User Reviews

"Wham-Bam-Slam!" is a relatively unusual name for a Three Stooges short film, but the rest here is the same as always, almost painfully usual. This applies to the runtime as well as to White, Adler and Bruckman, who have worked on a lot involving the trio and this is a later effort here with Curly sadly dead already and Shemp also close to his surprising death. Also, like many others of theirs, it is a remake of a previous work, but also once again one that does not necessarily justify a remake. It is about Shemp's state of health early on here, but the film qucikly and unrealistically moves into completely other directions. It wasn't too entertaining to be honest. A bit of everything, but not enough of anything. The bullying wives are something you also find often in Stooges short films. One thing that felt a bit different here is that Larry does a bit more poking and bullying than usual, but I felt it did not suit him too well. You can watch it if you love the Stooges, but honestly if you are skipping this one, you are not doing it wrong. One more example of how the Stooges may have lacked creativity in their later years, but then again can you really blame them after these uncountable works they came up with before this one already. I give it a thumbs-down. Not recommended.

Directed by Jules White, with stock footage from 1948's "Pardon My Clutch" (under Edward Bernds' direction), "Wham-Bam-Slam!" is actually a pretty good Three Stooges remake. Most Stooge fans probably do not think very highly of the cheap stock footage remakes that were churned out beginning in 1953, but this particular short contains quite a number of memorable gags in both new and old footage.

Highlights: By far the funniest scene in this short is the new footage of the live lobster in Shemp's foot bath, especially when Larry and Moe dance around while Shemp hops on his unbitten foot. The Stooges set up their tent indoors and break several valuables (stock footage). Shemp mistakenly eats a powder puff instead of a pancake, thus spewing powder from his mouth and ears (new footage). After taking two pills, Shemp "skips an hour" by unwillingly jumping rope (stock footage). Moe, Larry, and Larry's friend Claude A. Quacker (Matt McHugh) cause even more hijinks when they try to pull Shemp's bad tooth (stock footage). And finally, Larry and Shemp try to remove a flat tire, causing Moe a lot of agony when the entire car lands on his foot (stock footage).

"Wham-Bam-Slam!" is a Stooge short that is definitely worth seeing, even if it is a remake. The ending is rather abrupt, but at least Larry gets to do some head-conking!