Hot Stuff (1956)

People are voting emotionally.

A Major Disappointment

This is one of the best movies I’ve seen in a very long time. You have to go and see this on the big screen.

It is a whirlwind of delight --- attractive actors, stunning couture, spectacular sets and outrageous parties.

"Hot Stuff" is an American black-and-white short film from 1956, so this one is already over 60 years old. The names of director White and writer Adler make obvious that here we have another Three Stooges short film. But is is really? Due to Shemp's tragically unexpected death at this point, it feels more like a Two Stooges short with Moe and Larry. Nice to see Larry get some more attention in here, but it's sure difficult to appreciate given the circumstances. Anyway, this one runs for 16 minutes approximately and it is another remake of an older Stooges work and this one has more politics references than you would expect I guess as most other Stooges films after the end of WWII are relatively unpolitical. As always, it is all about the comedy in here. But it is never as funny as you could hope for unfortunately and the beginning with the female bossd/instructor is just downright embarrassing at times with the kissing and jokes she is playing on Moe. Of course, they once again make up a bit thanks to their likable loser routine, but it simply isn't enough. It is probably not among the worst Stooges shorts I have seen, but then again I am not a great fan at all of the gang I guess, so maybe you'll like it if you love them in general. Even at this age of over 60 years old, it is far from their earliest works. All in all, I give this one a thumbs-down. It is not only mediocrity, but recycled mediocrity, which makes it even worse. Don't watch.

"Hot Stuff" is a Three Stooges short with a somewhat convoluted plot. A remake of "Fuelin' Around" (1949), with lots of stock footage, this film casts Moe, Larry, and "Shemp" as secret agents posing as carpet layers, hired to protect the famous scientist Prof. Snead (Emil Sitka). I place Shemp's name in quotation marks because he had already passed away before this remake went into production. Joe Palma was used as a double for Shemp in the new footage for this film, and in a couple of instances Palma actually shows his face and imitates Shemp's famous "E-B-B-B-B-B-B!" Here are my favorite scenes from "Hot Stuff" (don't read the remainder of this commentary if you have not yet seen this short). Moe and Larry unsuccessfully try to romance a couple of female Uranian officers. Larry crashes through the floor of the laboratory into the jail cell below. An Anemian government official (Gene Roth) takes a swig of brew, after which we hear a cavalcade of sirens, horns, cuckoos, and bass drums; the gentleman then makes an unforgettable remark: "By golly, that's good! Tastes like rotten eggs!" The Stooges are pretty funny when they make up a list of phony rocket fuel ingredients for their captor (Philip Van Zandt) to write down."Hot Stuff" is not as good as the original "Fuelin' Around", but it's still okay. "The show must go on," as the saying goes, and Moe & Larry were somehow able to make this film without their deceased comrade Shemp. No doubt it must have been difficult for them.

This is another Stooge short in which some new footage with Moe and Larry (Shemp had died) was inserted into a previous Stooge short that featured Shemp. The man who doubles as Shemp is badly cast, and the shorts probably should have ended after Shemp's death. However, the new scene in which Moe and Larry try to romance two stunningly beautiful Uranian female officers is very funny, and worth the recycling. The original short kicks off with a lot of great laughs, but the laughs dwindle towards the end, though it is still fun.

HOT STUFF is the second of four shorts shot after Shemp's death in 1955. Joe Palma, with his back to the camera, doubled for Shemp in a few scenes. HOT STUFF is a remake of FUELIN' AROUND, and nowhere near as good. Starting in 1953, director Jules White took footage from old shorts and added in new footage of the stooges, with a minor new story line. The doubles of Shemp are too obvious in this film. For one thing, Joe Palma turns around for a minute and you can see his face.The new scenes were shot in early 1956. I think the Three Stooges should have quit after Shemp died. None of the later Joe Besser shorts are very funny. They should have let FOR CRIMIN' OUT LOUD be their last film. It's the last one Shemp's alive in.If you really want to see anything funny from HOT STUFF, watch FUELIN' AROUND instead. The funniest part of the new footage is a woman in the office biting Larry on the nose.**1/2 out of 5 stars!