Booby Dupes
Encyclopedia
Booby Dupes is the 84th short subject
starring American slapstick
comedy team The Three Stooges. The trio made a total of 190 shorts for Columbia Pictures
between 1934 and 1959.
) who decide to cut out the middleman by catching the fish themselves. They then go about purchasing fishermen uniforms and a boat. While searching for their wardrobe, Curly manages to swipe a navy captain's uniform from the same guy (Vernon Dent
) whose girl (Rebel Randall
) Curly decides to overly flirt with.
After the debacle with the lady, the gents reconvene, and go about trading in their car and raising an additional $300 for a row boat that ends up being a "lemon
." No sooner are the Stooges on the ocean when their boat starts to sink. They climb aboard their spare dinghy
, and signal some passing planes for help. Unfortunately, they signal using a white rag with a large red paint-splatter in the center, making it resemble the flag of Japan
. The planes overhead turn out to be bombers who believe the Stooges are Japanese marines, and promptly bomb the trio. Amidst the bombing, Moe creates a makeshift motor out of a rotor and Curly's victrola, and the trio make a mad dash out of there.
's mannerisms and reactions had been starting to slow down. He was only a few short weeks away from suffering a minor stroke
, one that would hamper his remaining time with the Stooges. Though Curly's mannerisms and timing are still sharp in this short, his falsetto voice sounds hoarse at times, and at age 40, he seems more like 50.
, the Stooges made a few comedies that engaged in propaganda
against on the then-enemy Japanese, including Spook Louder
, No Dough Boys
, Booby Dupes and The Yoke's on Me
, which no longer reflect America's official relationship with Japan.
Short subject
A short film is any film not long enough to be considered a feature film. No consensus exists as to where that boundary is drawn: the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences defines a short film as "an original motion picture that has a running time of 40 minutes or less, including all...
starring American slapstick
Slapstick
Slapstick is a type of comedy involving exaggerated violence and activities which may exceed the boundaries of common sense.- Origins :The phrase comes from the batacchio or bataccio — called the 'slap stick' in English — a club-like object composed of two wooden slats used in Commedia dell'arte...
comedy team The Three Stooges. The trio made a total of 190 shorts for Columbia Pictures
Columbia Pictures
Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc. is an American film production and distribution company. Columbia Pictures now forms part of the Columbia TriStar Motion Picture Group, owned by Sony Pictures Entertainment, a subsidiary of the Japanese conglomerate Sony. It is one of the leading film companies...
between 1934 and 1959.
Plot
The Stooges are fish peddlers (similar to their roles in Cookoo CavaliersCookoo Cavaliers
Cookoo Cavaliers is the 51st short subject starring American slapstick comedy team the Three Stooges. The trio made a total of 190 shorts for Columbia Pictures between 1934 and 1959.-Plot:...
) who decide to cut out the middleman by catching the fish themselves. They then go about purchasing fishermen uniforms and a boat. While searching for their wardrobe, Curly manages to swipe a navy captain's uniform from the same guy (Vernon Dent
Vernon Dent
Vernon Bruce Dent was a comic actor who appeared in over 400 films in his career. He co-starred in many short films for Columbia Pictures, frequently as the foil to the Three Stooges.-Early career:...
) whose girl (Rebel Randall
Rebel Randall
Rebel Randall , was an American film actress and radio personality. She appeared in approximately 50 films between 1940 and 1956.Randall died at age 89 on July 22, 2010.-Selected filmography:...
) Curly decides to overly flirt with.
After the debacle with the lady, the gents reconvene, and go about trading in their car and raising an additional $300 for a row boat that ends up being a "lemon
Lemon (automobile)
A lemon is a car, often new, that is found to be defective only after it has been bought. Any vehicle with numerous, severe issues can be termed a "lemon", and, by extension, any product with flaws too great or severe to serve its purpose can be described as a "lemon".-Origin:The use of the word...
." No sooner are the Stooges on the ocean when their boat starts to sink. They climb aboard their spare dinghy
Dinghy
A dinghy is a type of small boat, often carried or towed for use as a ship's boat by a larger vessel. It is a loanword from either Bengali or Urdu. The term can also refer to small racing yachts or recreational open sailing boats. Utility dinghies are usually rowboats or have an outboard motor,...
, and signal some passing planes for help. Unfortunately, they signal using a white rag with a large red paint-splatter in the center, making it resemble the flag of Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
. The planes overhead turn out to be bombers who believe the Stooges are Japanese marines, and promptly bomb the trio. Amidst the bombing, Moe creates a makeshift motor out of a rotor and Curly's victrola, and the trio make a mad dash out of there.
Curly fades
Curly HowardCurly Howard
Jerome Lester "Jerry" Horwitz , better known by his stage name Curly Howard, was an American comedian and vaudevillian. He is best known as a member of the American slapstick comedy team the Three Stooges, along with his older brothers Moe Howard and Shemp Howard, and actor Larry Fine...
's mannerisms and reactions had been starting to slow down. He was only a few short weeks away from suffering a minor stroke
Stroke
A stroke, previously known medically as a cerebrovascular accident , is the rapidly developing loss of brain function due to disturbance in the blood supply to the brain. This can be due to ischemia caused by blockage , or a hemorrhage...
, one that would hamper his remaining time with the Stooges. Though Curly's mannerisms and timing are still sharp in this short, his falsetto voice sounds hoarse at times, and at age 40, he seems more like 50.
Wartime
During World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, the Stooges made a few comedies that engaged in propaganda
Propaganda
Propaganda is a form of communication that is aimed at influencing the attitude of a community toward some cause or position so as to benefit oneself or one's group....
against on the then-enemy Japanese, including Spook Louder
Spook Louder
Spook Louder is the 69th short subject starring American slapstick comedy team the Three Stooges. The trio made a total of 190 shorts for Columbia Pictures between 1934 and 1959.-Plot:...
, No Dough Boys
No Dough Boys
No Dough Boys is the 82nd short subject starring the slapstick comedy team the Three Stooges. The trio made a total of 190 shorts for Columbia Pictures between 1934 and 1959.-Plot:...
, Booby Dupes and The Yoke's on Me
The Yoke's on Me
The Yoke's on Me is the 79th short subject starring American slapstick comedy team the Three Stooges. The trio made a total of 190 shorts for Columbia Pictures between 1934 and 1959.-Plot:...
, which no longer reflect America's official relationship with Japan.