Dutiful But Dumb (1941)

The stooges are photographers for Whack magazine ("If it's a good picture it's out of Whack") who, after messing up an assignment, are sent to the country of Vulgaria to get a picture of a ... See full summary »

Director:

Del Lord

Writer:

Elwood Ullman (story)

Stars:

Curly Howard, Larry Fine, Moe Howard

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Curly Howard	...	Cluck (as Curly)
Larry Fine	...	Clack (as Larry)
Moe Howard	...	Click (as Moe)

Storyline

The stooges are photographers for Whack magazine ("If it's a good picture it's out of Whack") who, after messing up an assignment, are sent to the country of Vulgaria to get a picture of a death ray gun. In Vulgaria the penalty for taking pictures in is death, and the boys soon wind up in front of a firing squad. Curly's last request is a giant cigar and by the time he's done smoking it all the soldiers are asleep and the stooges make their escape.

---

Plot Keywords:

head on a platter | dropped pants | black pepper | bayonet | cigar smoking | 

---

Genres:

Comedy | Short

---

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

21 March 1941 (USA)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Columbia Pictures Corporation

Technical Specs

Runtime:

17 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Mirrophonic Recording)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Curly Howard briefly speaks in his normal voice as the bogus police radio announcer.

---

Quotes

Moe Click: Pardon me, officers. But don't we get a last request.
Curly Cluck: Certainly, this is request night.
Vulgarian Soldier: What do you request?
Moe Click: How about one last smoke.
Vulgarian Soldier: Ok. But when the smoke is finished, so are you.
Curly Cluck: [pulls out a giant cigar]
Vulgarian Soldier: [double takes]
Curly Cluck: nyuk, nyuk, nyuk, nyuk.

---

Connections

Referenced in The Three Stooges (2000)

User Reviews

Pictures and Oysters

Dutiful But Dumb (1941)

*** (out of 4)

Moe, Larry and Curly are working as photographers for Whack magazine when they're ordered to get a picture of a famous movie star on his wedding night. They get the picture just fine but Curly messes up on developing it. The boss is about to fire them but instead sends them to Vulgaria to get a picture of a new ray gun. What the boys don't know is that it's illegal to take pictures in Vulgaria and the penalty is death. I've read a few negative reviews of this film but I certainly don't understand them as this Stooges short contains some very big laughs from start to finish. The stuff dealing with trying to take a picture of the actor works well because of the rather hilarious ways the boys finally get the picture. The final sequence of the film has the now famous bit of Curly ordering some oyster soup and getting a lot more in it than he expected. The middle portions were the best in my opinion because there's a downright hilarious bit where a man is about to be shot for taking a picture when the boys walk up to him and the firing squad asking to take pictures. This entire sequence is beautifully directed and acted and it really shows how funny these guys could be.