Waiting in the Lurch

Today, Joe Besser is mostly known for replacing Shemp Howard with the Three Stooges after Shemp's death. Many might also know him from his very annoying little boy role from "The Abbott & Costello Show". However, before either, he was a solo act and made several shorts for Columbia...the same studio that made the Stooges shorts.

For years, I have hated the film Besser made with the Stooges...mostly because they were often remakes of previous films. Sometimes they were even remakes of remakes of Stooges films, so they offered little in the way of originality AND you couldn't help but remember how much better Curly or even Shemp had played those same parts.

Despite my predisposition to dislike him, I saw this Besser solo film and was shocked, as I liked "Waiting in the Lurch"! It was original, rather funny and Besser did NOT play that little boy character (thank goodness). Instead, he plays 'Eric'...a hopeless pyromaniac. But he doesn't start fires...he just is obsessed with going to fires to watch the firemen put them out. And, when he's distracted on his wedding day and arrives at the church very late because he was on a fire call, his fiancee calls it off...though he vows to become a new man.

The film is never laugh out loud funny, but it was good and more restrained than most of Columbia's shorts. Well worth seeing...and a surprise to me.

Well, I probably won't make a habit of reviewing these Besser solos, like I did some of the Deritas. I remember years ago, when first getting the "Rare Treasures" set, that solo Besser didn't leave a great impression with me & unfortunately--after one fresh viewing of Lurch--my opinion has not changed much.

I don't mean to sound "Hateful" about Joe--I've said many times in the past that I've enjoyed him as a supporting player with Abbott and Costello & even think he has his moments as a stooge & that the downfall of those last 16 stooge shorts wasn't all "Joe Besser's fault."

Having said all that, I just find it hard to take his "overgrown sissy-man act" in strong & regular 16 minute doses. It's fine for a few chuckles at first, then it just gets old--very quickly. The only other laugh I can remember is Vernon conking that lame Rodney Bell & Bell's reaction (oh, pop).

Again, I don't want to come off as an unmitigated Besser basher, so maybe this will be my only comment on Joe solo, but to those people out there who do find this to be a "great" short, my hat is sincerely off to you.

4 stars

This was the only Joe Besser solo short directed by Edward Bernds and it adds a lot of charm than the subsequent ones produced and directed by Jules White. The characters are likable and the plot is pretty unique for a typical Columbia comedy.

Joe plays a man obsessed with chasing fire engines and it puts a strain on his relationship with a beautiful woman.