One thing about the Stooges is you either love 'em or hate em. There's not much room for neutrality here. Another thing is the better portion of their Columbia output is numbered with the best of all the comedy sound shorts.
Another element of their productions is that they would take a particular premise,and work work some variation on it. In this case it's having Curley inflicted with some unknown malady that results in his having aversion to one particular element. This always (well at least in 4 films)results in Curley's going wild until some sort of antidote ritual is administered..* This is among their best, because it has a better overall look to it, it has some out of doors filming and use of great inside sets.(probably borrowed from some other productions,but so what? Why not use wherever is available?
These are 20minutes of farce, relief from the real world. It's no BATTLESHIP POTEMKIN or some other masterpiece.) Having had a brief stint as a p art time pro wrestler (generally called a "Job Man" in the trade) in my younger days, the fact that it uses Pro Wrestling so prominently in the story makes it a top entry in the series.**
It tells us that Americans of the 1930's were already quite well acquainted with the mat game. This should dispel the old, false notion that professional wrestling was an invention of Television as TV was about 8 or 10 years away from a reality as commercial enterprise.(at the time that GRIPS, GRUNTS and GROANS was released to the movie houses.)
In a nut shell, the Stooges, fleeing from the Law, (in this case they're Railroad Dicks) become involved with Wrestling Manager. They are given charge of delivering Russian Pro Grappler, Bustoff, to the Arena that evening, sober and prepared to meet the Champion in the main event.
Of course hard drinking Bustoff has other ideas and after an unsuccessful attempt to render him sober only put him in worse condition. What else to do, except that one of the Stooges has to masquerade as the bearded Russian.
Naturally, Curley gets the going over until Moe spots a Lady (Bess Flowers), seen earlier applying her Wild Hyacinth perfume. Once reapplied, Curley goes bananas, vanquishing his opponent and all others entering the Ring by using the ring clanger bell as weapon. It surely looked like Samson slaying the Philistines!
At last we see a whole mound of humanity, including the other wrestler, Moe and Larry, and a great pile of unconscious Cops and Ring Officials , all lying in middle of the ring. Then the clapper string breaks, projecting the bell high into the air, landing on Curley's head. With a short, proper mugging to the camera, he falls out on top of the heap of police. Then, it's Fade to Black and the signature music.........................
It is one of their best films and sure a favourite of this writer.
* Over the years, the same 'DRIVES HIM WILD" items are: hearing any musical rendition of 'Pop Goes The Weasel', seeing mice, seeing tassels and of course the above mentioned 'Wild Hyacinth'
** It demonstrates both how much pro wrestling has changed, yet also at the same time, remained the same.
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