SOUP TO NUTS is, for all intents and purposes, the beginning of the film concept of two Howards and a Fine teaming together and making comedy. At this point in time, Shemp is the third Stooge and yes, the boys are still with Ted Healy. It is actually Healy along with Charles Winninger (the actor who plays Otto) who receive top billing in what very much feels like an ensemble piece. The film was written by Rube Goldberg, known less for comic characterization and more so for cartoonish comic inventions. Indeed, that complicated burglar catching device has his stamp written all over it and is a pleasant addition to the film.
The main reason SOUP TO NUTS is watched today is Moe, Larry and Shemp. They get one great scene in the beginning of the film singing a complete version of “You’ll Never Know Just What Tears Are” in beautiful three part harmony. Ted Healy and Freddie Sanborn try to position them so they can drop a sand bag on the Stooges’ heads, but end up missing each time, Sanborn getting the sand bag in the end. A wonderful scene that’s both comic and shows a young Moe, Larry and Shemp singing together. Until the final third of the film, there’s not much more of the boys on screen other than the scene on the fire truck with their girls - who are not the real life Stooge wives in spite of years of rumors. Towards the end of the film, the boys get to do some stage work with Healy at the fireman’s costume event and this is where we get the magic. The guessing the number bit is good fun and I always have been a big fan of Larry’s “elevator” dance. Moe and Shemp also exchange some slaps and this shows two things. 1.) This early on, the famous team dynamic of Moe being the leader is not yet established and 2.) they had a ton of youthful energy in 1930. Those slaps being delivered were pretty hardcore. The boys also play a big part in the finale putting out a fire and do a nice job. I especially like it when Larry is declared dead and when he comes too, Moe admonishes him for making a fool of the doctor. Ironically, this would probably be the highest budgeted comic finale the boys would ever be involved in. Whether it is or isn’t, it sure looks it.
As for Ted Healy, SOUP TO NUTS validates for me what I thought might be true watching the MGM films - he is a better George Burns type straight man than a Bud Abbott one. Being the latter, he is too abrasive and that chemistry doesn’t work with The Three Stooges. However, team him with a woman who is more obnoxious than he is and the chemistry works. At MGM, Bonnie really didn’t have the talent to pull it off, but prohibition era cutie Frances McCoy, who plays Ted’s girlfriend, works wonders with Healy. She really is one of the highlights of SOUP TO NUTS, loud, gossipy, overly excited and like I said, cute. She adds a lot of energy. Ted Healy also knows when to stand back and watch the boys do their thing and when to interject, which didn’t happen much at MGM. Again, makes me wonder if MGM is again the culprit of not knowing what to do with comics. Healy is much better here.
I should also mention Healy’s other Stooge, Freddie Sanborn. He is his own act, separate from Moe, Larry and Shemp. A silent type in the mold of Harpo, he even plays the xylophone instead of the harp. I almost don’t know what to say about the guy other than he lacks the pantomime skills of Harpo, yet he plays a decent surreal bit of comic relief who can make a facial expression to the audience when Healy shoots him away and always manages to get left behind everyone else. Sanborn’s character may be homosexual as well, as he reacts excitedly when the leading man kisses him in the knight’s outfit. I always found that bit funny. Chalk that up as a pre code moment.
The rest of the film has a couple of immigrants trying to run their businesses which I find fascinating and yes, this is post Ellis Island early depression era - so a bit of a window into America at the time. I like it when they share the son in law’s booze together. The romantic couple is by far the most annoying thing in this film, but they fortunately don’t take up too much time. As an aside, old Sennett and Chaplin actor Mack Swain gets a role as the customer who orders the water and Roscoe Ates, who would later team with Shemp at Vitaphone, gets to do his stuttering routine late in the film. Great to see both of them.
Overall, SOUP TO NUTS is not a full blown Stooge film, but it is of historical interest and does have some really nice early Stooge moments. Beyond that, SOUP TO NUTS is not a classic, but to anybody who enjoys real early talkies and wants a nice piece of entertainment, SOUP TO NUTS will work fine. For Stooges fans who don’t care about such things, this is one I’d imagine would be visited less often.
