https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0147623/Our journey with Gus Schilling and Dick Lane already comes to an end here as none of their other shorts are available on YouTube to review, although only one of the films is actually lost.
TRAINING FOR TROUBLE is a very familiar short to Stooge fans as this is a scene-by-scene remake of A PAIN IN THE PULLMAN with two exceptions: (1) Gus and Dick don't have to sneak out of the building like the Stooges did, and (2) there's no scene of them trying to get into the upper berth. Every step of the way, this short falls except for one regard: Monte Collins. And, of course, A PAIN IN THE PULLMAN is a rewrite of SHOW BUSINESS directed by Jules White and starring ZaSu Pitts and Thelma Todd.
Now, don't get me wrong: Schilling and Lane are funny in their own regard as is Sidney Fields in the role of Anthony Pain, but they're not as funny as The Three Stooges and James C. Morton. Monte Collins's character is repainted in a way that suits his strength and thus isn't the same as Bud Jamison. Bud smacks his head on the berth above and starts crying about his luck; Monte smacks his head on the same and instead complains about the idiot who put that bunk there.
Now, Jules White is obsessed with stock footage, and, being such a close remake of A PAIN IN THE PULLMAN, one would expect the stock footage to abound, but surprisingly nearly everything is done anew, even the scene of the drunk man trying to cut the monkey's tail. But there is stock footage still: the crab on the plate, the scenes of the train moving and the monkey pulling the brake cable are reused as is the closing scene. Yes, you read that right, Jules recycled the ending of the Stooges being thrown off the train and onto the bulls that buck and throw as they run while the scene transitions to the Columbia card. How does he do this? By having Mr. Pain also get thrown off the train!
Schilling & Lane do
everything like the Stooges here: the boot cooking in the oven and then burning the "dumb one" when he puts it on later, face slapping (which they do remarkably well), "How dare you look like someone I hate?!", the crab/turtle gag, etc. And it's all done better by Moe, Larry, and Curly. Schilling & Lane are funny, but it's hard not to compare to the Three Stooges when they're even acting like them. James C. Morton also ruled in the role of Paul Pain, the HEARTTHROB of milllliions!
7/10