Topic: Flagpole Jitters (1956)

[metaldams]

http://www.threestooges.net/filmography/episode/168
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0049214/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=N8We4gmLFKI

Watch FLAGPOLE JITTERS in the link above



      A landmark Three Stooges short this week.  FOR CRIMIN' OUT LOUD, which is next week's entry, is the last short released with new Shemp footage, filmed on 6/30/55.  However, new footage for FLAGPOLE JITTERS was filmed a day later, 7/1/55, therefore making this Shemp's final performance in front of the camera.  Really sad with Curly and Shemp leaving us.  Curly's last film, we're robbed of good Curly footage due to health.  The final Shemp film, we're robbed of good Shemp footage due to budgets.  Neither burned out, they both faded away.

      The new footage, which picks up more towards the second reel, is at least interesting plot wise in that this time Mary is not a fraud and the boys are used to distract from a robbery.  You know what?  It's tighter scripting.  However, I'd rather see Larry and Shemp's animal impersonations anyday.  The new footage is OK with comedy, if again, showing standard Stooging.  All the classic bits, like Shemp shadow boxing and Sing Sing, are old footage.  Also, as usual, Shemp gets little to do in the new footage compared to Larry and Moe.  Not sure if health's an issue, though he's nowhere near as bad as Curly in his final dozen shorts.  Still, check out Shemp in the old footage, the energy level differences are noticeable.  Shemp went from classic to competent.

      A landmark short, but ultimately, another recycle.

5/10

[Shemp_Diesel]

Well, another week another rehash. I guess we should be used to it by now, what with Blunder Boys being way back in the rearview mirror. As far as it goes, I used to have a real low opinion of Jitters--but watching it again recently--I think I might give it the same grade as last week's short.

Whatever merits this one may have, will mostly come from the old footage--but, there were some highlights in the new I did like. 1) Those theater women were damn hot and 2) I did enjoy Moe's little beef with Svengarlic's henchmen.

Other than that, another nondescript recycle that pales badly to the original....

3 out of 10....

[Big Chief Apumtagribonitz]

Dreck.  Worse to come.

[Paul Pain]

Required reading: HOKUS POKUS thread

FLAGPOLE JITTERS is a nice change of pace in that it's not that bad of a short.  Ned Glass had left Columbia shorts for TV and movie gigs, so we have the back of the legendary "Unidentified"'s head "playing" Ned in the new footage.  The plot overall works itself together a little better as we lose the despicable Mary for the nicer stock footage Mary.  Likewise, we have a slightly more satisfying ending.  On the downside, we have a clear sighting of Beverly Thomas, better known as the female blonde version of Joe Palma, as she seems to show up wherever a blonde female can't reprise a role.

Keep in mind that Shemp had turned 60 just 4-months prior.  He was getting up in years to be doing such physical comedy, so he's actually doing pretty well, especially when compared to the corpse-like performances [trying to cowtow Stooge slapstick to kiddies] we'll see Edit: from Moe and Larry in the 1960s.

Is it just me, or is Frank Sully putrid every time he shows up aside from his performance in A MERRY MIX-UP?  Another appearance by Barbara Bartay, another sucky performance by Barbara Bartay... Don C. Harvey shows up for the first time since his co-starring role in MERRY MAVERICKS.  And David Bond, whose only other Stooge credit was the original HOKUS POKUS, shows up to reprise his role for new scenes here!

This week we say, "Good bye, Shemp," and next we say, "Goody bye, Shemp," for the 2nd time.  But wait, we say, "Good bye, Shemp," one more time still!

Eh.

5/10

[Dr. Hugo Gansamacher]

However, I'd rather see Larry and Shemp's animal impersonations anyday.

Hmpf. De gustibus and all that. I was glad to see that stuff omitted.

Very sorry to lose the crowning of the boys to the tune of the NBC chimes at the end, though the new plot obviously requires it.

Keep in mind that Shemp had turned 60 just 4-months prior.  He was getting up in years to be doing such physical comedy, so he's actually doing pretty well, especially when compared to the corpse-like performances [trying to cowtow Stooge slapstick to kiddies] we'll see in the 1960s.

I don't see how Shemp could have given anything but a corpse-like performance in the 1960s, being, as a he was, a corpse at that time.

[Paul Pain]

I don't see how Shemp could have given anything but a corpse-like performance in the 1960s, being, as a he was, a corpse at that time.

You know what I mean

[Dr. Hugo Gansamacher]

You know what I mean

Yes; just couldn't pass up the opportunity. I'm a victim of soikumstance!

[Paul Pain]

Yes; just couldn't pass up the opportunity. I'm a victim of soikumstance!

Shemp in the 1960s would have been funnier than Curly Joe!

[Big Chief Apumtagribonitz]

We'll talk about that one in depth when the time comes.

[Dr. Hugo Gansamacher]

Just as the later shorts with Curly are sometimes called the "sick Curlys," I think of the shorts that are coming up as the "dead Shemps."

[metaldams]

Just as the later shorts with Curly are sometimes called the "sick Curlys," I think of the shorts that are coming up as the "dead Shemps."

....and after that there's the Stinky Stinkys.

[Shemp_Diesel]

I was just thinking about how depressing this stretch of coming stooge shorts will be--we're already in "stink city" with all these recycles, then the back of Joe Palma's head & nothing really good until Oil's Well That Ends Well; oi vey...


 

[Big Chief Apumtagribonitz]

I'm telling you, this is why we're down to less than ten commentators, it's because these things stink and you can't get anyone to watch them.  I'm not one who subscribes to any "so bad it's good" aesthetic, by any means, I'm usually the first one to turn something off, and apparently I'm not alone. In this case I'm just enduring these, knowing full well they stink, but I'm hanging on till the Curly-Joes, which I adored as a kid, and haven't seen since.  I know they're going to be much dumber than I remember, if I can even find them ( I don't own any, I guess I'd better start looking ), and I know some people hate them, but I do have some things to say about them, which I sure don't about the current crop of garbage.

[BeatleShemp]

Ok, there is a bit in this short that I enjoyed quite a bit, and that was the bit with Moe and Larry, Larry suggesting that a cyclone blew the door shut. It cracks me up every time!

[Paul Pain]

I'm telling you, this is why we're down to less than ten commentators, it's because these things stink and you can't get anyone to watch them.  I'm not one who subscribes to any "so bad it's good" aesthetic, by any means, I'm usually the first one to turn something off, and apparently I'm not alone. In this case I'm just enduring these, knowing full well they stink, but I'm hanging on till the Curly-Joes, which I adored as a kid, and haven't seen since.  I know they're going to be much dumber than I remember, if I can even find them ( I don't own any, I guess I'd better start looking ), and I know some people hate them, but I do have some things to say about them, which I sure don't about the current crop of garbage.

At least the movies have different plots from the shorts.  It'll be unique and short.  You can find the movies on Youtube.

[Lefty]

Flagpole Jitters is okay for a remake.  It's always good to see the Stooges win at the end, knocking out the crooks.  The showgirls added some nice visual effects, as it were.  The not-so-stellar parts were the back-of-the-head items, plus not having the entire "Sing Sing" scene in this short.  And even though it was originally in Hokus Pokus, Shemp's battle with the table is one of my favorite scenes of all time.

[Kopfy2013]

This is an OK short ...not much to say but it has some redeeming qualities... story makes more sense than original, is tighter etc.

I was going between a 6 and a 7 ... since there were no guffaws I will go with a 6.

[Daddy Dewdrop]

Coming in at #139 in my countdown we have another Shemp recycle job.  IMO, the original ("Hokus Pokus") is one of the stronger Shemp outings.  This one's not bad, just kinda there.

#139. Flagpole Jitters