Men in Black (1934)

Director:

Ray McCarey

Writer:

Felix Adler (story)

Release Date:

28 September 1934 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Short

Tagline:

A TONIC for the "BLUES"!

Plot:

The stooges become doctors at a large hospital where they disrupt patients and staff alike.

Plot Keywords:

Medical | Tic Tac Toe | Beautiful Woman | Slapstick | The Three Stooges

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar.

Cast

  (Complete credited cast)

Moe Howard	...	Dr. Moe Howard (as Moe)
Larry Fine	...	Dr. Larry Fine (as Larry)
Curly Howard	...	Dr. Curley Howard (as Curley)

Runtime:

19 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Noiseless Recording)

Certification:

Australia:G | UK:R | USA:Approved

Company:

Columbia Pictures Corporation

Trivia:

Curly Howard's famous line "Woo-woo-woo-woo" was used when he forgot his lines, but soon became a standard.

Goofs:

Crew or equipment visible: In the scene where the Stooges dash into the storeroom and come out riding a horse, the shadow of the microphone boom can be seen moving on the wall to the left of the storeroom door when the camera pulls back as they ride out.

Quotes:

Dr. Moe Howard: How is she, doctor?
Doctor with 'Tiny Patient': A slight hope.
Dr. Curly Howard: That's too bad. What's the matter?
Doctor with 'Tiny Patient': She's in a coma.
Tiny Patient: [sitting up] I am not! I'm in a bed!
[sees the Stooges]
Tiny Patient: Geeze, the joint's haunted
Dr. Moe Howard: How old are you?
Tiny Patient: I'm 35.
Dr. Curly Howard: Na, you couldn't get that fresh in 35 years.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Goof Troop: Axed by Addition (#1.1)" (1992)

MEN IN BLACK (Raymond McCarey, 1934) **1/2

This Oscar-nominated Three Stooges short was possibly a spoof on the Clark Gable hospital drama MEN IN WHITE (1934). The insane comedy style of the film is pretty much influenced by The Marx Bros. – but actually anticipates their own assault on the medical profession in A DAY AT THE RACES (1937)! The Stooges go to their designated operating rooms via horses, racing-cars and the like; the operation on their own boss sees them using an electric drill and then stitching him up with all the various instruments of the profession still inside! As ever, the comic trio fall back too often on slapping each other around (not to mention fooling around with some girl, in this case a dumb nurse); actually, the best gag revolves around the glass on the boss’ office door (which is smashed every time our heroes leave his company, since they’re constantly being called to explain their unethical behavior – seeing them coming one more time, the janitor who’s forever replacing the glass anticipates them by breaking it himself!). Incidentally, both director McCarey and screenwriter Felix Adler worked contemporaneously on the (more sympathetic but no less havoc-ridden) films of Laurel & Hardy.