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IMDbPro

Hula-La-La

  • 1951
  • Approved
  • 16m
IMDb RATING
7.0/10
344
YOUR RATING
Moe Howard, Larry Fine, Shemp Howard, and Jean Willes in Hula-La-La (1951)
SlapstickComedyShort

The stooges are dance instructors sent by a movie company to a tropical island to teach the natives how to dance so they can appear in a movie. The boys run into trouble with the local witch... Read allThe stooges are dance instructors sent by a movie company to a tropical island to teach the natives how to dance so they can appear in a movie. The boys run into trouble with the local witch doctor who wants to add their heads to his collection. The stooges defeat the witch docto... Read allThe stooges are dance instructors sent by a movie company to a tropical island to teach the natives how to dance so they can appear in a movie. The boys run into trouble with the local witch doctor who wants to add their heads to his collection. The stooges defeat the witch doctor with hand grenades they swipe from a multi-armed idol, and get on with the dancing lesso... Read all

  • Director
    • Hugh McCollum
  • Writer
    • Edward Bernds
  • Stars
    • Moe Howard
    • Larry Fine
    • Shemp Howard
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    7.0/10
    344
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Hugh McCollum
    • Writer
      • Edward Bernds
    • Stars
      • Moe Howard
      • Larry Fine
      • Shemp Howard
    • 4User reviews
    • 3Critic reviews
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • Photos

    Top cast11

    Edit
    Moe Howard
    Moe Howard
    • Moe
    • (as Moe)
    Larry Fine
    Larry Fine
    • Larry
    • (as Larry)
    Shemp Howard
    Shemp Howard
    • Shemp
    • (as Shemp)
    Jean Willes
    Jean Willes
    • Luana
    Kenneth MacDonald
    Kenneth MacDonald
    • Varanu, Witch Doctor
    Emil Sitka
    Emil Sitka
    • Mr. Baines
    Joy Windsor
    • Kiwana
    Lei Aloha
    • Four-armed Idol
    • (uncredited)
    Heinie Conklin
    Heinie Conklin
    • King
    • (uncredited)
    Maxine Doviat
    • Native Girl
    • (uncredited)
    Ralph Volkie
    • Native Henchman
    • (uncredited)
    • Director
      • Hugh McCollum
    • Writer
      • Edward Bernds
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews4

    7.0344
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    Featured reviews

    6SnoopyStyle

    white natives with Shemp Stooges

    Larry, Moe, and Shemp are dance instructors at B. O. Pictures Corp. The studio is in trouble and the boss had bought a South Pacific island. He imagines dancing natives, but they have never heard of dancing. He sends the Three Stooges to teach the natives how to dance. At first, native Witch Doctor Varanu seems to be treating them exceptionally well, but he reveals that he only wants their shrunken heads.

    This is fine as a Three Stooges short, but something really bugs me. They have two white people playing the two lead native characters. It's weird. It's a sign of the times. It's also like a neon sign blinking in my face. It took most of the enjoyment out of the short.
    crusefamily

    Shemp at his worst.

    HULA-LA-LA is the worst Shemp short I've seen so far. I don't like the plot on this one. There's only one funny line in the whole short. If you want an African stooge short, watch THREE MISSING LINKS or SOME MORE OF SAMOA.

    * out of 4 stars.
    8frankfan

    One of the "top" Shemp films w/ several hilarious scenes!

    This particular Shemp film is one of my favorites. One of the funniest scenes is when Shemp is hiding under a bed and trying to keep quiet while a baby alligator crawls up his leg. The timing is great throughout and the old stooge chemistry is there. At a point when the Stooges quality had begun to fade, this episode captures the old magic. Check it out!

    Best Emmys Moments

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    Related interests

    Leslie Nielsen in The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad! (1988)
    Slapstick
    Will Ferrell in Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (2004)
    Comedy
    Benedict Cumberbatch in The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar (2023)
    Short

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      The standard "3 Blind Mice" theme is replaced on the ending fadeout with the hula composition "Lu-Lu," composed by Ross DiMaggio and Nico Grigor.
    • Goofs
      Villain Kenneth McDonald introduces himself as "Varnu, Witch Doctor of this tribe". However in a subsequent scene, the Stooges are told by one of the native girls that his name is "Varulu".
    • Quotes

      Moe: These girls have their andaleys mixed up with their pirouettes, & their fortissimos mixed up with the allegrettos.

      Shemp: Yeah, but what's wrong with their dancin'?

    • Soundtracks
      Lu-Lu
      (End Music)

      Composed by Ross DiMaggio and Nico Grigor

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    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • November 1, 1951 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Official site
      • YouTube - Video
    • Language
      • English
    • Production company
      • Columbia Pictures
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      • 16m
    • Color
      • Black and White
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.37 : 1

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