"Pies and Guys" is, in my opinion, one of the best of the sixteen Three Stooges shorts that Moe and Larry made with Joe Besser. This is largely because this short is virtually a scene-for-scene, line-for-line remake of the last Stooge short with Curly, "Half-Wits Holiday" (1947).
Obviously, the main highlight of "Pies and Guys" is the climactic pie fight after the Stooges prove to Professor Quackenbush (Milton Frome) that no matter how hard anyone tries to make gentlemen of them, nobody will succeed. Some might complain that the pie fight stock footage from "Half-Wits Holiday" is rather stale, as it has been reused in two other Stooge shorts with Shemp ("Pest Man Wins" [1951] and "Scheming Schemers" [1956]). But it is still quite good, with my only concern being that Joe Besser could have made more of a contribution to it in the new footage. (In fact, when he gets hit with the second pie, he appears to be crying!) One author found it very painful to watch "Half-Wits Holiday," knowing that Curly was about to suffer a stroke before filming the pie fight scene. But, as this author pointed out, "Pies and Guys" can be watched without that particular distraction.
Other highlights include the Stooges' hilarious lessons in reading and applying proper table manners, which of course frustrate the professor. I feel that Joe Besser really fits into his childish Stooge mannerisms in this short, and despite the fact that Moe and Larry are well past middle age, they do a bang-up job as well. So overall, "Pies and Guys" is a wonderful Three Stooges short. When given the chance, Joe Besser can be a real treat to watch in his Stooge films with Moe and Larry.
Obviously, the main highlight of "Pies and Guys" is the climactic pie fight after the Stooges prove to Professor Quackenbush (Milton Frome) that no matter how hard anyone tries to make gentlemen of them, nobody will succeed. Some might complain that the pie fight stock footage from "Half-Wits Holiday" is rather stale, as it has been reused in two other Stooge shorts with Shemp ("Pest Man Wins" [1951] and "Scheming Schemers" [1956]). But it is still quite good, with my only concern being that Joe Besser could have made more of a contribution to it in the new footage. (In fact, when he gets hit with the second pie, he appears to be crying!) One author found it very painful to watch "Half-Wits Holiday," knowing that Curly was about to suffer a stroke before filming the pie fight scene. But, as this author pointed out, "Pies and Guys" can be watched without that particular distraction.
Other highlights include the Stooges' hilarious lessons in reading and applying proper table manners, which of course frustrate the professor. I feel that Joe Besser really fits into his childish Stooge mannerisms in this short, and despite the fact that Moe and Larry are well past middle age, they do a bang-up job as well. So overall, "Pies and Guys" is a wonderful Three Stooges short. When given the chance, Joe Besser can be a real treat to watch in his Stooge films with Moe and Larry.