User Reviews

"Pardon My Backfire," the second of the 3-D shorts the Stooges made, is one of the funniest Shemp shorts. It is incredibly violent, and the scene where the ignition wire goes into Larry's head is … well … incredible. There are also plenty of other violent scenes as well that play out well!

One interesting sight gag for me is that we see 1920s and early '30s cars in the garage, and it was filmed in 1953. While many people would not pay attention to this detail, I thought it added to the surrealism of this short.

And speaking of surrealism: Yeah, the 3-D effects may be cheesy as hell, but they add to the charm of this short! I always love watching this short!

"Pardon My Backfire" is another Three Stooges short, this one from 1953, so it has its 65th anniversary this year, as always in b&w with sound and made by White and Adler. Curly had died at that point already and Shemp was a permanent member. This one here combines the usual components found in Stooges shorts post WWII during the Shemp years: they work in normal jobs, really mess up there, have some trouble with the girls who are not pushing them around yet before the marriage and they run into a bunch of criminals that they manage to take care of way more through luck than competence. The cast includes some actors who starred in supporting roles in other Stooges works too. Let them have their girls and I take Mrs. Bartay I'd say. Boy is she stunning in here. Story-wise, it is not only not great, but also guilty pleasure potential at best, a film you will like if you love the Stooges (more than I do), but not one that is gonna turn you into a fan or anything. Then again chances are basically zero you will watch this one without having seen any other from their works. Fire and metal are not enough to make this one work and the long horn noise sequence in the first half is truly irritating in a bad way. I f this was intended for us to feel the Stooges' anger, then it was definitely not successful. The biggest flaw in these 16 minute it was and I suggest you watch something else instead.

"Pardon My Backfire" is a funny Three Stooges short that ranks rather high in the violence department. Add to that the effects of 3-D, and you have a ridiculously exaggerated trajectory of thrown objects. In this film, Larry, Shemp, and Moe operate a garage where they need to earn enough money so that they can marry their sweethearts.

My favorite scenes: At the dinner table, the Stooges and their fiancées pass plates of food to each other in tempo to a nicely orchestrated version of "O Susannah". The chief villain (Benny Rubin) accidentally delivers a punch to his girlfriend (Barbara Bartay) and then gets his nose drilled. Larry applies a blowtorch to Moe's behind. Larry also seems to be highly abusive toward Shemp in the scene where Larry has trouble shutting off a persistent car horn.

One final point: "Pardon My Backfire" has a couple of gags that are a little too painful to watch: Moe applies a rasp on Larry's forehead, and Larry gets an ignition wire shoved up his nose and out his right ear!

Second Stooges 3-D film really doesn't have a plot. During a dinner the Stooges fiancés' father won't let them marry until they make their fortune. The boys work in a garage after the brief opening the film switches to that location. They go through car related mayhem before in the closing minutes a radio report comes in about wanted gangsters and a reward. Who should show up but the gangsters and their moll with car trouble. There is no plot only 3-D effects and to be quite honest as anything other than a 3-D show case the film is awful. Its just attempts at showing depth and things thrown at the audience. I'm not a huge fan of the Stooges but this is one of their worst films. Sure I would have loved this as part of a 3-D show but as a stand alone (and even as part of a 3-D show) its pretty poor. The effects are good, but there is nothing connecting them together.

This is also a part of the Mad magician in Blu- ray 3D package.The second three stooges short in 3D.I seen the Anaglyph version.but this one is technically a lot better more dimensional.Containing the typical burlesque violence that the boys do in their shorts,but,popping out in 3D.Benny Rubin's also in this film portraying a gangster.The boys cannot marry their girl friends unless they make more money.In their auto mechanic shop as they are having trouble fixing a car.The radio announcer states that a bunch of gangsters are on the loose and a reward is being offered.Benny and his gang shows up with his moll ,portrayed by Barbara Bartay.For a while the boys don't realize that their customers are the gang for the moment.When they do the gang tries to get rid of them.The girls come to the rescued when bringing some police as some new customers and the boys are able to get the reward,but not from their girls, for turning the gangsters in.Very funny and entertaining.01/15/16