Punch Drunks - the Three Stooges
Moe, a down-and-out boxing promoter, orders lunch at the restaurant where Curly is the waiter. Musician Larry is there, and plays 'Pop Goes the Weasel' on his violin, causing Curly to become crazy whenever he hears the tune -- knocking out a boxing champ. Moe uses this to promote Curly as a great fighter, with Larry providing the music, until at the title fight Larry's violin is accidentally destroyed. How will Larry provide the music in time? An excellent short, one of their best, with more character development than normal.Punch Drunks is one of the very best Three Stooges short films—oddly enough, it’s also one of their most different films. At the beginning of the movie, the Stooges do not know each other; Curly (spelled ‘Curley’ in the credits here) is a waiter at a restaurant, where Moe, a down-and-out boxing promoter, is eating. Larry is seated nearby, with his violin at hand. Once Larry begins playing Pop Goes the Weasel on his violin, Curly goes into a violent rage, attacking everyone in the restaurant, including knocking out a boxing champ! Moe sees the possibilities inherent in this, and hires both Larry and Curly, whom he begins promoting as K.O. Stradivarius.
Training ensues, complete with a very funny segment where they’re outdoors, and help a female motorist whose car is stuck. Curly begins winning fight after fight, culminating in the big title match—but Larry’s violin is accidentally broken! Curly, on his own in the boxing ring against the champion, is pure comedy gold, as is Larry’s substitute music. A very funny short film that’s in my Top 10 Three Stooges short film list—and I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.
Punch Drunks is available as part of the Three Stooges DVD collection, Curly Classics.
Trivia for Punch Drunks starring the Three Stooges—Moe, Larry, Curly
- In the original script, it was “Stars and Stripes Forever” that drove Curly Howard crazy, but it was changed when it was decided that Larry Fine would play the tune on the violin. Larry himself chose “Pop-Goes-the-Weasel” because the other song didn’t sound right when played on the violin.
- This is the only Three Stooges short that the stooges (Moe Howard, Larry Fine and Curly Howard) wrote entirely themselves.
Funny movie quotes from Punch Drunks (1934) starring the Three Stooges—Moe, Larry, Curly
Girl: Could you help me? I’m in a terrible dilemma.
Moe: Yeah, I don’t care much for these foreign cars myself.
Girl: No, I mean I’m stuck . . .
Moe: On me? Aw, that’s what all the girls say.
Girl: No, silly. Stuck in the mud.
Moe: Uh, yeah.
[KO Stradivarius tries to leave the boxing ring but gets caught in the ropes]
KO Stradivarius (Curly): Time out! Time out!
Moe: I suppose you’ll want the afternoon off.
Curly:: What’ll ya have?
Moe: I’ll have four pieces of burnt toast and a rotten egg.
Curly:: Why do you want that?
Moe: I gotta tapeworm and it’s good enough for him.
Curly: Every time I hear that Weasel tune, something POPS inside of me!
Larry: I lost my ba-lance
Moe: Oh, ya lost your ba-lance, eh?
Larry: Yeah
Moe: (pushing Larry) Well go find it!
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