Release calendarTop 250 moviesMost popular moviesBrowse movies by genreTop box officeShowtimes & ticketsMovie newsIndia movie spotlight
    What's on TV & streamingTop 250 TV showsMost popular TV showsBrowse TV shows by genreTV news
    What to watchLatest trailersIMDb OriginalsIMDb PicksIMDb SpotlightFamily entertainment guideIMDb Podcasts
    OscarsEmmysToronto Int'l Film FestivalHispanic Heritage MonthIMDb Stars to WatchSTARmeter AwardsAwards CentralFestival CentralAll events
    Born todayMost popular celebsCelebrity news
    Help centerContributor zonePolls
For industry professionals
  • Language
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
Watchlist
Sign in
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
Use app
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
IMDbPro

Commotion on the Ocean

  • 1956
  • Approved
  • 16m
IMDb RATING
5.9/10
294
YOUR RATING
Moe Howard, Larry Fine, and Shemp Howard in Commotion on the Ocean (1956)
SlapstickComedyShort

The stooges are would-be reporters, who are tricked into becoming stowaways by "Borscht", a spy for an enemy country. Stranded on a freighter on the high seas, they discover that Borscht has... Read allThe stooges are would-be reporters, who are tricked into becoming stowaways by "Borscht", a spy for an enemy country. Stranded on a freighter on the high seas, they discover that Borscht has concealed some stolen microfilm in watermelons they brought aboard for him. After a wild ... Read allThe stooges are would-be reporters, who are tricked into becoming stowaways by "Borscht", a spy for an enemy country. Stranded on a freighter on the high seas, they discover that Borscht has concealed some stolen microfilm in watermelons they brought aboard for him. After a wild chase, they subdue Borscht and recover the microfilm.

  • Director
    • Jules White
  • Writer
    • Felix Adler
  • Stars
    • Moe Howard
    • Larry Fine
    • Shemp Howard
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • IMDb RATING
    5.9/10
    294
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Jules White
    • Writer
      • Felix Adler
    • Stars
      • Moe Howard
      • Larry Fine
      • Shemp Howard
    • 6User reviews
    • 2Critic reviews
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • See production info at IMDbPro

    • Photos106

    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster
    + 102
    View Poster

    Top cast8

    Edit
    Moe Howard
    Moe Howard
    • Moe
    • (as Moe)
    Larry Fine
    Larry Fine
    • Larry
    • (as Larry)
    Shemp Howard
    Shemp Howard
    • Shemp
    • (archive footage)
    • (as Shemp)
    Gene Roth
    Gene Roth
    • Bortch
    Emil Sitka
    Emil Sitka
    • Smitty
    Harriette Tarler
    • Mrs. Emma Blake
    Charles C. Wilson
    Charles C. Wilson
    • J.L. Cameron - Managing Editor
    • (archive footage)
    • (as Charles Wilson)
    Joe Palma
    • Shemp
    • (uncredited)
    • Director
      • Jules White
    • Writer
      • Felix Adler
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews6

    5.9294
    1
    2
    3
    4
    5
    6
    7
    8
    9
    10

    Featured reviews

    6bkoganbing

    Atomic Spies At Sea

    This Three Stooges short has Moe, Larry, and Shemp as would be reporters looking o crack the case of some stolen atomic secrets. They get a tip that the spy is on a freighter bound for Europe. They wind up as stowaways when the ship sails.

    And their fellow stowaway is Gene Roth who is the spy and a perfect foil for the boys. He gets almost as many laughs they do.

    When they discover microfilm inside some watermelons (hint, Whittaker Chambers 'pumpklin papers) of course they take him Stooge style.

    Roth nerer had a chance.
    crusefamily

    A good mixture from two older shorts.

    COMMOTION ON THE OCEAN is the best job they've done after Shemp's death so far. It's a remake of DUNKED IN THE DEEP. Joe Palma only doubles for Shemp in one scene of the new footage, but it looks more realistic. All we see of Shemp is his shoulder, and you can't tell the difference.

    The beginning of the short actually comes from CRIME ON THEIR HANDS, with a different story in the newspapers. The film is almost a direct lift from the two shorts, except for a scene of Moe, Larry, and Gene Roth eating and coughing up a plastic fish.

    This is a good job, considering the work they did in: RUMPUS IN THE HAREM, HOT STUFF & SCHEMING SCHEMERS.

    ***1/2 out of 4 stars.
    10Movie Nuttball

    Good Stooges short! Gene Roth is excellent in this one!

    The Three Stooges has always been some of the many actors that I have loved. I love just about every one of the shorts that they have made. I love all six of the Stooges (Curly, Shemp, Moe, Larry, Joe, and Curly Joe)! All of the shorts are hilarious and also star many other great actors and actresses which a lot of them was in many of the shorts! In My opinion The Three Stooges is some of the greatest actors ever and is the all time funniest comedy team!

    This is one of My favorite Three Stooges shorts! Gene Roth is excellent in it! The scenes with the Stooges especially with Shemp are really funny! The fish scene is quite funny especially how Moe fooled the woman. There is another Three Stooges short with alternate scenes called Dunked in the Deep. This is really an underrated Stooges short!
    stooge60540

    Not even worth watching

    Another one of these low-budgeted, remakes after Shemp's death in 1955. A remake of DUNKED IN THE DEEP (1949) and not even worth watching. The second half is entirely reused footage from DUNKED, and the first half is just reused footage from CRIME ON THEIR HANDS (1948), with a small new scene added in. At least that stupid double used for Shemp was only in one part.
    7SnoopyStyle

    Shemp Stooges short

    Larry, Moe, and Shemp are janitors at a newspaper. Atomic papers have gone missing and the boys are eager to become reporters. Their neighbor Bortch is the actual spy who stole the secrets and trying to smuggle them out inside three watermelons. Bortch tricks the boys to be stowaways on a ship.

    The fire is an interesting stunt. Stooges have plenty of stunts but I don't remember many fire stunts. It would be better to have a more imaginative ending. I don't know about the mud pies. Is there a requirement for a pie ending? It should be sea water, right? All in all, this is good old Stooges doing Stooges things.

    More like this

    Rumpus in the Harem
    6.3
    Rumpus in the Harem
    Income Tax Sappy
    7.0
    Income Tax Sappy
    Blunder Boys
    7.1
    Blunder Boys
    Knutzy Knights
    6.8
    Knutzy Knights
    Fuelin' Around
    7.3
    Fuelin' Around
    Loose Loot
    7.2
    Loose Loot
    Husbands Beware
    7.1
    Husbands Beware
    Scheming Schemers
    6.7
    Scheming Schemers
    Gypped in the Penthouse
    7.1
    Gypped in the Penthouse
    A Merry Mix-up
    6.7
    A Merry Mix-up
    Hot Ice
    6.7
    Hot Ice
    The Tooth Will Out
    7.1
    The Tooth Will Out

    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 last Stooges short with Shemp, filmed after his death. Joe Palma stands in for Shemp Howard (covering his face) in one scene. The new footage consists mostly of a scene with just Moe and Larry acquiring a fish, then share it with Borscht, unaware it's made of wood.
    • Goofs
      The footage of the ship seen tied to the pier is reversed, with the letters of the ship's name appearing backwards.
    • Quotes

      Larry: When it comes to fish, I'm a common-sewer!

    • Connections
      Edited from The Captain Hates the Sea (1934)

    Top picks

    Sign in to rate and Watchlist for personalized recommendations
    Sign in

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • November 8, 1956 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Official site
      • YouTube - Video
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Salt Water Daffy
    • Production company
      • Columbia Pictures
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      • 16m
    • Color
      • Black and White
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

    Contribute to this page

    Suggest an edit or add missing content
    • Learn more about contributing
    Edit page

    More to explore

    Recently viewed

    Please enable browser cookies to use this feature. Learn more.
    Get the IMDb App
    Sign in for more accessSign in for more access
    Follow IMDb on social
    Get the IMDb App
    For Android and iOS
    Get the IMDb App
    • Help
    • Site Index
    • IMDbPro
    • Box Office Mojo
    • License IMDb Data
    • Press Room
    • Advertising
    • Jobs
    • Conditions of Use
    • Privacy Policy
    • Your Ads Privacy Choices
    IMDb, an Amazon company

    © 1990-2025 by IMDb.com, Inc.