recall which one it is) in which he again pours a foul and corrosive drink but this time, after imbibing, exclaims, "Boy, that's good! Tastes like rotten eggs!"

His name does not sound like "Borsht" but like "Borch" to me, though I admit that "Borsht" would make more sense, in view of the obvious Yiddish influences. "Boys, I want you should do me a favor!"

(Added in editing: I notice that Roth was born in South Dakota and named Eugene Oliver Edgar Stutenroth. I take that to indicate non-Jewish German ancestry. I expect that he was exposed to enough Yiddish influences in Hollywood to pick up some of the inflection, though.)

The line "dat melon is here" for some reason gets quoted by my brother more than any other Stooge line.  Don't ask me why. 

I had never thought of that as a funny line, but I can see how it could strike someone as such.

[Big Chief Apumtagribonitz]

No stock footage, you can say that much.  Otherwise slow, cramped, claustrophobic and corny.  Why are they dressed as Dutch cheese salesmen?  I agree that Borsht's pivot and ultra-pleasant "yes?" is a highlight, I'm not sure why, but such a puny highlight.  The funniest gag is the very last one, Shemp with a faceful of mud yelling "Land!", so it ends on a decent note, but that's about it.  Best thing about this short: there's much worse to come.

[Shemp_Diesel]

Hey, I never said the short was totally unremarkable--there are some funny bits; the handbill about the cheese, Larry and Shemp as the "fish market duet", Moe thinking Shemp might have puked on him.

All the stuff I mentioned is worth a good laugh, but I have to go back again to the pacing of the short--it just seems very slow to me. As for Gene Roth, I think he does provide a good laugh during his salami rant & the pieces of salami going into the stooges mouths.

Also, during the closing minutes, Larry repeatedly getting konked on the head. I guess there are highlights, but overall, it seems like more time is spent on gags that don't do a whole lot for me--like Shemp in the hammock and falling on the burning can.

Not a totally unredeemable short--we probably won't have one of those until we get to Hot Ice, but again, the stooges have done better, much better.

[Shemp_Diesel]

I agree that this is a great performance by Gene Roth, though I am still holding a scrap of admiration in reserve for the moment in a later short (I don't recall which one it is) in which he again pours a foul and corrosive drink but this time, after imbibing, exclaims, "Boy, that's good! Tastes like rotten eggs!"

That would be one of the post-mortem Shemps, Hot Stuff...

[metaldams]

Hey, I never said the short was totally unremarkable--there are some funny bits; the handbill about the cheese, Larry and Shemp as the "fish market duet", Moe thinking Shemp might have puked on him.

All the stuff I mentioned is worth a good laugh, but I have to go back again to the pacing of the short--it just seems very slow to me. As for Gene Roth, I think he does provide a good laugh during his salami rant & the pieces of salami going into the stooges mouths.

Also, during the closing minutes, Larry repeatedly getting konked on the head. I guess there are highlights, but overall, it seems like more time is spent on gags that don't do a whole lot for me--like Shemp in the hammock and falling on the burning can.

Not a totally unredeemable short--we probably won't have one of those until we get to Hot Ice, but again, the stooges have done better, much better.

Fair enough assesmessment.  I've always been a big fan of the hammock gag, though.  One of the more memorable Stooge gags for me.  Interesting comment on HOT ICE.  With a few exceptions, the stock footage shorts are pretty interchangeable for me.  I'm interested to see if I change my mind when I revisit them.

[Paul Pain]

Fair enough assesmessment.  I've always been a big fan of the hammock gag, though.  One of the more memorable Stooge gags for me.  Interesting comment on HOT ICE.  With a few exceptions, the stock footage shorts are pretty interchangeable for me.  I'm interested to see if I change my mind when I revisit them.

I have a feeling the diehard Stoogephiles here will be more generous on the stock footage shorts.  We're here because we're passionate.  Most of the remakes get dogged because they're remakes although some of them are pretty good shorts in their own right.  Note the vast numbers of ratings as compared to people both past and present here who actually partake in discussions.

[Lefty]

Dunked in the Deep is one of my favorite Shemp shorts (definitely not the post-Shemp remake).  FYI, Gene Roth's character's name is "Bortch" -- to rhyme with "Porch."  Da, tovarich!

Long ago, I would tape record favorite verbal scenes of the Stooges, and Dunked in the Deep gave me several.  Some favorites:  "Pre-war?"  "Next one."  And, "We're known as the 'Fish Market Duet.'"  "The 'Fish Market Duet?'"  "Yeah, we sing for the halibut."  And the best one, "Mr. Bortch?"  "Yes?"  BONK!

The show is funny just about all the way through.

And if I remember correctly, this was the latest original Stooges short to have an eventual remake.

[Paul Pain]

I don't make this crap up.

http://www.threestooges.net/filmography/episode/119

It says "Borscht."  I always thought it was "Bortch" myself, but the Stooge Team says otherwise.

[metaldams]

I don't make this crap up.

http://www.threestooges.net/filmography/episode/119

It says "Borscht."  I always thought it was "Bortch" myself, but the Stooge Team says otherwise.

Exactly where I got the spelling from as well. 

[Lefty]

I don't make this crap up.

http://www.threestooges.net/filmography/episode/119

It says "Borscht."  I always thought it was "Bortch" myself, but the Stooge Team says otherwise.

The link shows both "Borscht" and "Bortch" on the page.  Every time one of the Stooges calls him by name, it sure sounds like "Bortch," and that noted website that has shown me that there have been a lot of many "uncredited" bodies on the TV show "Batman," imdb.com, shows him as both.  Maybe Borscht is Bortch's nickname.   

[Wiseguy70005]

Don't know if this has been mentioned, but one "goof" mentioned on ThreeStooges.net is that they showed the ship backwards.  This appears to have been done to make the name of the ship look Russian with the backwards R, for instance. Or perhaps to hide the name from easily being read.  In any case, it was done on purpose, so, not a goof. [It would take a really monumental foul-up to process film backwards by accident.]

[Lefty]

Don't know if this has been mentioned, but one "goof" mentioned on ThreeStooges.net is that they showed the ship backwards.  This appears to have been done to make the name of the ship look Russian with the backwards R, for instance. Or perhaps to hide the name from easily being read.  In any case, it was done on purpose, so, not a goof. [It would take a really monumental foul-up to process film backwards by accident.]

Monumental foul-up?  Perhaps.  In the Hogan's Heroes episode "Operation Tiger" from season 6, at one point, there is a scene of the train engine. The numbers on the engine (4446) are backwards, indicating that the film was flipped.

[Wiseguy70005]

They probably wanted the train travelling in a certain direction and they only had footage of a train going the opposite way.  Solution?  Reverse the footage.  Again, on purpose.  There are a couple of scenes in the last few Star Treks that show William Shatner backwards, hair parted on wrong side, shirt insignia on wrong side.  Again, they wanted him looking in a certain direction.  Reverse the film. Cheaper than filming new footage for just a few-seconds clip.

[Paul Pain]

They probably wanted the train travelling in a certain direction and they only had footage of a train going the opposite way.  Solution?  Reverse the footage.  Again, on purpose.  There are a couple of scenes in the last few Star Treks that show William Shatner backwards, hair parted on wrong side, shirt insignia on wrong side.  Again, they wanted him looking in a certain direction.  Reverse the film. Cheaper than filming new footage for just a few-seconds clip.

I am a humongous TOS Trekkie, and I have never noticed this!

[Signor Spumoni]

There are a couple of scenes in the last few Star Treks that show William Shatner backwards, hair parted on wrong side, shirt insignia on wrong side.  Again, they wanted him looking in a certain direction.  Reverse the film. Cheaper than filming new footage for just a few-seconds clip.

Do you remember the titles of any episodes where this can be seen?

[Wiseguy70005]

I remember seeing these years ago but had to consult "The Nitpicker's Guide for Classic Trekkers" for details:

"The Savage Curtain": After the alien rock creature introduces the "bad guys" to Kirk and Spock, a close-up of Kirk shows his hair parted on the wrong side.

"The Way to Eden": When Kirk walks out of the sickbay after learning about Dr. Sevrin's disease and later twice while Kirk watches Dr. Sevrin on the planet Eden eating the poison fruit either the part in his hair or insignia is on the wrong side.

"Is There in Truth No Beauty?": After Miranda consults with Kollos a close-up of Kirk shows his hair parted on the wrong side.

"The Omega Glory":  At the end, prior to the entrance of the flag, a scene shows Kirk's hair parted on the wrong side.

"The Return of the Archons": After McCoy returns to the dungeon, again a close-up of Kirk shows his hair parted on the wrong side.

"The Enemy Within": The opening shot shows both Kirk's and Sulu's hair parted on the wrong side.  Oddly enough, no one has insignia on their shirts indicating the backwards shot was planned.

Most of the shots of the Enterprise are of the starboard side moving on the screen from left to right.  This is because the "port" side of the Enterprise model was not detailed enough to show on film.  However, in "Shore Leave," all of the shots of the Enterprise supposedly show the port side, travelling from right to left on the screen.  These shots were all reversed from the regular Enterprise shots.  Also, in "Friday's Child," the first time the Enterprise flies  toward the viewer from right to left, the number of the ship "NCC-1701" is backwards.       

[Signor Spumoni]

I remember seeing these years ago but had to consult "The Nitpicker's Guide for Classic Trekkers" for details:

"The Savage Curtain": After the alien rock creature introduces the "bad guys" to Kirk and Spock, a close-up of Kirk shows his hair parted on the wrong side.

"The Way to Eden": When Kirk walks out of the sickbay after learning about Dr. Sevrin's disease and later twice while Kirk watches Dr. Sevrin on the planet Eden eating the poison fruit either the part in his hair or insignia is on the wrong side.

"Is There in Truth No Beauty?": After Miranda consults with Kollos a close-up of Kirk shows his hair parted on the wrong side.

"The Omega Glory":  At the end, prior to the entrance of the flag, a scene shows Kirk's hair parted on the wrong side.

"The Return of the Archons": After McCoy returns to the dungeon, again a close-up of Kirk shows his hair parted on the wrong side.

"The Enemy Within": The opening shot shows both Kirk's and Sulu's hair parted on the wrong side.  Oddly enough, no one has insignia on their shirts indicating the backwards shot was planned.

Most of the shots of the Enterprise are of the starboard side moving on the screen from left to right.  This is because the "port" side of the Enterprise model was not detailed enough to show on film.  However, in "Shore Leave," all of the shots of the Enterprise supposedly show the port side, travelling from right to left on the screen.  These shots were all reversed from the regular Enterprise shots.  Also, in "Friday's Child," the first time the Enterprise flies  toward the viewer from right to left, the number of the ship "NCC-1701" is backwards.       

Excellent!  Thank you, Wiseguy.  I really enjoy seeing things such as these because I find them so amusing as well as interesting.  Next time a channel is showing "Star Trek," I'll keep an eye out for these episodes in particular.

I recall a continuity error from (I feel shame in admitting I watched even one episode of this) "Maude."  The housekeeper ran up and down the stairs, for some reason.  Her shoes kept changing from green to red and from red to green, sometimes right in the middle of the staircase.  I realize that an error in continuity is not the same as reverse shots where the hair and/or insignia are on the opposite sides.  I was reminded of other anomalies and wanted to share that one.

[Wiseguy70005]

No need to be ashamed for watching Maude, perhaps Norman Lear's finest program. Good Times self-destructed and All in the Family, while starting out good for three years, went on so long (13 years counting the Archie Bunker's Place years) it was just a shadow of its former self.

I had heard of another Maude incident concerning a practical joker wearing a carnation that squirted water.  During the same scene the flower kept appearing and disappearing under a coat.  The reason for these is that, at least at the time, sitcoms taped in front of an audience were done twice in front of two different audiences.  Jokes that didn't work out could be rewritten and the best scenes from each taping could be chosen for the final broadcast copy. Unfortunately, if things weren't done exactly the same, inconsistencies could pop up.  And they frequently did.     

Sitcoms (and dramas for that matter) that occasionally do live episodes do the same thing, except both versions are fully broadcast, one for New York (and eastern USA) and one three hours later for California. Most of the time the California broadcast becomes the official version for reruns and the New York broadcast might be an extra on a DVD release. 

[MrsMorganMorgan]

I am a humongous TOS Trekkie, and I have never noticed this!

Me either!!! You have to tell us which episodes!! You guys have seen my awesome picture of me with Leonard Nimoy and The Shat at a convention, haven't you??

[Signor Spumoni]

Me either!!! You have to tell us which episodes!! You guys have seen my awesome picture of me with Leonard Nimoy and The Shat at a convention, haven't you??

Scroll up a bit to see where Wiseguy names these episodes.

If you've posted your picture, I missed it.  If you haven't, please do.