Topic: Musty Musketeers (1954)

[metaldams]

http://www.threestooges.net/filmography/episode/153
http://moronika.com/forums/index.php?topic=5510.0

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

Watch Musty Musketeers in the link above



      I am truly going to try my best to be more open minded about these stock footage jobs, partially for the sake of my sanity since I have to review so many of these things, and partially because I want to keep an open mind.  Look, it's The Three Stooges, I'm a hopeless fan boy, I actually want to like this stuff.  I have to be honest and say MUSTY MUSKETEERS, while partaking in the sin of thou shall not giveth us a lack of plurality of new Stooge footage in Stooge shorts (I'm not making this up, one of the five commandments Moses broke on the tablet in a Mel Brooks film), actually manages to cut some awkward scenes from the original and give us a more streamlined story.  BUBBLE TROUBLE also gives us a more streamlined story, but the new footage sucks.  Here?  Hey' it's not bad.  Nothing all time classic, but anytime you can throw in more babes and a Stoogian sword fight with Phil Van Vandt, I won't complain too hard.  Consider this a worthy alternate take, and they delete the laughing scene!

      I believe this is the last time we see new footage of Vernon Dent, though by doing the research, INCOME TAX SAPPY was filmed later.  Vernon over the past few years has had diminishing roles most likely due to health issues.  By the time of Shemp's funeral, the story is he was completely blind.  Vernon was one of the greats, both with The Three Stooges and Harry Langdon.  He will be missed.

7/10

[Paul Pain]

http://www.threestooges.net/filmography/episode/153I believe this is the last time we see new footage of Vernon Dent, though by doing the research, INCOME TAX SAPPY was filmed later.  Vernon over the past few years has had diminishing roles most likely due to health issues.  By the time of Shemp's funeral, the story is he was completely blind.  Vernon was one of the greats, both with The Three Stooges and Harry Langdon.  He will be missed.

KNUTZY KNIGHTS is the last one with new Vernon Dent footage in it, actually.

[metaldams]

KNUTZY KNIGHTS is the last one with new Vernon Dent footage in it, actually.

Oh!  Thank you, I'll have to check that out.  I believe that's the last one with Christine as well.

[Paul Pain]

Oh!  Thank you, I'll have to check that out.  I believe that's the last one with Christine as well.

No, that would be OF CASH AND HASH (this fact I had to look up, unlike the Vernon Dent fact).

[metaldams]

No, that would be OF CASH AND HASH (this fact I had to look up, unlike the Vernon Dent fact).

I'll have to check that out too.  Honestly, I'd be shocked if I saw OF CASH AND HASH more than a few times.  These stock footage jobs are an era I have not indulged in too much.

[Paul Pain]

I think I like the entire amalgamated product of MUSTY MUSKETEERS better than FIDDLERS THREE.  This short improves by (a) removing the meaningless and long laughing scene, (b) removing the nursery rhymes, (c) changing the ending, and (d) adding in a Stooge-style sword fight.  That said, the product isn't that great still overall.  I think though that this is a worthy entry in the Stooge canon as they did everything they should have done: seamlessly (almost) integrate the new scenes around the old ones in a way that forms a cohesive short.  This isn't a disaster like SCHEMING SCHEMERS or BEER BARREL POLECATS.

The new scenes are well done, and I really like how the girls say, "Zooks!  That's real George!"

It is terribly obvious that Vernon Dent is extremely ill in this short.  His face is pale and thinned, although his voice is OK.  It is painful to watch such actors age, as Heinie Conklin isn't looking too great either here, although he would survive to be one of the few actors to work with all three of the Stooge short teams.

All in all, if this was a sandwich and DISORDER IN THE COURT is a Philly cheesesteak, then this is a turkey and cheese.  You might not want it on your own, but if a friend offers it to you you're going to take it anyhow.

I'd say 7/10 for this too. 

[Shemp_Diesel]

Well, I know I've had a mostly low opinion of these stock footage jobs--for the most part--but, in the scheme of things, I would say this is one of the better ones. Of course, for me, having the delectable Diana Darrin in any short never hurts--and Norma Randall and Ruth Godfrey aren't bad either.

This one is probably as light on new footage as some of the others, but the new footage is not pain inducing like a Bubble Trouble--in fact, I would say the new footage is quite good; particularly the sword fight at the end, which is why I can see why there are fans who prefer this one to the original.

6 out of 10...

[Dr. Hugo Gansamacher]

The older footage reminds us of how much punishment Moe used to deal out, particularly to Shemp. It's too bad that he falls away from that standard in the original shorts made around the time of this one. At least, I don't remember seeing so many round-the-world head conks and "See dat?"'s lately as we see in the older parts of this short.

I think I like the entire amalgamated product of MUSTY MUSKETEERS better than FIDDLERS THREE.  This short improves by (a) removing the meaningless and long laughing scene, (b) removing the nursery rhymes, (c) changing the ending, and (d) adding in a Stooge-style sword fight. 

Certainly (a), (b), and (d) are improvements. But unfortunately we lose the footage in which the Stooges end their recital of nursery rhymes with Shemp and Larry initiating a laugh in the rhythm of "Shave and a haircut," which Moe concludes by bopping them one after the other on the head for the "five cents."

And in the new stuff, we have to endure the outbreak of beatnik jargon or blackface talk or whatever it is when the three girls accept the three boys ("Real George," et cetera). Shemp's "bee-bopper" outburst in Spooks was funny: this is just painful.

This one seems to me spliced together better than most of the recycling jobs.

[Kopfy2013]

I watched this and Fiddlers Three back to back and i give Fiddlers Three a slight edge.  The cut scenes were slightly funnier and more 'Stooge' like ...

I give this a 7.

[Desmond Of The Outer Sanctorum]

Heinie Conklin isn't looking too great either here, although he would survive to be one of the few actors to work with all three of the Stooge short teams.

Checking the info on the site here, I don't see that he worked on any Besser-era shorts, just that he appeared in a couple via stock footage.

[Paul Pain]

Checking the info on the site here, I don't see that he worked on any Besser-era shorts, just that he appeared in a couple via stock footage.

http://www.threestooges.net/cast/actor/74

Heinie was in original footage for FIFI BLOWS HER TOP.  All the stock footage came from LOVE AT FIRST BITE, which Heinie didn't appear in.  The episode page for FIFI also says it is Heinie's last appearance.

http://www.threestooges.net/filmography/episode/183

[Desmond Of The Outer Sanctorum]

Heinie was in original footage for FIFI BLOWS HER TOP.  All the stock footage came from LOVE AT FIRST BITE, which Heinie didn't appear in.  The episode page for FIFI also says it is Heinie's last appearance.

OK, my mistake. I forgot about the scene that was both a "flashback" and new footage.

[Paul Pain]

OK, my mistake. I forgot about the scene that was both a "flashback" and new footage.

It's OK, but don't let it happen again 

[Desmond Of The Outer Sanctorum]

Desmond: Sorry, Paul, it was an accident!

Paul: So's this!

(splat)

[Woe-ee-Woe-Woe80]

7/10, this is one of the rare remakes that improves among the original, I was never the biggest fan of "Fiddlers Three", I thought this short was funnier and faster paced, I also thought the ending improves among the original, this short is my favorite remake after "Loose Loot" and "Of Cash And Hash".

[Daddy Dewdrop]

One of my favorite remake jobs.  I rank this at #5 (Shemp) and at #39 overall.