"Micro-Phonies" is one of my favorite Three Stooges shorts, and it's considered by many, including Moe Howard, to be their best short. It's actually the second Stooge short that was handled by their best director, Edward Bernds. But it was rushed into release as if it were Bernds' first Stooge short, and this proved a wise decision because it showed off Bernds' skill as a director right off the bat. "Micro-Phonies" is a true winner, despite the fact that Curly was in poor health at the time. (Don't read the next paragraph if you have not yet seen this wonderful short.)
The main thrust of the story is that the Stooges pretend to be professional vocalists, with Curly passing himself off as a woman. (Once he does so, his health problems do not seem as noticeable.) He looks especially funny in his female getup at the recording studio, where radio sponsor Mrs. Bixby (Symona Boniface) first meets the trio. When they appear at her musical party that evening, they perform a hilarious miming of the Sextet from Donizetti's "Lucia di Lammermoor." (Watch Larry during this scene, as he especially gets a chance to shine here.) And please, let us not overlook the beautiful soprano voice of Christine McIntyre or the comedic talents of Gino Corrado, who plays singer/violinist Signor Spumoni. The Stooges flip cherries into his mouth as he attempts to sing (they had applied the same gag earlier in "Pardon My Scotch" [1935]). And once Spumoni realizes that "Senorita Cucaracha" (Curly) is a phony, he strikes a classic pose as he aims a banana at Curly's mouth.
"Micro-Phonies" is a Three Stooges classic, no question about it. Edward Bernds got things off to a bright start, and he would continue to direct numerous other Three Stooges gems for the next seven years.
The main thrust of the story is that the Stooges pretend to be professional vocalists, with Curly passing himself off as a woman. (Once he does so, his health problems do not seem as noticeable.) He looks especially funny in his female getup at the recording studio, where radio sponsor Mrs. Bixby (Symona Boniface) first meets the trio. When they appear at her musical party that evening, they perform a hilarious miming of the Sextet from Donizetti's "Lucia di Lammermoor." (Watch Larry during this scene, as he especially gets a chance to shine here.) And please, let us not overlook the beautiful soprano voice of Christine McIntyre or the comedic talents of Gino Corrado, who plays singer/violinist Signor Spumoni. The Stooges flip cherries into his mouth as he attempts to sing (they had applied the same gag earlier in "Pardon My Scotch" [1935]). And once Spumoni realizes that "Senorita Cucaracha" (Curly) is a phony, he strikes a classic pose as he aims a banana at Curly's mouth.
"Micro-Phonies" is a Three Stooges classic, no question about it. Edward Bernds got things off to a bright start, and he would continue to direct numerous other Three Stooges gems for the next seven years.