Rhythm and Weep
| Rhythm and Weep | |
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| Directed by | Jules White |
| Produced by | Jules White |
| Written by | Felix Adler |
| Starring | Moe Howard Larry Fine Curly Howard Nita Bieber Ruth Godfrey Jack Norton Gloria Patrice Robert Kellard |
| Distributed by | Columbia Pictures |
| Release date(s) | October 3, 1946 |
| Running time | 17' 37" |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
Rhythm and Weep is the 95th short subject film starring American slapstick comedy team the Three Stooges. The trio made a total of 190 shorts for Columbia Pictures between 1934 and 1959.
Contents |
[edit] Plot
The Stooges play the roles of unsuccessful actors who have decided to end it all by jumping off a skyscraper. On top of the building, they discover three girls with an unsuccessful dancing act who have also decided to jump. The Stooges immediately fall in love with the girls. The six distraught lovers are still planning to jump when they suddenly hear piano music playing. They leave the ledge to go find the source of the music. On a lower floor they discover a piano-playing millionaire who is looking for a talented act. He promises them a significant amount of money if they are good. Their act is a success with the millionaire, who doubles their salaries and says, "The way I throw my money around, I bet you think I'm crazy!" As if on cue, two men in white coats come to take him back to an asylum. He wants to go "by train," and one of them gives him a toy locomotive; as they escort him away he says, "Choo choo choo..." Realizing that the millionaire truly is crazy, the boys themselves lose it completely.
[edit] Curly's illness
Rhythm and Weep was filmed near the end of Curly Howard's career. The 42-year-old comedian had suffered a series of minor strokes several months prior to filming, and his performances had been unpredictable. By the time of Rhythm and Weep, he had lost a considerable amount of weight, and lines had creased his baby face.
While director Edward Bernds devised ways to cover his illness, Jules White simply gave most of Curly's lines to Larry. In fact, Curly was so ill during production that he could no longer remember what few lines he had. Moe's son-in-law Norman Maurer was present during filming, and recalled Curly was hurting. "He was having trouble with his coordination," recalled Maurer. "He was supposed to pop pills in his mouth during the (doctor's office) scene, but the scene was switched to Moe putting the pills into Curly's mouth because of Curly's physical problems."[1]
[edit] Quotes
- Moe: "This is the 26th theater we've been thrown out of. What is there left for us?"
- Larry: "4 more theaters."
- Curly: "Except February, which has 28!"
- Moe: "Hey...if you're gonna bump yourself off, what's the idea of the pie?"
- Curly: "So I can DIE-gest right! Nyuk nyuk nyuk!"
[edit] Notes
- Aside from the Stooges, the short also features the three dancers Nita Bieber, Ruth Godfrey, and Gloria Patrice. Ruth Godfrey, who debuted in Rhythm and Weep, was director Jules White's daughter-in-law.
- This is one of the few times that the Stooges broke the "fourth wall". During his time on the ledge, Larry hugs his girl, looks into the camera, and says to the audience: "This I like! And I get paid for it, too!"
- The title is a play on the expression "Read It and Weep" or "Read 'Em and Weep."[2]
- After Curly throws the hammer off the roof of the building, it bonks a passerby in head, causing him to cry out. The voice heard is audio of the late Bud Jamison, recycled from a previous film.
[edit] References
- ^ Lenburg, Jeff; Howard Maurer, Joan; Lenburg, Greg; (1982). The Three Stooges Scrapbook, p. 77, Citadel Press. ISBN 0806509465
- ^ Solomon, Jon. (2002) The Complete Three Stooges: The Official Filmography and Three Stooges Companion, p. 234; Comedy III Productions, Inc., ISBN 0971186804
