False Alarms

This is one of those "classic" Three Stooges shorts that is funny no matter how many times you view it. You get some good sight gags, a few hilarious lines of dialog, a Keystone Kops-type wild ride in the city and the usual assortment of Stooge jokes and slapstick.

The boys are pretty new at being firemen but, of course, they are pathetic and are "fired" for sleeping on the job (among other sins, such as never helping to put out a fire). They plead with the chief, played by Stanley Blystone, to give them one more chance.

The ironic part of the story is that there never is a fire to be put out, only at the very end when the boys drive away in a big truck with the contents on fire in the back! Unfortunately, the contents happen to be the chief's brand-new car.

Much of the story centers around Curly trying to find a "fella" for fat girl "Minnie" who is one of three girls at a birthday party the Stooges were invited to, but only Curly could attend. (Why that was, you'll have to watch).

June Gittlelson, who plays the big woman, is very good. Every man she runs into, she asks, "Will you be my fella?" To Curly, she adds, "You know I grow on people." Curly answers, "Yeah, so do warts!"

Minnie wants a man in the worst way, or she wants to go somewhere and eat. I suppose fat people will be insulted with movie. Near the end, she and Curly take turns slapping each other. It's wonderful stuff you'd never see today! The goofy antics at the fire hall, at the birthday party with the women and the mayhem in the streets all make this a very entertaining Stooges film .

Sleeping on the job, aye? Moe, Larry and Curly manage to get jobs as firemen, but they're lazy. Then again, between fires there's not much to do, right? Their boss, Captain Ashe(?), played by rough & tough Stanley Blystone, gives them one more chance -- and you know what means. TOTAL CHAOS. I agree with the last reviewer, this is a take-off on many other films and cartoons that make firemen look bad (really bad), or with hose malfunctions, which is common in real life. The Stooges take it to the next level.

A terrific comedy that also finds Curly with a gal pal, Maisie (played by Beatrice Curtis). Never mind the fires, Maisie wants Curly to find her "plump" pal Minnie (June Gittelson) a date? That's where Moe and Larry come in? Gittelson was a staple in the Stooge comedies, always trying to latch onto a guy, any guy. She was best paired with Curly, for obvious reasons.

Director Del Lord keeps this rolling, and that's the secret, non-stop action, including the Stooges wrecking the captain's new car. Surprisingly, the film must have had a higher budget to be able to wreck a new car, or at least a car that looked new? By the way if you're thinking Our Gang/Little Rascals, you are right. The kids also played goofy firemen (HOOK AND LADDER, 1932) and may have inspired this film.

Always on Columbia dvd, generally released by decades, 30s, 40s, 50s episodes or theme boxes. Thanks always to METV for running these oldies every Saturday, making our weekend.

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 a very funny Three Stooges short. Its extremely hilarious. Curly is so different in this one. Stanley Blystone is very good in this one and his fire chief character is a good one. The scenes with Curly and the women is very funny. There is another fire fighter Three Stooges short called Flat Foot Stooges which it is pretty good. I recommend this one!

False Alarms (1936)

*** (out of 4)

The Three Stooges are about to be fired at their fire fighting jobs but the Captain gives them one more shot, which they take advantage of by destroying his new car. This is certainly a step up from the previous couple shorts as this one here returns to the fast paced roots of the earlier movies. The stuff with the fat girl was very funny and the boys antics are a lot funnier here including a great sequence where the wreck the car.

Now available on Columbia's 2-disc set, which features over 20 shorts, all digitally remastered and looking better than ever.

Once again the Stooges are firemen. While this isn't the first time they've been in these roles, this isn't one of the best due to a plot and jokes that just don't seem to have a lot of energy or zip. Fortunately, while this is a problem, the mindless violence that many enjoy in their films is present--with some of the most painful-looking gags I've seen. Larry really has a tough time of it and I don't know how they did the one scene with Moe holding him by the hair as he dangled on the fire pole--could this have been real? Also, although it may offend some, I liked where Curly and the lady at the end of the film slap each other around--especially since in the 1930s you almost never saw a guy slap a lady--unless he's a Stooge! Overall, it's an amiable time-passer and not a lot more. Fans of the team will no doubt love it, while others will probably find it all a tad tiresome.