Three Pests in a Mess

Three Pests in a Mess (1945)

*** (out of 4)

The Three Stooges are trying to get their fly killer a patent but they soon realize that they'll need to kill a large number to break even. Soon after they end up with a blonde who thinks they're talking about cash and before long the trio believe they've killed a man. They rush to a cemetery to try and bury him when they run into more trouble.

THREE PESTS IN A MESS is certainly a step up compared to the previous two shorts that boys put out. This one here starts off a tad bit slow but things quickly pick up once the action begins. There are a few very funny scenes here including one involving Moe and some ink. This leads to a blackface joke that some might find offense but I thought it was pretty funny. The stuff in the cemetery isn't anything we haven't seen countless times before but it was still funny.

By 1944, the studio budgets for Columbia's short-subjects department were skyrocketing and most of the shorts were made rather cheaply and some were remakes of previous entries. Despite being directed by the great Del Lord, you can tell that he really tried to inject a lot of visual gags in the short. As for the plot, it's very silly, but it flows along nicely with great supporting performances by Christine McIntyre, Vernon Dent, and Snub Pollard.

The three stooges made part of my youth time, my friends used watched it everyday as was the first time, in this episode Moe, Curly and Larry are trying to get a patent to a groundbreaking invention the fly trap, rejected by once until they get a thousand flies, they are mistaken of the lottery winner by nearby company self-called Cheatham's secretary played by the regular guest star Christina McIntyire, after they discovery all mistakes starts a chase, they killed a mannequin and trying to rid off when the police office appears, they running to a cemetery to hide, another fabulous episode from my heroes until now!!!

Resume:

First watch: 1973 / How many: 3 / Source: TV-DVD-R / Rating: 7

In the Stooges' previous film, January 1945's "Three Pests in a Mess," their 83rd short in the Columbia studio's series, Del Lord was once again in the director's chair with his script in hand. It's apparent Lord loved early Laurel and Hardy comedies since many of the gags in "Three Pests in a Mess" are adapted from Stan and Oliver films, including their 1928 silent 'Habeas Corpus.' Lord copies the pair's skit when he placed Curly in the cemetery carrying what he thinks is a corpse (it's really a mannequin). Inside the bag was actor Gene Sheldon, whose arm is slapping Curly in the face and on his shoulder. Sheldon later became famous for appearing in the late-1950s Disney series 'Zorro.' Stooges regular Christine McIntyre plays a crook who tries to seduce Curly to extort what her gang of thieves mistakenly think is his bankroll. She finally realizes after stripping several shirts off him he doesn't have the the thousands of dollars her colleagues thought he had. Chased by the crooks, the Stooges barricade themselves behind a locked door, only to shoot whom they think is a person, leading them to their attempts to bury it in a local cemetery. This film is known for the audio technicians' amping up the sound effects every time one of the Stooges is hit or dishes out punishment. And the short is famous for Curly's pronouncement of "CAAALLL FOORRR PHILIIPP BLAAAACK!" a parody on the Philip Morris radio commercial heard repeatedly on the aireaves at the time.

THREE PESTS IN A MESS could've match up it's plot line better. The first half of the short is great, but the second half is bad because it may be inappropriate to general audiences. Secondly, the second half of the short wanders away from the plot of the first half. Don't even bother to watch.

Grade: D+