Three Arabian Nuts (1951) User Reviews

Sound-Effects Dominate This Adventure

[ccthemovieman-1 · 8/10 · 23 May 2007]

The most pronounced feature in this Three Stooges short might be the sound effects. They are everywhere, especially with broken china noise. Clanks, bonks, yeoows, poofs, glass breaking, heads breaking....probably a hundred different sounds. Don't watch this one if you have a headache because it's loud.

The humor highlight is the last five minutes in which we have a Stooges favorite - a chase scene through a hall and several rooms. Innocent people like "Mr. Bradley" (Vernon Dent, who was on a million of these shows), along with the Stooges and two Arabian thieves all take their lumps - big-time.

The key part of the story is a genie appearing from a magic lamp. The Stooges call him "genius" instead of "genie." Shemp later calls him "Amos," which sounds a bit racial. Shemp accidentally rubs the lamp and gets the first wish. Not being too bright, Shemp asks for a new suit. Larry proves to be even dumber when he gets a free wish and Moe looks even dumber than the other two guys.

Anyway, without going into all the details, this Stooges effort started a bit weak but finished very strong. The line that made me laugh out loud was Shemp saying, "I suppose you think I'm scared" after we see his heart literally bouncing around inside his shirt. (It's better seen than described). Also, only in the Stooges can a guy (Moe) deliberately pour scalding coffee on a person's hand (Larry) and make it funny.

Stupid? Yes, but these guys are still funny and probably will make people laugh 100 years from now.

Stooges Short with "Aladdin" Gimmick is Amusing

[hypestyle · 6/10 · 1 July 2023]

This early 1950s Three Stooges short finds the hapless heroes as deliverymen working for a businessman. The title of the short is a play on words from "Arabian Nights".

Vernon Dent, a frequent Stooges supporting player (appearing in as many as 60 shorts), is Mr. Bradley, the businessman collector who the Stooges are working for. In the middle of the usual slapstick and physical comedy hijinks, Shemp discovers a simple oil lamp and decides to rub it: A genie is produced in an explosion of smoke (Wesley Bly). Meanwhile, two suspicious men of purported Middle Eastern descent (Dick Curtis and Philip Van Zandt) are searching for the magic lamp themselves.

More crazy calamities ensue as the villains stalk the Stooges and the genie-- named Amos-- is occasionally used by each of the Stooges to conjure random fortune-- or misfortune.

Moe, Larry and Shemp are largely in fine form, and handle this adventure with aplomb. It would likely have had a differing context with Curley Howard in the mix, but health problems derailed his tenure in the Stooges a few years before this was produced.

The simple plot is easy enough to follow. The stunt gags are mostly funny.

Sidebar: Oklahoma native Wesley Bly (1909 - 1959), who played the genie, had a mostly uncredited career in Hollywood, mostly playing the "typical" roles relegated for Black Americans at that time (tribal African, nightclub attendant, hotel valet).

Best of the Shemp Flicks

[drdave · 6/10 · 4 July 1999]

Granted, the 3 Stooges without Curly are, for the most part, not worth watching. However, Three Arabian Nuts manages quite well. If you are a Shemp fan (you sick person!) then you must get this one.

Genie in a Lamp....

[simeon_flake · 9/10 · 24 December 2014]

I think this short sets the record for number of uses of the broken glass sound effect. A classic 1951 effort by Edward Bernds--but then again, with one big exception (Merry Mavericks), Mr. Bernds didn't direct a bad short during his tenure with Moe, Larry and Shemp.

And I'll state that I don't mind Shemp calling the Genius of the Lamp "Amos." Believe me, when it comes to portrayals of African-Americans in old movies, I've seen much worse.

That image of Shemp in his zoot suit also ranks as one of Shemp's greatest stooge moments. And, the short is aided by the always welcome presence of exasperated straightman, Vernon Dent.

Overall--if you like Shemp--then "Three Arabian Nuts" should definitely be up your alley.

9/10

Great Three Stooges Shemp short!

[Movie Nuttball · 10/10 · 2 March 2005]

The Three Stooges has always been some of the many actors that I have loved. I love just about every one of the shorts that they have made. I love all six of the Stooges (Curly, Shemp, Moe, Larry, Joe, and Curly Joe)! All of the shorts are hilarious and also star many other great actors and actresses which a lot of them was in many of the shorts! In My opinion The Three Stooges is some of the greatest actors ever and is the all time funniest comedy team!

One of the most different Three Stooges shorts is Three Arabian Nuts. In this short are Vernon Dent, Philip Van Zandt, Dick Curtis, and Wesley Bly. The acting by these actors are good especially by Zandt and Curtis. There are many funny scenes here that I think most Three Stooges fans will love! In My opinion this one of the most different Three Stooges shorts. I strongly recommend this one!

"Don't you worry. We're gentle as a flock of kittens."

[slymusic · 2 September 2009]

"Three Arabian Nuts" is a hilarious Three Stooges film directed by Edward Bernds. It probably holds the record for the highest number of breakages ever to occur in a comedy short! Moe, Larry, and Shemp work for the Superior Warehouse & Storage Company, where they assist Mr. Bradley, a collector of highly valuable china, in delivering his various pieces to his household. Among the china is a magic lamp with a genie!

My favorite scenes: When Shemp acquires his new zoot suit from the genie (Wesley Bly), he excitedly scampers around to show Moe, but Larry tells the genie to return Shemp's original wardrobe. When Moe sees Shemp underneath a desk, he asks Shemp what he's looking for, and Shemp answers, "A million dollars. It's around here somewhere." Larry gives a hilarious reaction when he opens a "curtain" and encounters an Arab. When the two Arabs (Philip Van Zandt and Dick Curtis) chase the Stooges, Larry spots Mr. Bradley (Vernon Dent) with an ice bag & cloth on his head; figuring Bradley to be an Arab, Larry knocks him out! In the end, when Mr. Bradley finds out that the lamp he gave away to Shemp is a magic lamp, Bradley grabs a hammer and beats himself with it.

Again, "Three Arabian Nuts" is a fine Stooge short. However, it seems to me that Shemp's idea of calling the genie "Amos" is inexcusably racist.