Hoofs and Goofs

A terrible premise for a "comedy" two reeler: the Stooges sister has recently died. Not even "black humor" here as in the ending of "Laughing Gravy" when Laurel & Hardy's landlord takes a gun and claims that "this is more than I can stand", goes off camera and we hear a gun blast and L&H remove their bowlers and with bowed heads return to their room. That's funny. But to kill off someone that we haven't even met yet, I don't get it. And as a first short with Joe Besser, Moe and Larry should have just said something like, "thank you, don't call us, we'll call you. Next!" This WAS the beginning of the end of a great run for the Stooges or maybe more accurately put, an escalation towards the end. Things were only going to get worse from now on with this crybaby of a comedian. He may have been funny on his own or working with others but not at all with Moe & Larry and their brand of humor. There isn't even any clever writing or verbal one liners in this one. If a comedian is not going to rely on sight gags or say something funny, then what's left? Tragedy! This short is yet another example of Jules White's ineptness at directing humans and obviously preferring working with animals as he had started out in the days of early talkies. Tony the Wonder Horse, as horses go, doesn't even have a personality like say Roy Roger's Trigger. Thumbs down all around on this stinker. Avoid it like the plague!

A horrible Three Stooges short. Their shorts are usually excellent and they don't usually make ones this bad, but it was almost routine in this late 50's era, which were hard times for the boys (due to Columbia cutting the budgets to almost nothing, and Shemp's untimely death). But this is almost as worst as it gets. The plot of this short dealing with the Stooges and a talking horse was just terrible, as well as the writing and there was a lack of funny gags. Not even Moe and Larry much funny lines and gags, and they don't look so comfortable here. Benny Rubin, however, as the foreign landlord steals the show and is the only funny thing.

There also should be a mentioning that this is the first short with short-lived third stooge, Joe Besser. In short, he was just terrible, annoying, and his style did not fit the Stooges at all. He even had it in his contract that prohibited Moe from hitting him, because he was too much of a wuss to take a hit, so poor Larry had to take all of Moe's hits! He should have been fired right off the bat!

Overall, one of the Stooges worst shorts, but for some stupid reason, they made a sequel to this less than a year later, that turned out even worse.

HOOFS AND GOOFS (1957) is, unfortunatly, not one of the greatest shorts ever. It only proves that Joe Besser would never qualify as a good stooge. Since Moe plays two parts in the short, they had to throw in the obvious double for him at the end. I think the stooges should have quit after they made COMMOTION ON THE OCEAN (1956) or have done a remake of MUMMY'S DUMMIES (1948). That was the only 40's Shemp film to not be remade. Overall, I wish this film wasn't made. The only really good Joe Besser short is FIFI BLOWS HER TOP (1958), which still isn't that good. I know they made a sequel to YOU NAZTY SPY! (1940) because it was popular, but why make HORSING AROUND (1957) a sequel of THIS?????????????

Though I may seem to be in the minority, I do like some of Joe Besser's shorts.

This, however, is not one of them. But Joe is not at fault here; rather than the stooges themselves being central to the story, Hoofs and Goofs is a plot-driven vehicle. The plot simply isn't funny; it's absurd. Any comedians could have starred in this short, with just about as many laughs.

Joe did what he does best; be Joe Besser. We see glimmers of the Three Stooges' comedy, such as when Moe punishes Larry with a hammer for some stupid remark. But instead of physical slapstick, throughout the film we're instead supposed to be amused by a talking horse, which is not what most stooges fans expect.

The powers that be who replaced Shemp agreed to Joe's request to not be hit or struck in any fashion by Moe. That's like telling Groucho Marx that he couldn't use any puns.

As I said, I do laugh at some of Joe's shorts, and he clearly is a great comedian. But with the absence of Moe's quick temper and well-timed whacks, the last installments of the Three Stooges were a lot different from what we were used to.

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!

One of the most different Three Stooges shorts is Hoofs and Goofs. In this short are Benny Rubin, Harriette Tarler, Tony The Wonder Horse, and Joe Palma. The acting by these actors are good especially by Rubin and Tony The Wonder Horse. There are many funny scenes here that I think most Three Stooges fans will love! In My opinion this one of the most different Three Stooges shorts. I recommend this one!