Violent Is the Word for Curly (1938)

Three bumbling gas station attendants are mistaken for college professors arriving from Germany to teach at a prestigious women's college.

Director:

Charley Chase

Writers:

Al Giebler (story & screenplay), Elwood Ullman (story & screenplay)

Stars:

Moe Howard, Larry Fine, Curly Howard

Cast

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

Storyline

The stooges are left in charge of a gas station and manage to blow up the car of their first customers, three famous European professors. The stooges steal some of the academics' clothes and wind up at "Mildew", a women's college where the three professors are expected. Mistaken as the real thing, the boys take their place on the faculty. When the real professors show up, the stooges try to convince a rich woman, the schools benefactor, that an athletics programs is more important. Their athletics demonstration comes to an explosive end when the real professors slip them a nitroglycerin basketball.

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Plot Keywords:

slapstick comedy | college | women's college | gas station | college professor | 

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Taglines:

THEY'RE CRACKED IN THE CRANIUM...ON A CUCKOO CAMPUS!

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Genres:

Comedy | Short

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Did You Know?

Trivia

When the Stooges are provoking the true professors at the gas station with their aggressive "super service," Moe responds to their protests saying, "Take it easy, Field Marshal!" a reference to the notorious Field Marshal Hermann Göring.

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Goofs

The shot of Curly spraying pickle juice at Mrs. Catsby is shown too late.

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Quotes

Acme Service Station Owner: I'm going across the street, men, for a sandwich. Now listen, when the customers come in, give 'em service. Now, this is your first day on the job, so show me that you've got what it takes. Don't be afraid to push those sponges around. Use a little elbow grease!
Curly: Suppose it's knee-action?
[Moe backhand slaps Curly]
Curly: [getting in Larry's face] What's the idea?
Larry: Mistaken identity!
[points at Moe]
Curly: [waving nervously at Moe] Hiya, pal!

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Connections

Referenced in King of the Hill: A Fire-fighting We Will Go (1999)

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Soundtracks

"Swingin' The Alphabet'
Written by Septimus Winner
Arranged by Charley Chase
Performed by The Three Stooges

User Reviews

It's The Alphabet Song of which as much makes the title and the feature.

Yes The Alphabet song makes as much the feature as it does music history.If there's ever any editing job whatsoever and especially without the song then it's just not the same.A good example of this is that when The Family Channel adapted the 3 Stooges for a time they as my,no pun intended,3rd Cousin Raymond E. DiPirro said they butchered them beyond recognition.But I wont say to what other extent that's not suitable for this site.So He and various other fans and I boycotted The Family Channel.

Coitainy, Stephen "Steve" G. Baer a.k.a. "Ste" of Framingham,MA USA

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

2 July 1938 (USA)

Also Known As:

Violent Is the Word for Curly

Company Credits

Production Co:

Columbia Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

18 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Victor High Fidelity Sound System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1