Oil's Well That Ends Well (1958) User Reviews

Once again, Joe's not really the problem...

[ftgplus4 · 6/10 · 12 November 2006]

This is the third Joe Besser short I've seen. I'm starting to get familiar with Joe's much-maligned "big baby" character, and actually I find it fairly amusing. The main thing I DON'T like about this short is the very stiff, unnatural dialog -- mostly from Joe -- that's used to explain what's going on. You never saw Curly or Shemp saddled with this kind of crap. It's especially prominent at the beginning of the opening scene and the uranium-hunting scene. The boys do what they can with it, which isn't much. In my opinion it's this tendency, rather than Joe's character, that's the real problem with the Besser shorts.

This is somewhat of a remake of "Oily To Bed, Oily To Rise" (1939). What it mainly takes from that short is the "wishing" ability (originally Curly's, now given to Joe) and the scene where the oil is discovered. The original short was funnier primarily because it was written better, not so much because it was a Curly short. Curly did have his usual funny physical humor in that one, but I think the lines "I'm a successful cork!" and "I'm an unsuccessful cork!" are actually funnier in Joe's hands. Another favorite line: "Good night, mother. Wind up the cat and put out the clock." The close-ups of Joe, sitting PERFECTLY STILL while supposedly bouncing on top of a "geezer" (!) of oil, are a problem though!

Decent Besser Short

[csweetleaf2 · 6/10 · 8 April 2003]

This short is a somewhat remake from the Classic Curly short Oily to Bed, Oily to Rise, which was released in 1939 when the boys were hitting their prime, the stooges father is in need of a serious operation and like what happened to Curly in the aforementioned 'Rise' Joe makes a wish and it comes true, Moe tells Joe that he thinks that he's haunted and Joe says 'I'm SCAAARREEEEDDDD'.

Then the boys begin looking for uranium and there's a memorable scene when Larry and Moe get into a struggle and Moe bossing Joe around, there's a memorable line when Moe tells Joe that everytime that he thinks, he's a weak in the nation and then Joe comes to the camera and mouths some words about Moe.

Then the boys are ready to go to bed but it takes a while for them to get up there, Moe wanted both Larry and Joe to sleep on the top bunk so Moe can sleep at the bottom.

Then the boys find some oil and there's a couple a shots that had some old footage and at the end of the has Joe saying the title for the short.

Overall this short is pretty decent by Besser standards, especially compared to Hoofs and Goofs, Outer Space Jitters, Sweet and Hot and Sappy Bullfighters but still very weak compared to the below average Curly/Shemp shorts, not totally exciting but not a total waste of time.

Searching Uranium and accidently finding....!!!

[elo-equipamentos · 7/10 · 1 December 2019]

One of latest shows of The Three Stooges and Joe Besser is great replacing Curly and Shemp, they receives a message from the bankrupt father asking to them some help, they headed to his father's ranch searching for Uranium, at cottage they have they great funniest scene in this short on a bunkbed at sleep time, another was on the rocks when Moe and Larry were handling with the dynamite to explode when Joe tries warning Moe for something, Moe doesn't wants to hear nothing, then Joe sit down on ignition key, what a blast, later they find...well see by yourself, unfortunately just few shows went to sales on official DVD, they easily could put the whole catalogue on sale to an small dealer, in my opinion it has a strong market to explore!!

Resume:

First watch: 2019 / How many: 1 / Source: DVD-R / Rating: 7

Surprisingly good Besser outing.

[yarborough · 25 October 2001]

I believe that this remake short is far better than the original short, which featured Curly. The original Curly short has a dragging opening scene in a barn, and a terrible joke in which Curly says, as the Stooges are about to drive off a cliff, "Don't look now, but I think we're about to be killed." And the battle with the bad guys is overly repetitive and unfunny. This remake, however, has a funny scene in which the Stooges search for uranium in the desert (especially funny due to Moe and Larry's scuffle), and the scene in which they try to figure out who sleeps on what bunk-bed is hilarious. This is a must-see short.

Joe's haunted!

[Adirondack · 4/10 · 29 May 2001]

Joe Besser "The Wishing Wizard" gets everything he wants in this remake of "Oily to Bed, Oily to Rise" with Curly Howard as third Stooge. This film does not rank anywhere near the original in greatness, but it's good in it's own right. The fact that so much material was taken from Curly's version really stands out. There are plenty of new things, though. Highlights include Moe and Larry's interactions at the uranium digging site and the bunk-bed scene, (almost like no other Stooge bunk-bed scene before it).

It's interesting how in the first scene, Moe is unusually passive and Larry is the aggressive one. It's like they exchange characters! I don't mind seeing Larry that way once in a while, but Moe has to be Moe!

Porcupine shines....

[octopus_now · 8/10 · 10 April 2003]

I consider nearly every Besser stooge short to be a complete throwaway, but this is an exception imo, and it's all due to everyone's favorite middleman, Larry. For whatever reasons during this time period, Porcupine seems to give it his all in this particular episode, more than making up for the man-child antics of Joe, and playing brilliantly of Moe during the outdoor scenes when the 2 stooges are mining for uranium. Too bad that this rare bit of actual "comedy" from the 57-58 preiod couldn't have been their last short instead of the sh**-fest that is "Sappy Bullfighters".

Grade: B+

Nothing new here.

[maxcellus46 · 2/10 · 8 December 2005]

Yes, there are a couple of good scenes in this one, and I do mean only two. The uranium mining scene and the bunks scene. Otherwise it's just a hodgepodge of poor writing and no direction. Not fair for three otherwise very funny and talented comics. Apparently, Columbia Pictures was no longer interested in their "bread and butter" money makers. Less anyone forget, the Stooges made tons of money for the studio starting back in those lean 1930's during the Great Depression. "Use 'em and lose 'em approach I guess. In any case this particular short is a conglomeration of two earlier shorts, namely "Oily to Bed, Oily to Rise" from the late thirties with Curly and "Idiots Deluxe" from the mid forties, also with Curly. Guess it was just like today. Can't be bothered writing something original so "let's make yet another remake" of something that was perfect in the beginning. Useless. Just my opinion but Moe really should have seen the handwriting on the wall and after Shemp's untimely death, just call it quits and retire. In show business and especially in comedy one should always leave while on top. But being troopers of the "old school", vaudeville, the show must go on regardless of artistic obstacles placed there by studio execs who just don't care.

Sir Joe

[kingrootentooten · 10/10 · 2 January 2018]

Whenever we are feeling rather low we put on a "Stooge" to lift our royal spirits. As a rule we avoid a selection from the Joe Besser stooge catalog. However an exception to this rule is made for this film in which Joe's comedic talents shine like Excalibur. From his frustrated squealings of "I wanna tell you somethiinnnggg" and "I need hellllppp" when trying to climb into the bunk bed to his belly bouncing of Larry he is at his best. As some of the reviews from the commoners have noted ad infinitum this is a "sort of" remake of an earlier stooge film but what of it? Rise Sir Joe of Besser..we are amused!

Good Stooges short with Joe!

[Movie Nuttball · 10/10 · 15 June 2004]

The Three Stooges has always been some of the many actors that I have loved. I love just about every one of the shorts that they have made. I love all six of the Stooges (Curly, Shemp, Moe, Larry, Joe, and Curly Joe)! All of the shorts are hilarious and also star many other great actors and actresses which a lot of them was in many of the shorts! In My opinion The Three Stooges is some of the greatest actors ever and is the all time funniest comedy team!

This one with Joe is a remake of the one with Curly called Oily To Bed, Oily to Rise. Though this one to some people isn't as good but I think it is and it definitely has its moments! Its funny and Joe does a good job here in a role very similar like Curly's in the earlier short. This one is a good one to watch!

my favorite joe episode

[greenspider45 · 11 December 2003]

i agree to the person that said joe was haunted.the funniest thing in that one was the bunkbed scene and i was expecting them to have a bunk accident like curly always did like in sweet pie and pie,g.i wanna go home and i can hardly wait.but it didn't and i was dissapointed.but it still has it's laughs.

One of the better Besser Stooges shorts

[abbazabakyleman-98834 · 9/10 · 4 September 2018]

The 1957-59 period of the Three Stooges can be considered a low point for the trio's career. Most of the Besser outings were either good, bad, and just plain awful, but this short actually has a steady pace and quite a few laughs. Despite no supporting cast (a rarity), the Stooges do what they do best despite a simple story line.