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==Plot==
==Plot==
The Stooges are firefighters whose penchant for off-duty pursuits frequently lands them in trouble. Threatened with dismissal by their superior, Captain Ashe, due to repeated negligence, the trio faces heightened scrutiny. Amidst their assigned task of cleaning fire hoses, a mishap ensues when Curly inadvertently damages the hoses, leading to a precarious situation that nearly costs them their employment.
The Stooges are [[Firefighter|firemen]] who are constantly getting in trouble. After missing their umpteenth fire call, they are warned by their superior Captain Ashe ([[Stanley Blystone]]) that one more incident will cost them their jobs. They then proceeded back to work, in this case, cleaning the fire hoses. In the midst of the action, a new coupé that Captain Ashe has purchased is delivered to the station. Curly rolls out the hose into the street. But in the process, the hoses are cut by a passing streetcar, with Curly starting to identify them after the first names of the young [[Dionne quintuplets]]. In frustration, Moe wrings Curly’s hands on the wringers and he and Larry started spanking Curly with the cut-off fire hoses which almost costs them their jobs.


Simultaneously, Curly's clandestine rendezvous with his girlfriend, Maisie, escalates when he attempts to involve Moe and Larry in the outing. However, their plans are thwarted by Moe's strict adherence to duty, resulting in a comedic struggle for freedom initiated by Larry. Desperate to escape, Curly resorts to triggering a false fire alarm, unwittingly causing chaos within the fire station.
Meanwhile, Curly sneaks out to visit his girlfriend Maisie (Beatrice Curtis) to celebrate her birthday despite the restrictions. She has two friends who need dates, so Curly tries to get Moe and Larry to join him. The two other girls are named Mimi (Beatrice Blinn) and Minnie ([[June Gittelson]]), the latter being tall, heavy set, and quite determined to secure a boyfriend. She even aggressively pursues a very reluctant Curly when it becomes apparent that the restrictions are going to prevent Moe and Larry from joining the party. Larry attempts to go anyway, but is stopped by Moe at the fire pole by pulling his hair. Moe then goes to the stock room holding Larry by the hair, and locks the door to prevent Larry from leaving. But Larry fights back, and the key goes into the sink in the melee. Moe then proceeds to use Larry as a plunger to retrieve the key. Just then, Curly realizes that the only way he knows to get Moe and Larry out of the fire station is to pull a fire alarm, so he decides to activate it. The firemen respond to the call, but without Larry and Moe. Realizing the alarm, they force themselves out, and down through the fire pole. They found that the firemen have left them, so they decided to use Captain Ashe's new coupé.


Upon discovering Curly's ploy, Moe and Larry join the group, and a reckless escapade ensues as they race through town in Captain Ashe's newly acquired coupé. Their reckless driving culminates in a collision, trapping them and their companions in the vehicle. Amidst the chaos, a series of comedic confrontations unfold, involving Curly's love interests and a farcical physical altercation. As the chaos escalates, the damaged coupé becomes a source of further trouble, culminating in a chaotic pursuit by Captain Ashe and the fire crew. Fleeing in a Bekins van, the Stooges narrowly evade capture.
They go to the alarm location, finding Curly and the three girlfriends waiting for them. Moe is irate by the false alarm, but sensing the approaching fire truck (and Captain Ashe), they decide to take the coupé back to the station. All six ride the car all through town dodging cars and streetcars until they hit the lamppost. All the passengers are trapped in the trunk except for Moe who lands outside. Moe, assisted by concerned pedestrians, retrieves them out of the car, but with their egos bruised, the three girlfriends scoot off in a huff. However, before this happens, Minnie (sporting a large black eye) gets into a comical face slapping match with Curly.

The Stooges push the battered coupé out of the accident scene, but forgot to shut it off. The car goes in its own power in the street, back to the fire station. It goes out again, and Captain Ashe realizes that it is his car that is in trouble. The car ends up into an open [[Wheaton World Wide Moving|Bekins]] van, and as they closed the door, the car's engine exploded. The fire truck, with the angry Captain Ashe and the whole fire crew who threatens to kill them by using fire hooks and fire axes as melee weapons, chases the Stooges. Sensing Ashe, they escape in the van, smoking car and all.


==Production notes==
==Production notes==
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* Max Factor Make-up Studio
* Max Factor Make-up Studio
* Remington Rand, Inc.
* Remington Rand, Inc.
* [[Safeway Inc.|Safeway]] Stores at 5635 Melrose Avenue<ref>{{Cite web |last=Now |first=Chris Bungo Studios Filming Locations Then and |title=Chris Bungo Studios Filming Locations Then and Now |url=https://ChrisBungoStudios.com |access-date=2024-09-17 |website=Chris Bungo Studios Filming Locations Then and Now |language=en-US}}</ref>
* [[Safeway Inc.|Safeway]] Stores
* Ashley Apartments
* Ashley Apartments
* Bekins movers
* Bekins movers
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{{The Three Stooges}}
{{The Three Stooges}}
{{Stooges Filmography (1934–1946)}}

{{Authority control}}
[[Category:1936 films]]
[[Category:1936 films]]
[[Category:1936 comedy films]]
[[Category:1936 comedy films]]
[[Category:The Three Stooges films]]
[[Category:The Three Stooges films]]
⚫
[[Category:American short films]]
[[Category:Films about firefighting]]
[[Category:Films about firefighting]]
[[Category:American black-and-white films]]
[[Category:American black-and-white films]]
[[Category:Films directed by Del Lord]]
[[Category:Films directed by Del Lord]]
[[Category:Columbia Pictures short films]]
[[Category:Columbia Pictures short films]]
[[Category:American comedy films]]
[[Category:American comedy short films]]
[[Category:1930s English-language films]]
[[Category:1930s English-language films]]
⚫
[[Category:1930s American films]]

Latest revision as of 16:38, 17 September 2024

False Alarms
Directed byDel Lord
Written byJohn Grey
Produced byJules White
StarringMoe Howard
Larry Fine
Curly Howard
Stanley Blystone
June Gittelson
Beatrice Curtis
Beatrice Blinn
John Grey
CinematographyBenjamin H. Kline
Edited byCharles Hochberg
Distributed byColumbia Pictures
Release date
  • August 16, 1936 (1936-08-16) (U.S.)
Running time
16:48
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

False Alarms is a 1936 short subject directed by Del Lord starring American slapstick comedy team The Three Stooges (Moe Howard, Larry Fine and Curly Howard). It is the 17th entry in the series released by Columbia Pictures starring the comedians, who released 190 shorts for the studio between 1934 and 1959.

Plot

[edit]

The Stooges are firefighters whose penchant for off-duty pursuits frequently lands them in trouble. Threatened with dismissal by their superior, Captain Ashe, due to repeated negligence, the trio faces heightened scrutiny. Amidst their assigned task of cleaning fire hoses, a mishap ensues when Curly inadvertently damages the hoses, leading to a precarious situation that nearly costs them their employment.

Simultaneously, Curly's clandestine rendezvous with his girlfriend, Maisie, escalates when he attempts to involve Moe and Larry in the outing. However, their plans are thwarted by Moe's strict adherence to duty, resulting in a comedic struggle for freedom initiated by Larry. Desperate to escape, Curly resorts to triggering a false fire alarm, unwittingly causing chaos within the fire station.

Upon discovering Curly's ploy, Moe and Larry join the group, and a reckless escapade ensues as they race through town in Captain Ashe's newly acquired coupé. Their reckless driving culminates in a collision, trapping them and their companions in the vehicle. Amidst the chaos, a series of comedic confrontations unfold, involving Curly's love interests and a farcical physical altercation. As the chaos escalates, the damaged coupé becomes a source of further trouble, culminating in a chaotic pursuit by Captain Ashe and the fire crew. Fleeing in a Bekins van, the Stooges narrowly evade capture.

Production notes

[edit]

False Alarms was filmed on location in Los Angeles, California on May 19–22, 1936.[1] The following landmarks appear in the film:

  • Fire station: Engine No. 61 and Truck No. 61 (at 5821 West 3rd Street)
  • Carl X Folsom Modern Motor Service (at 200 North Larchmont Boulevard)
  • Max Factor Make-up Studio
  • Remington Rand, Inc.
  • Safeway Stores at 5635 Melrose Avenue[2]
  • Ashley Apartments
  • Bekins movers
  • Ozarks Drugstore
  • Los Angeles Railway trolley No. 400
  • Silvertown Tires[1]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b Pauley, Jim (2012). The Three Stooges Hollywood Filming Locations. Solana Beach, California: Santa Monica Press, LLC. pp. 97–105. ISBN 9781595800701.
  2. ^ Now, Chris Bungo Studios Filming Locations Then and. "Chris Bungo Studios Filming Locations Then and Now". Chris Bungo Studios Filming Locations Then and Now. Retrieved 2024-09-17.
[edit]
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