Grips, Grunts and Groans
| Grips, Grunts and Groans | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Directed by | Preston Black |
| Produced by | Jules White |
| Written by |
Herman Boxer Clyde Bruckman Searle Kramer |
| Starring |
Moe Howard Larry Fine Curly Howard Harrison Greene Casey Colombo William Irving Herb Stagman Blackie Whiteford Elaine Waters Lew Davis |
| Cinematography | Benjamin H. Kline |
| Edited by | Charles Nelson |
| Distributed by | Columbia Pictures |
Release dates |
|
Running time | 18' 44" |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
Grips, Grunts and Groans is the 20th 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
After escaping from the railroad police after stowing away on a train, the Stooges befriend a champion wrestler named Ivan Bustoff (Harrison Greene). His trainers, who are part of the mob, have a large bet placed on Bustoff to win the big match. But Bustoff likes to go out drinking, and after a wild night out with the boys ending in Bustoff downing "a little bit of tequila, vodka and cognac" and passing out drunk, the mobsters hire/force the Stooges to become Bustoff's managers and get him to the ring sober. In the locker room at the arena, the boys are trying to wake Bustoff up, but end up knocking him out with dumb bells and causing the locker to fall on him.
In fear, the Stooges substitute Curly, who possesses a tendency to get violent in reaction to the smell of Wild Hyacinth perfume. This can be used to their advantage. But the subsequent wrestling match is not a good time for Curly as he performs poorly. Moe then spots a woman spectator holding a bottle of Wild Hyacinth and gets it from her. By this time, the mobsters got wind of Bustoff's non-participation and are threatening the Stooges with harm if Curly does not win as planned. The Wild Hyacinth is then applied to Curly, and soon the challenger is knocked out cold along with nearly everyone else in attendance as Curly goes on a rampage using the match bell as a cudgel. The bell then slips out of Curly's hands and lands on his head, knocking him out as well.
Production notes
The filming of Grips, Grunts and Groans took place from October 31 to November 5, 1935,[1] over a year prior to its release date. Its title parodies the expression "gripes, grunts and groans."[2]
An external stimulus that causes Curly to go berserk was also used as a plot element in Punch Drunks, Horses' Collars, and Tassels in the Air.[2]
References
- ↑ Pauley, Jim (2012). The Three Stooges Hollywood Filming Locations. Solana Beach, California: Santa Monica Press, LLC. p. 130. ISBN 9781595800701.
- 1 2 Solomon, Jon (2002). The Complete Three Stooges: The Official Filmography and Three Stooges Companion. Glendale, California: Comedy III Productions, Inc. p. 99. ISBN 0971186804.
