Dizzy Detectives (1943) User Reviews

Interesting amalgam

[Jim-500 · 7/10 · 20 October 2009]

If you look carefully, you'll see that the boys look much younger in the opening carpentry scenes than in the rest of the movie. That's because those scenes were filmed eight years earlier for the short, Pardon My Scotch.

Curly, in particular, is completely different. In the earlier stooge shorts, Curly acts more like a sissy, with a higher, more innocent voice, and he tends to keep his hands and fingers together in front of his chest. Once we hit Dizzy Detectives, though, he's much more mature and has evolved his familiar trademarks such as barking and twirling in a circle on the floor.

Another tip-off that these were two different shorts, of course, is the absolute non-sequitor involved in going from the boys being carpenters to them becoming detectives. All you need is a convenient walk-on role saying, "Your application has been accepted by the academy!"

two in one

[SnoopyStyle · 7/10 · 1 January 2020]

Larry, Curly, and Moe are workmen trying to install a door. It goes badly as expected. The boys are excited to be new policemen. There is an ape-man burglar on the loose and the commissioner is under pressure to find him/it. The boys receive a tip and go to find the ape-man.

This is two stories in one. I really like the door story. It's hilarious in the best Stooges way. Then there is this non-sensical switch in the story. I know the Stooges are the masters of nonsense but the writing still needs to flow better than a random flip of a switch. It completely throws me off. This is really better as two separate stories. The gorilla is an often used Stooges device. It has its fun like Curly shooting at his own foot. I'm guessing it's a robo-ape at the end. It could be more explicit. The big thing here is that this needs to be two separate shorts.

The Stooges Go Ape

[StrictlyConfidential · 8/10 · 4 July 2021]

"Dizzy Detectives" was originally released back in 1943.

Anyway - As the story goes - When the Stooges are assigned to crack a case involving a burgling gorilla, the novice detectives find their trail leads them to an antiques shop and the real crooks.

The Is Classic Stooges - Tons Of Gags

[ccthemovieman-1 · 10/10 · 28 April 2007]

"Get the tools? "What tools? "The tools we've been using for the last 10 years!" "Oh, those tools."

Sound familiar? Well, that's just one of my lines used in the popular Three Stooges film. The first four minutes of this are full of "carpenter" gags with the classic scene in which Curley almost saws Moe head with a buzz saw. Moe takes a real beating, plummeting at one point through the floor to the next one. When he gets upset, Larry says, "Aw, you only fell 14 feet. Whaddya getting sore for??"

While beating each other up, a man enters th room and tells them the police have accepted their applications to be detectives, so they report to the station. At the same time, the local paper's headline reads, "Mysterious Burgarlies Panic City - Police Shakeup As Ape Man Strikes Again."

The boys begin their search at night for the ape man-crook at the "Gysom Good" antiques store. In the dark and spooky store, Curly gives us some of his classic routines, such as the cat and the rocking chair, and the hat on his foot with Curly thinking it's a person (much better seen than briefly explained). The chase scene with the gorilla, the real crooks and our three boys is hilarious.

There are a lot of puns used in this story, and Moe uses a lot of funny insulting names to his two partners. Curly calls the ape "a real chininy-panzee!"

This is another of the better Three Stooges Classics. Of the DVDs I have of them, each with six episodes, this one - "Cops and Robbers" - is one of the best.

Scooby Doo Had Nothing on the Stooges

[Sargebri · 28 March 2003]

This is a great Stooge short, especially the fight with Pickle and his two henchmen. I always love it when the boys get into a fight as they always get beat up in the beginning but in the end wind up knocking their opponents out in their own way. Also, the ending where Curly rams his head into the gorilla's stomach after it guzzled down a bottle of nitro glycerine is a classic gag. You can see that this was definitely an inspiration for Scooby Doo.

Very good Three Stooges short!

[Movie Nuttball · 10/10 · 2 August 2004]

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 good Three Stooges short. Lynton Brent, Bud Jamison, Dick Jensen, and John Tyrrell are in this all all are good! This is a funny one. The beginning of it is really hilarious! The short has a bit of a great mystery and spooky feel to it. I think that this is one of the underrated Three Stooges shorts. Its really good and I recommend this one!

What's law enforcement coming to?

[bkoganbing · 6/10 · 28 February 2014]

I think the thing to remember is that Dizzy Detectives came out in 1943 and a lot of cops were in the armed forces. So I imagine that various police agencies had to take what they could get even if it means the 3 Stooges.

After failing as contractors the boys are excited to learn that they've been admitted to the force. Just in time too because there is a rash of mysterious burglaries perpetrated by someone who by all appearances is a simian. Could this be the beginning of Planet Of The Apes?

Not that but someone who has trained a circus ape in the fine art of second story work. Battling a criminal somewhat near their own intelligence Moe, Larry, and Curly actually clean up the situation, though the ape commits a bizarre suicide.

Even dead though, the ape has plenty of fight. Would you believe Curly is the best one cut out for law enforcement?

If I hadn't seen it with my own eyes............

Another Hilarious Stooge Short With A Cat

[verbusen · 10/10 · 15 December 2015]

I am making an observation here. I notice that if there is a cat in a comedy scene in a Stooges short that I always laugh at loud at that particular short even if the cat isn't in that particular funny scene. I'm a big cat lover so I always notice cats in their films. In this case there is a rocking chair vs cat's tail scene that made me laugh until the end, it was just one of the scenes here that had me really laughing. The lifted carpenter part is just the funniest thing they ever did, but also the boys had some really good lines here. Curley goes thats a chimp, Larry goes thats a gorilla you chump, is just one of them. As far as other episodes I laughed out loud at with cats in them, I can think of the exterminator skits, Ants In The Pants and remade Shemp version Pest Man Wins, and in the kitchen scene with Larry in Malice In the Palace. This short, even though some of it and the material is recycled is still one of the best. 10 of 10.

One of the Best Stooges Shorts

[Michael_Elliott · 25 February 2015]

Dizzy Detectives (1943)

**** (out of 4)

Moe, Larry and Curly are working as carpenters when they accidentally cut through the floor and fall fourteen feet into a department where a detective tells them the chief wants to see them. The boys are made police officers with their only job to track down a gorilla who has been breaking into businesses stealing stuff.

DIZZY DETECTIVES is without question one of the greatest shorts that the Stooges ever made. From the opening to the very end there's one giant laugh after another and this is certainly a case where all the great things about the Stooges are done in one short and what a memorable and hilarious one it is. Throughout their careers they played carpenters countless times but never to perfection like they do here. There are some truly hysterical moments including some stuff lifted from their 1935 film PARDON MY SCOTCH.

The truly funny stuff happens during the second half when they respond to a call saying the gorilla is involved in another robbery. There are so many hilarious moments here including the various violence that breaks out. The Stooges were always known for beating one another and they certainly lay on some good slaps and punches here. The stuff dealing with the gorilla is just priceless including the finale where Curly has finally had enough and decides to go after him. Fans of the Stooges will certainly find this one here winner.

"I'll lead the way. Go ahead."

[slymusic · 28 March 2008]

"Dizzy Detectives" is a very good Three Stooges comedy directed by Jules White, who directed more Stooge films than anyone else. In this film, the Stooges actually become accepted into the police force, and although they are hardly tailor-made for the job, they nevertheless manage to crack a case involving a "chimney-panzee."

Highlights: In stock footage from "Pardon My Scotch" (1935), Moe suffers brutally during the opening carpentry scene. While angrily talking to the police commissioner (Bud Jamison), Mr. Dill (John Tyrrell) repeatedly bangs his hand on the commissioner's desk; Curly uses this opportunity to get some nuts cracked. This film contains perhaps the funniest occurrence of the Stooges' harmonized "Hello....Hello....HELLOOOOO!" bit when they answer the phone. Moe and Larry unforgettably faint when a bald head resembling Curly's gets knocked off a mannequin.

At one point in "Dizzy Detectives," Curly drops to the floor and spins around in a circle. It is very likely that he did this because he forgot one of his lines!

Classic comedy !!

[duaneholley · 13 November 2017]

I agree with Jim-500 I thought the episode 'Pardon My Scotch 'looked very similar to Dizzy detective. In fact Moe actually broke his ribs when he feel from table. He was able to get up and complete the scene but quickly passed out soon after. All time great comedy group I only wish AMC would air more episodes..