The Three Stooges Go Around the World in a Daze
The Three Stooges Go Around the World in a Daze is the fifth feature film made by The Three Stooges after their 1959 resurgence in popularity. By this time, the trio consisted of Moe Howard, Larry Fine, and Joe DeRita (dubbed "Curly Joe"). Directed by Howard's son-in-law Norman Maurer, the film was loosely based on the Jules Verne classic Around the World in Eighty Days.
The Three Stooges Go Around the World in a Daze | |
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Directed by | Norman Maurer |
Produced by | Norman Maurer |
Written by | Norman Maurer |
Based on | Around the World in Eighty Days by Jules Verne |
Starring | Moe Howard Larry Fine Joe DeRita Jay Sheffield Joan Freeman |
Music by | Paul Dunlap |
Cinematography | Irving Lippman |
Edited by | Edwin H. Bryant |
Distributed by | Columbia Pictures |
Release date |
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Running time | 93:01 |
Country | United States |
Language | English |
Box office | $1,000,000[1] |
Plot
Phileas Fogg III (Jay Sheffield), great-grandson of the original Phileas Fogg, accepts a bet to duplicate his great-grandfather's famous trip around the world in response to a challenge made by Randolph Stuart III, the descendant of the original Fogg's nemesis. Unbeknownst to anyone, however, "Stuart" is the infamous con man Vicker Cavendish (Peter Forster) who made the bet in order to cover up his robbing the bank of England by framing Fogg for the crime.
With him in this plot is his weaselly Cockney co-conspirator Filch (Walter Burke). This makes for a dangerous journey for Fogg and his servants (the Stooges) and Amelia Carter (Joan Freeman), whom they rescue from thugs during a train ride. On the way, they also: try to steal a cream pie from the galley of a Turkey-bound British cargo ship (and poke the cook in his fat behind with a gaff in the process); watch an elaborate Indian dance at a maharajah's palace, where blind-as-a-bat Curly Joe also regales the maharajah and the viceroy with knife throwing—until his disguise falls off; get captured in China by the Chinese Army, and survive Communist brainwashing in Shanghai with their interrogators turning into Chinese Stooge clones (Moe tells the Chinese general, "No brainee to washee!"). The disgusted Chinese set them adrift in a small boat; use Curly Joe's music-provoked strength to cadge food, clothes, and a trip to San Francisco from the manager of the monstrous sumo Itchy Kitchy (Iau Kea) after a demonstration in a park in Tokyo; stow away in a moving van, supposedly headed for New York. Of course, they are caught, and arrested in Canada by the British inspector (the Stooges and Amelia fake British accents so the inspector will arrest them too).
Back in London, they cross paths again with the two conspirators, again disguised as police—and armed. Of course, the Stooges win out, and, as with the original Phileas Fogg, his descendant miscalculated by one day and still has a chance. Curly Joe gets behind the wheel of the Bobbies' paddy wagon and speeds across London, and young Fogg wins the bet—crashing into the Reformer's Club with two seconds to spare.
Cast
- Moe Howard as Moe
- Larry Fine as Larry
- Joe DeRita as Curly Joe
- Jay Sheffield as Phileas Fogg, III
- Joan Freeman as Amelia Carter
- Walter Burke as Lory Filch
- Peter Forster as Vickers Cavendish/"Stuart"
- Maurice Dallimore as Inspector J. B. Crotchet
- Richard Devon as Maharajah
- Anthony Eustrel as Kandu
- Iau Kea as Itchi Kitchi
- Robert Kino as Charlie Okuma
- Phil Arnold as Referee
- Emil Sitka as Butler at Reformer's Club
- Laurie Main as a member of the Reformer's Club
References
- Solomon, Jon (2002). The Complete Three Stooges: The Official Filmography and Three Stooges Companion. Comedy III Productions, Inc. pp. 538–541. ISBN 0-9711868-0-4.