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 .

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.

In this short the stooges are firefighters that always get into trouble and are never on time when the alarm rings. There are some funny moments in here like when Moe locks himself and Larry in a room so they won't leave work early and go to a house where Curly and some girls are and Moe drops the key down the sink and there trying to get it, also Curly says some good stuff ex: woman: Curly sit down take a load off your feet. Curly: its not my feet that hurt. A funny short.

Curly, Larry and Moe are with the fire brigade. They mess things up and almost get fired. They get one last chance. Later that day are suppose to go to a birthday party with some girls but are not allowed to leave. Only Curly sneaks out and arrives at the party. He must find a way to get his friends there as well and therefore he sets off the alarm. You can imagine what can go wrong.

This is a pretty funny short with some very nice physical jokes as well. By watching too much Three Stooges shorts the violence, especially from Moe, gets a little irritating. There are also very funny violent moments so I am not really complaining. It is just that after one punch in the eyes it is enough, in my humble opinion. Still, this is a very entertaining movie.

This one finds The Three Stooges as firemen – though, of course, they prefer to sleep their way through work…or else attempt to keep appointments with their girls (one of whom is obese and highly irritating)! Many a film or cartoon has dealt with this theme, poking fun at a serious subject via the mayhem caused by either incompetent firemen or the engine's various equipment – such as water-hoses and ladders. As always, The Stooges manage to fall foul of their boss – especially when, at the climax, they borrow and wreck his brand-new automobile! In essence, this vehicle – like much of The Three Stooges' work (at least, from what I've seen so far) – is harmless but, at the same time, unsympathetic…and, besides, has little rewatchability value for me.