Customer Reviews

The Three Stooges Go Around the World in a Daze

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

My favorite Three Stooges film of the 1960s features deserves much better.

Columbia's DVD presents THE THREE STOOGES GO AROUND THE WORLD IN A DAZE in its original widescreen format. But although it's advertised as "remastered," the visual quality leaves much to be desired... grainy overall, with several low contrast moments.

Even though no classic Curly or Shemp short subject is included as a bonus, they advertised the DVD to include trailers. BUT, they aren't Stooge trailers... just three trailers for other upcoming Columbia comedy discs.

Columbia dropped the retail price ... It wasn't enough. This DVD's presentation quality is not much better than some bargain basement pd vendors...

Message to Columbia & Sony: between the Stooges' great legacy, and the profitable property they've been to you for the past 70 years... the fans and the Stooges deserve better! Very disappointing DVD!!!

Phileas Fogg III (great-grandson of the hero of Jules Verne's story) is a Englishman who likes his life run precisely on schedule, aided by his servants Moe, Larry and Curly-Joe. And then, just as he is beginning to feel that it is time to break the order, along comes a man who challenges him to go around the world in 80 days, but without using any of his own money. Phileas accepts the challenge and takes off, little realizing that he is a being used by a criminal mastermind, who has already framed him for a bank robbery, and now wants him dead. Can Phileas, aided by his three wacky servants survive...and win the bet? [Black and White, released in 1963, with a running time of 1 hour, 33 minutes.]

This movie was made when the Stooges were enjoying a later-in-life renaissance of popularity, and needed to make some money. (They didn't do well off of their shorts, but that's a different story.) The boys are older in this movie, and more subdued. ("Uh-uh, that's a 21. We don't do that anymore.") That said, though, it is great to see the boys in a full-length movie, up to their old hijinks. If you are a Three Stooges fan, then I highly recommend that you get this movie!

"The Three Stooges Go Around the World in a Daze" is a charmingly amusing Stooges excursion as it takes the boys to many exotic locales (although some of them are obviously within the confines of a studio). The opening credits even include an amusing apology to the original author, Jules Vern.
Phileas Fogg III (played with amiable optimism by Jay Sheffield) is challenged to bet his family fortune that he can't make the same journey his ancestor did--the catch being that he cannot spend one single shilling. Unbeknownst to Fogg, his rival is a notorious con artist who plans to frame Fogg for his criminal hi-jinks. So not only is Fogg racing against time to complete his journey in 80 days, he's dodging authorities at every turn.
The Stooges fit into this story as Fogg's faithful servants in London (even Moe has long sideburns at the start!). In spite of the usual Stooge bumblings, they manage to time breakfast, the morning paper & other agendas down to the last second to please their master.
Upon hearing of the bet, they insist on accompanying Fogg on his adventure, where in India, they rescue a kidnapped female (the obligatory leading lady & lovely Joan Freeman). There, the Stooges reprise the old "Rajah" routine--done better with the original Curly many shorts ago than Curly Joe here.
An earlier scene as stowaways on a ship provides some needed laughs as the Stooges cleverly steal food from the Chef, get caught, then turn the tables on their captors.
One of the best moments comes in satire: Held for interrogation by Chinese officials, their "best head-shrinkers" try to brainwash the Stooges. Instead, three Asian men emerge as dead ringers, poking eyes, slapping faces & creating chaos. The moral here: You cannot brainwash the Stooges; they have NO brains to wash!
In Tokyo (and San Francisco), the boys secure transportation by managing Curly Joe in fights against a behemoth of a Japanese wrestler. Again, another Stooges routine is dusted off as Curly Joe goes berserk every time Larry plays "Pop Goes the Weasel"--once again done better by Curly in the early "Punch Drunks" short.
After some false starts riding inside a furniture truck (which takes them off-course to Canada) and finally held at gunpoint by the con artist in England, the boys discover a miscalculation in time; they have just minutes to meet the deadline. A wild ride in a paddy wagon climaxes the film with a crash through a wall and some welcome slaps from Moe to Larry & Curly. The End.
The problem here is that the film comes across too mild in places. The laughs are uneven and the reprising of old routines come across too lumbering & pale compared to the originals.
However, it's a pleasing film throughout. The two romantic leads are appealing. All-in-all, another fun Stooges caper that gives more chuckles than guffaws.

Believe me I enjoyed the Three Stooges films of the early 60's and this is one of the best! An hour and a half of good slapstick with a tale from one of the classics of all time. I laughed out loud at the misadventures of our boys. Go buy this you numbskul!

This is by far, my all-time-favorite Three Stooges movie. A definate "must own!"
Their parody of the famous 'around the world in 80 days' is perfectly sprinkled with the antics we've always loved -from the great classic one-liners right on down to the usual slap-stick antics.
I've worn 2 VHS tapes out, and will be giving the DVD a run for its' money :)
The one bundled with it is not a bad choice, either. But then, I'm a bit biased since I've loved the 'stooges since I was a kid :)

The boys are not as funny as in the 1930-1940's, but this film ad's some extra excitement not found in any of the earlier works. I definately will recommend this to anyone, and expect a DVD release to come out sometime.

THE THREE STOOGES GO AROUND THE WORLD IN A DAZE (1963) is a great Three Stooges movie. It's a spoof of the classic Jules Verne story AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DAYS. The stooges are servants to Phileas Fogg's great-grandson, who plans to redo the classic trip around the world. This is a great movie, and it's fun to see the world. Emil Sitka stars as a butler for about 5 seconds.

Grade: A

You definitely won't regret buying this I sure didn't! It was great! It was soooo funny!

If I had to line up the films from good to worst, I would have to start with Snoe White meets The Tree Stooges, then The Three Stogees Around The world in a Daze, thenThe Three Stooges meet Hercules.
The Three Stooges in Orbit and Stop Look and Laugh do not even rate a true mentioning. Any othere that may exist, I do not believe I have seen.

THE THREE STOOGES GO AROUND THE WORLD IN A DAZE (1963) is a great Three Stooges movie. It's a spoof of the classic Jules Verne story AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DAYS. The stooges are servants to Phileas Fogg's great-grandson, who plans to redo the classic trip around the world. This is a great movie, and it's fun to see the world. Emil Sitka stars as a butler for about 5 seconds.

Grade: A