Cuckoo on a Choo Choo

"Cuckoo on A Choo Choo" has often been called the worst Three Stooges short. While it's not their best film, the uniqueness of this work in the series begs for a second look.

Larry and Shemp have swiped a railroad car called Schmow, with Larry hoping to marry his girlfriend. Shemp is a rich drunk who would rather woo an imaginary canary than the sister of Larry's girlfriend. Moe plays a railroad detective who discovers the car.

"Cuckoo on a Choo Choo" is a broad satire on "A Streetcar Named Desire." Larry satires Marlon Brando's role in that movie, and it is a delight to see him in a role other than middle Stooge. Shemp's drunkard character adds some comedic highlights as well.

True, the film is budget-thin (the streetcar is basically the only set) and tedious at times. But the satire and the broad humor make this film unique (much like the uniqueness of their first Columbia film, "Woman Haters," which included rhyming dialogue).

This is not the worst film in the series (the racist "The Yoke's on Me," which shows Japanese-Americans that escaped from a California relocation camp, surely rates that honor). I encourage Stooge fans to seek out this hard-to-find film and compare it with "The Yoke's on Me" or half of the Joe Besser shorts for awfulness. "Cuckoo on A Choo Choo" offers enough funny business and satire to appeal to the casual Stooge fan. 6 out of 10.