Punch Drunks (1934), is a great start for the Three Stooges. With their first short, the baffling Woman Haters (1934), in their rearview mirror, Moe, Larry and Curly came out of the gate swinging, with this, their second film, Punch Drunks (1934). This short-subject captures the true essence, of what made the Three Stooges legendarily famous. In this film, they are young, energetic and deliver this fresh take on satirized boxing. It is a plot formula they will use many times later, with each incarnation of the third stooge. The boxing plotline is seen by every new generation of audiences, who followed them through the decades. Curly plays Stradivarius the boxer, who gets his anger from hearing Larry play "Pop Goes the Weasel" on his fiddle. The boys get mixed up with crooked gamblers and Curly must win the fight. We also get to see some of Larry's fiddling skills.
8.5 (B+ MyGrade) = 8 IMDB.
8.5 (B+ MyGrade) = 8 IMDB.