Topic: Punchy Cowpunchers (1950)

[metaldams]

http://www.threestooges.net/filmography/episode/120
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0042863/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1

http://www.emilsitka.com/punchycowpunchers1950.html

Read Emil Sitka's notes on PUNCHY COWPUNCHERS above

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=6_9ZC5FNnQs

Watch PUNCHY COWPUNCHERS in the link above



      Strange reviewing one of these shorts on a Wednesday night, will be back to the weekends (and early Friday too with my new shift), next weekend, but a getaway for me is here this weekend, so this one's getting done early.  Also, we hit a landmark as we are now entering the final decade of shorts, the 50's.  The 50's start out lower budget with the occasional experimental short, segueing into stock footage jobs, the death of Shemp, the back of Joe Palma's head, Joe Besser, and finally, the first feature with Curly Joe.  We have a lot to discuss for this decade, and I'm sure the opinions will be strong.  Should be interesting!

      PUNCHY COWPUNCHERS falls into the experimental category.  Some experiments I love, some I hate, and this one falls in the middle leaning more towards the I like it side....but not classic.  Still, interesting.  First, we'll discuss the boys themselves.  Really, there isn't much to say.  They are beyond seasoned pros at this point and do a fine job going through mediocre material for them.  A western where they get captured, have a scene at the bar, wear disguises as bartenders, feels like déjà vu all over again, as Yogi would say.  My favorite bit is when they discuss the saddle at the beginning, wondering which side they'd slip off and the little gag involving a car horn sound on the saddle.  Not all time great comedy, but pleasant.

      Really, the comic highlights here are Jock Mahoney and especially Christine McIntyre.  Jock, a Hollywood stunt double as well as actor, takes some nice pratfalls and does a wonderful job playing the handsome yet dumb cowboy. His scene with Vernon about the Calvary not being available because it was just pay day and "boys will be boys" is also gold.  Very rare to see any branch of the military, even a historical one, being spoofed so soon after World War II, so I find that interesting.  Christine really shines as the damsel in distress, some of the best stuff she's ever done.  It's great the way she knocks out the would be rapists and comfortably decides where she's going to faint, the mini head bump version being especially funny.  Sure enough, it's also Jock and Christine getting the final gag and shot, not the boys.  Funny gag with Jock taking a nice pratfall and Christine showing who's going to be the boss in that relationship.  A weak little woman my ass.

      The majority of the short can't decide whether it wants to be a drama or comedy.  The actors, every single one of them, do fine, but just aren't given much to focus on.  The film really picks up with the ending montage scene that involves background music, so rare in a Columbia short.  The music, montage editing, and the fact Christine and Jock get the original comedy are the experimental and even best stuff about this short.  It's just a shame the writers didn't give The Three Stooges more original material and give the dramatic element some teeth.

8/10

[Paul Pain]

This short is a dramedy, in short.  Western drama of criminals wanting to loot the town only to get foiled by pure Stoogery.  Christine McIntyre provides the highlights in this one, however, as she keeps the plotline from offending the censors!  McIntyre earns this short a point, but it is still a weird, dark-camera short.  One of the Stooges lesser efforts at Westerns (now there is one I absolutely LOVE).

[metaldams]

This short is a dramedy, in short.

That sums it up better than my bloviated ramblings. 

[Shemp_Diesel]

A stooge western--they can be good or bad & I'll lean more towards the good with this one. A much better parody of the genre--as opposed to the earlier Out West. Some great dialogue, like when Kenneth McDonald and one of his goons have the exchange about 3 strangers (have you ever seen them before).

Also, Shemp's great scene with the milkshake (with sour milk)--that milk must have been really sour judging by Shemp's reaction (mighty smooth). And, of course, Christine as the "poor, weak woman."

The background music prevalent throughout also adds a nice touch.

7.5 out of 10...

 

[GreenCanaries]

Damn, look at the cast list: Jock (love those pratfalls), Christine (far from weak!), Vernon, Emil, Kenneth and Dick Wessel receive screen credit, and in addition you have appearances from veterans Heinie Conklin and Blackie Whiteford as well as less-frequents George Chesebro and Stanley Price.

You have a nice mix of Stooge veterans/favorites Christine, Emil, Vernon, Kenneth, Jock, Heinie and Blackie -- albeit the latter two in smaller roles -- as well as notable "few-shorters" Dick, George and Stanley. (In addition, there is double-short wonder John Cason [also of A SNITCH IN TIME] and Stooge one-timer [and Jimmy Stewart stunt double] Ted Mapes.)

Even with the absence of luminaries such as Bud, Symona, Dudley, Joe Palma, Al Thompson, Johnny Kascier, Fred Kelsey, Victor Travers, John Tyrrell, etc., I consider the supporting cast in this short the closest, as far as I can think, to a Stooges Supporting Cast All-Star game.

[Dr. Hugo Gansamacher]

It seems that Chopper Kane (Dick Wessel) has gone back in time and joined the US Army; but now instead of boxing he gets hit on the head by horseshoes.

Emil Sitka for once is playing senior to the Stooges only in rank, not in years!

I don't believe that Christine McIntyre's knock on the head when she arranges herself to faint on the sofa was scripted or faked: it looks to me as though she really hit her head and it hurt; then she finished the take and the studio used it with a dubbed-in sound effect rather than shoot the whole scene over again. (Edited to add: Think of Curly's knocking his head against the table when he is writhing in the grip of the sofa spring in Three Little Sew and Sews, which could not possibly have been scripted.)

Why do I love the moment when Kenneth MacDonald, realizing that someone (Shemp) is turning the knob of the safe from inside, says "He's in there!"? He's just such a cool guy.

[Shemp_Diesel]

Show 'em Tex.

Show 'em Tex.

You're Tex.

Freeze lightning is what I am...


 

[Dr. Hugo Gansamacher]

Show 'em Tex.

Show 'em Tex.

You're Tex.

Freeze lightning is what I am...


 

I believe Shemp's phrase is "greased lightning" (with "greased" pronounced "greezed").

[Shemp_Diesel]

I believe Shemp's phrase is "greased lightning" (with "greased" pronounced "greezed").

I guess different people hear different things--I was certain for years that Shemp was saying "freeze." Kind of like the debate over what Bustoff was saying in Grips, Grunts and Groans. Oh well...


 

[Big Chief Apumtagribonitz]

The problem with this one, which is O K, is that there's very little in it that they didn't do better somewhere else.  The only feature to my mind that works well and adds something new is the music, which is fun and comedically melodramatic.  Christine kicking butt is good, too.

[Kopfy2013]

I liked this ... so far one of my favorite Shemp episodes.  It is a spoof ... done very welll.  Supporting players were great... Christine with the fainiting... Jock's stunts ...

I love Shemp's expression behind the bar after he sprayed McDonald ....  I consider this very cute ... not super funny but enjoyable.  I give it an 8.

[Signor Spumoni]

I believe Shemp's phrase is "greased lightning" (with "greased" pronounced "greezed").

Funny that he said it, "greezed" because that's a typical Pittsburgh pronunciation as is "greezy."  Does anyone know if it's also typical NYC?

[Signor Spumoni]

I guess different people hear different things--I was certain for years that Shemp was saying "freeze." Kind of like the debate over what Bustoff was saying in Grips, Grunts and Groans. Oh well...


 

No offense meant to you, Shemp Diesel, but I agree that it sounds like "greased lightnin',"  particularly as that was a popular phrase for a long time.  It was even a song title from Grease.

Please refresh my memory on the debate as to what Bustoff said in "Grips, Grunts and Groans," if you wouldn't mind.  It escapes me just now.

[Shemp_Diesel]

No offense meant to you, Shemp Diesel, but I agree that it sounds like "greased lightnin',"  particularly as that was a popular phrase for a long time.  It was even a song title from Grease.

Please refresh my memory on the debate as to what Bustoff said in "Grips, Grunts and Groans," if you wouldn't mind.  It escapes me just now.

The line for Bustoff I was referring to was before the part where Curly knocked him out--did he say "give me something that will strike me out" or "straighten me out."

[Paul Pain]

Show 'em Tex.

Show 'em Tex.

You're Tex.

A predecessor of the line "He's from the state of *clap clap clap* Texas!"

[Signor Spumoni]

It seems that Chopper Kane (Dick Wessel) has gone back in time and joined the US Army; but now instead of boxing he gets hit on the head by horseshoes.

Emil Sitka for once is playing senior to the Stooges only in rank, not in years!

I don't believe that Christine McIntyre's knock on the head when she arranges herself to faint on the sofa was scripted or faked: it looks to me as though she really hit her head and it hurt; then she finished the take and the studio used it with a dubbed-in sound effect rather than shoot the whole scene over again. (Edited to add: Think of Curly's knocking his head against the table when he is writhing in the grip of the sofa spring in Three Little Sew and Sews, which could not possibly have been scripted.)
Why do I love the moment when Kenneth MacDonald, realizing that someone (Shemp) is turning the knob of the safe from inside, says "He's in there!"? He's just such a cool guy.

The first time I saw this short I thought it was an accidental conk on the noggin left in because her reaction was funny.  But you're probably right that it was left in to save (time and) money.  Would it be correct to say that this is the only time that the beautiful Christine is hit - - albeit by herself - - in any Stooges short?

Thank you, Shemp Diesel, for reminding me of Bustoff's line. 

[Big Chief Apumtagribonitz]

Christine gets hit with water in the mousetrap one, whose title I can't remember at the moment.  Does that count?

[Paul Pain]

It is insinuated she gets hit in NO DOUGH BOYS and WHO DONE IT?.  There are plenty of female characters who get hit by the Stooges, but I don't know about Christine.

[Signor Spumoni]

Christine gets hit with water in the mousetrap one, whose title I can't remember at the moment.  Does that count?

That was "Three Pests In a Mess."  It could count, but I was thinking of a conk or punch or other hit.  As Paul Pain points out, plenty of female characters get hit by the Stooges.  I don't think we *see* Christine hit, though. 

Paul Pain, I can't recall when it is insinuated that she is hit in the two shorts you mention.  It's been a long time since I've been able to watch the Stooges.

[Dr. Hugo Gansamacher]

Funny that he said it, "greezed" because that's a typical Pittsburgh pronunciation as is "greezy."  Does anyone know if it's also typical NYC?

The voiced "s" in "greased" and "greasy" is characteristic of the Appalachian speech region, which extends through much of Pennsylvania. I don't think it has ever been common in New York, but Shemp may have heard the phrase pronounced that way and simply copied what he heard.

Would it be correct to say that this is the only time that the beautiful Christine is hit - - albeit by herself - - in any Stooges short?

I can't think of her ever getting hit, but, as I'm sure you know, she gets her lapels ripped off by Shemp (ever the gentleman) in Hugs and Mugs. One of the other ladies in that short gets accidentally hit on the head with a file drawer, but Christine seems to be only an author of direct violence ("You, you horrible person, you!") and never its object. Edited to add: It is in this short that she gets her fingers snapped in the mousetrap that she finds in Moe's pocket, so there is that.

[metaldams]

The voiced "s" in "greased" and "greasy" is characteristic of the Appalachian speech region, which extends through much of Pennsylvania. I don't think it has ever been common in New York, but Shemp may have heard the phrase pronounced that way and simply copied what he heard.

I can't think of her ever getting hit, but, as I'm sure you know, she gets her lapels ripped off by Shemp (ever the gentleman) in Hugs and Mugs. One of the other ladies in that short gets accidentally hit on the head with a file drawer, but Christine seems to be only an author of direct violence ("You, you horrible person, you!") and never its object. Edited to add: It is in this short that she gets her fingers snapped in the mousetrap that she finds in Moe's pocket, so there is that.

Ha!  HUGS AND MUGS will be discussed starting tomorrow, pure coincidence.  Was going to mention that exact Christine/Shemp part in relation to her and slapstick.  Looking forward to discussing this one.

[Signor Spumoni]

The voiced "s" in "greased" and "greasy" is characteristic of the Appalachian speech region, which extends through much of Pennsylvania. I don't think it has ever been common in New York, but Shemp may have heard the phrase pronounced that way and simply copied what he heard.

Interesting!  I have always been fascinated by the way people speak.  If you care to say, is this your profession or is it an avocation, Dr. G.?

I can't think of her ever getting hit, but, as I'm sure you know, she gets her lapels ripped off by Shemp (ever the gentleman) in Hugs and Mugs. One of the other ladies in that short gets accidentally hit on the head with a file drawer, but Christine seems to be only an author of direct violence ("You, you horrible person, you!") and never its object. Edited to add: It is in this short that she gets her fingers snapped in the mousetrap that she finds in Moe's pocket, so there is that.

Yes, I think a mousetrap snap qualifies.  But a bonk on the coconut and a snap on the digits are mighty small potatoes in the Stooges' world.  Christing got off lucky.
[/quote]

[Dr. Hugo Gansamacher]

Interesting!  I have always been fascinated by the way people speak.  If you care to say, is this your profession or is it an avocation, Dr. G.?

I'm just a dabbler in phonetics, phonology, and dialectology, but I have dabbled pretty extensively. I'm sure that there is scholarly work on the geographical distribution of /z/ in "greased" and "greasy," but I am not feeling up to seeking it out right now!

[Signor Spumoni]

I just remembered:  doesn't Christine's hand get caught in a rat trap in "Scotched In Scotland?"

[Paul Pain]

Paul Pain, I can't recall when it is insinuated that she is hit in the two shorts you mention.  It's been a long time since I've been able to watch the Stooges.

Both times during the lights out battles in those shorts.