''Spook Louder'' is a 1943

comedy mystery The comedy film is a film genre that emphasizes humor. These films are designed to amuse audiences and make them laugh. Films in this genre typically have a happy ending, with dark comedy being an exception to this rule. Comedy is one of the olde ...

short subject A short film is a film with a low running time. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) defines a short film as "an original motion picture that has a running time of not more than 40 minutes including all credits". Other film or ...

, directed by

Del Lord Delmer "Del" Lord (October 7, 1894March 23, 1970) was a Canadians, Canadian film director and actor best known as a director of Three Stooges films. Career Delmer Lord was born in the small town of Grimsby, Ontario, Canada. Interested in the the ...

starring American

slapstick Slapstick is a style of humor involving exaggerated physical activity that exceeds the boundaries of normal physical comedy. Slapstick may involve both intentional violence and violence by mishap, often resulting from inept use of props such as ...

comedy team

The Three Stooges The Three Stooges were an American vaudeville and comedy team active from 1922 until 1970, best remembered for their 190 short-subject films by Columbia Pictures. Their hallmark styles were physical, farce, and slapstick comedy. Six total ...

(

Moe Howard Moses Harry Horwitz (June 19, 1897 – May 4, 1975), better known by his stage name Moe Howard, was an American comedian and actor. He is best known as the leader and straight man of the Three Stooges, the farce comedy team who starred in motion ...

Larry Fine Louis Feinberg (October 4, 1902 – January 24, 1975), better known by his stage name Larry Fine, was an American actor, comedian and musician. He is best known as a member of the comedy act the Three Stooges and was often called "The Middle St ...

and

Curly Howard Jerome Lester Horwitz (October 22, 1903 – January 18, 1952), better known by his stage name Curly Howard, was an American comedian and actor. He was a member of The Three Stooges comedy team, which also featured his elder brothers Moe and ...

). It is the 69th entry in the series released by

Columbia Pictures Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc., Trade name, doing business as Columbia Pictures, is an American film Production company, production and Film distributor, distribution company that is the flagship unit of the Sony Pictures Motion Picture Group ...

starring the comedians, who released 190 shorts for the studio between 1934 and 1959. The film is set in an eerie

mansion A mansion is a large dwelling house. The word itself derives through Old French from the Latin word ''mansio'' "dwelling", an abstract noun derived from the verb ''manere'' "to dwell". The English word ''manse'' originally defined a property l ...

. An inventor appoints the Stooges as the mansion's new caretakers. During his absence, spies attempt to steal his inventions. The Stooges have to defend the mansion from the intruders. The film was one of several

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

-era

propaganda films Propaganda Films (stylized as PЯOPAGAИDA FILMS) was a production company founded in Los Angeles in 1986 by American producer Steve Golin, Icelandic producer Sigurjón Sighvatsson, English director Nigel Dick, and American directors David Fi ...

featuring the Stooges, depicting the threat posed at the time by the hostile

Empire of Japan The Empire of Japan, also known as the Japanese Empire or Imperial Japan, was the Japanese nation state that existed from the Meiji Restoration on January 3, 1868, until the Constitution of Japan took effect on May 3, 1947. From Japan–Kor ...

. The film features the

running joke A running gag, or running joke, is a literary device that takes the form of an amusing joke or a comical reference and appears repeatedly throughout a work of literature or other form of storytelling. Though they are similar, catchphrases are not ...

of "a phantom pie-thrower".

Plot

During an interview with a newspaper reporter, Professor J.O. Dunkfeather narrates the story of Graves, a proficient master spy. Commencing with the Stooges portraying traveling salesmen, their unsuccessful attempts to market the "Miracle Reducing Machine" prompts their continued journey in dire need of funds to meet rent obligations. Fortuitously, the trio stumbles upon Graves' residence, where they are mistakenly assumed to be the new caretakers. Graves, en route to Washington, D.C., entrusts his eerie mansion to the Stooges, intending to return after testing his revolutionary

death ray The death ray or death beam is a theoretical particle beam or electromagnetic weapon first theorized around the 1920s and 1930s. Around that time, notable inventors such as Guglielmo Marconi, Nikola Tesla, Harry Grindell Matthews, Edwin R. Scott ...

machine. Meanwhile, nefarious spies in

Halloween costume Halloween costumes are costumes worn on Halloween, typically while trick-or-treating (going door to door to ask for treats). Although traditionally based on frightening supernatural or folkloric beings, by the 1930s costumes based on character ...

s emerge, unsettling the Stooges. The Stooges become further agitated by unexplained

cream pie A cream pie, crème pie, or creme pie is a type of pie filled with a rich custard or pudding that is made from milk, cream, sugar, wheat flour, and Egg (food), eggs and typically topped with whipped cream. Cream pies are usually what is used for ...

projectiles, seemingly propelled by an enigmatic pie-throwing apparition. Cornered by the spies, the Stooges employ a bomb provided by Graves, effectively subduing the criminals and safeguarding Graves' confidential inventions. The narrative returns to the present as the inquisitive reporter seeks the identity of the mysterious pie-thrower. Dunkfeather initially claims responsibility but is contradicted when a pie suddenly materializes, casting doubt on his account.

Production notes

The title ''Spook Louder'' is a pun combining the request "speak louder" with the "spooks" of a mansion. It is a remake of the 1931

Mack Sennett Mack Sennett (born Michael Sinnott; January 17, 1880 – November 5, 1960) was a Canadian-American producer, director, actor, and studio head who was known as the "King of Comedy" during his career. Born in Danville, Quebec, he started acting i ...

film ''The Great Pie Mystery''. Co-stars Charles Middleton and

Ted Lorch Theodore Lorch (September 29, 1873 – November 12, 1947) was an American film actor. He appeared in more than 140 films between 1908 and 1947. Biography Born in Springfield, Illinois, in 1873, Lorch appeared in several Three Stooges comed ...

also appeared together in the 1936 serial ''

Flash Gordon Flash Gordon is the protagonist of a space adventure comic strip created and originally drawn by Alex Raymond. First published January 7, 1934, the strip was inspired by, and created to compete with, the already established ''Buck Rogers'' ...

''. This was Middleton's only appearance in a Stooge short. Filmed on July 17–21, 1942, ''Spook Louder'' was one of several

-era Stooges shorts that engaged in

propaganda Propaganda is communication that is primarily used to influence or persuade an audience to further an agenda, which may not be objective and may be selectively presenting facts to encourage a particular synthesis or perception, or using loaded l ...

against the then-enemy Japanese, with others including ''

No Dough Boys ''No Dough Boys'' is a 1944 short subject directed by Jules White starring American slapstick comedy team The Three Stooges (Moe Howard, Larry Fine and Curly Howard). It is the 82nd entry in the series released by Columbia Pictures starring the ...

'', ''

Booby Dupes ''Booby Dupes'' is a 1945 short subject directed by Del Lord starring American slapstick comedy team The Three Stooges (Moe Howard, Larry Fine and Curly Howard). It is the 84th entry in the series released by Columbia Pictures starring the comed ...

'' and, notably, ''

The Yoke's on Me ''The Yoke's on Me'' is a 1944 short film, short subject directed by Jules White starring American slapstick comedy team The Three Stooges (Moe Howard, Larry Fine and Curly Howard). It is the 79th entry in the series released by Columbia Picture ...

''.

Reception

The Stooge films released between 1942 and 1944 were considered to be a step down in quality from previous entries made between 1935 and 1941. ''Spook Louder'', in particular, was singled out by author

Ted Okuda Ted Okuda (born December 8, 1953) is an American non-fiction author and film historian. He has many books and magazine features to his credit, under his own name and in collaboration with others. Career Okuda's long-held interest in movie comedies ...

as "their worst picture in some time. The story of a phantom pie-thrower is a repetitious one-joke affair devoid of laughs."

In popular culture

Several scenes from ''Spook Louder'' appear in the 1992 film ''

Radio Flyer Radio Flyer is an American toy company best known for its popular red toy wagon. Radio Flyer also produces scooters, tricycles, bicycles, horses, and ride-ons. The company was founded in 1917 and is based in Chicago, Illinois. History Antonio Pa ...

''.

References

External links

*
''Spook Louder'' at threestooges.net
{{Authority control 1943 films 1940s comedy mystery films 1943 comedy films 1943 short films 1940s spy comedy films The Three Stooges films American black-and-white films Cultural depictions of Adolf Hitler American World War II films Films directed by Del Lord Columbia Pictures short films American comedy mystery films 1940s English-language films 1940s American films Films about salespeople Films set in country houses American World War II propaganda shorts English-language short films English-language war films English-language comedy mystery films