THE PLOT
The Stooges are inventors desperately trying to obtain a patent for their fly catching invention. Whilst learning they must catch 100,000 flies to get their patent, their conversation is overheard by several crooks across the hallway. Unfortunately, the crooks think Curly has $100,000. A flirtatious woman (Christine McIntyre) who is part of the nest of crooks corners the gullible Curly and tries to finagle the non-existent money out of him. When he confesses that the 100,000 are indeed flies and not dollars, she turns against him, and has the crooks go after the Stooges.
The trio take cover in a sporting goods store where Curly accidentally shoots a mannequin. In their infinite wisdom, the Stooges believe they have killed a real human, and go about trying to bury the "body" in a nearby pet cemetery. Unfortunately, the cemetery's night watchman (Snub Pollard) sees the Stooges prowling around and informs cemetery owner Philip Black (Vernon Dent), who happens to be attending a masquerade party with his partners. The owner arrives at the cemetery, replete in the spookiest outfits possible, and scare the bejesus out of the Stooges.
TRIVIA
Three Pests in a Mess was filmed on June 22-26, 1944. It is a partial remake of the 1933 Paramount Pictures short film Sailors Beware! (also directed by Del Lord) and 1941 Columbia short film Ready, Willing But Unable. The concept of men trolling through a cemetery with a dead body dates back to Laurel and Hardy's 1928 silent film Habeas Corpus.
The syncopated, jazz-tinged version of "Three Blind Mice", first heard in GC6ZDMD Curly Howard: Gents Without Cents, makes its return with this film. This version would be used for the next two releases, as well as Three Loan Wolves, before being retired permanently. This version is played in the key of F major, while the key of G major was previously utilized.
This is the ninth of sixteen Stooge shorts with the word "three" in the title.
Curly's "Call for Philip Black" mimics the popular 'Call for Philip Morris' cigarette advertisements of the period.
A prop man dug a hole and covered it with rubber to achieve the effect of Larry sliding under the door at the cemetery. They quickly pulled him under, and filmed the shot as a speed shot.
The math is wrong: they calculate a penny a fly, and since they need $100, 10,000 flies would be needed, and not 100,000 as stated.
PERSONAL OBSERVATIONS
Watching these shorts in chronological order, the previous short, GC6ZFH7 Curly Howard: No Dough Boys was fairly unwatchable, but this short is redemption. Despite a haggard looking Curly, his performance is still very funny, as seen in the clips below.
There is some "funny at the time but not funny now" racial humor that probably was cut out of television showings of this short.
This short was one of those "scary" shorts when we were kids.
THE CACHE IS NOT AT THE POSTED COORDINATES.
Watch the following short Curly clips
Curly's Flycatcher: Episode 83 Three Pests In A Mess Clip1
Curly's Wardrobe: Episode 83 Three Pests In A Mess Clip2
COMPUTE how many flies the Stooges would have to catch to make their first ten dollars. DIVIDE this amount by the number of stories in the flycatcher. ADD this new result to the last three digits of the posted North coordinates.
MULTIPLY the suite number of the office Curly gets pulled into BY the number of dress shirts Curly is wearing. ADD this result to the last three digits of the posted West coordinates.
Have fun! Get the family involved.
Curly Code: 878-244