Some More of Samoa (1942) starring the Three Stooges (Moe Howard, Larry Fine, Curly Howard)
Some More of Samoa – Three Stooges Moe, Larry, Curly are tree surgeons who have to sail away to find a mate for a lonely tree!
Review
Some More of Samoa is a very funny, fast-paced Three Stooges short film. It begins with a cranky old millionaire, who’s driving his nurse crazy with his constant demands. Not for himself, but for his rare tree – the pucker less persimmons! The poor woman’s on roller skates to keep up! And the cantankerous man orders his Gardner to hire the best tree surgeons — and then fires the poor man! The tree surgeons are …
Dr. Howard, Dr. Fine, and Dr. Howard, of course! In their office, they’re dealing with a sickly tree of their own. After successful surgery, Curly gives it an injection of “p.d.q. vitamin” and it grows ridiculously quickly. Then they receive the call from the gardener. Curly packs their bag — including their wall phone, in case they get a call while they’re out — and they’re nearly off. Curly accidentally injects himself with the vitamin, and he grows to a giant’s height! So Moe “helpfully” beats him down to normal size with a hammer, and they’re off!
Curly for President T-shirt
At the millionaire’s mansion, the man’s wife has called for a doctor to look at her husband. But the Three Stooges show up as tree “doctors”, and the misunderstanding’s underway! The wife and nurse hear from outside the door them talking about cutting off a limb! A rotted limb of the tree, but they don’t know that. But soon Dr. Howard, Dr. Fine, Dr. Howard have their diagnosis — the poor tree is lonely! So the rich man offers them $10,000 to go off to the distant island of Rhum-Boogie and bring back its’ mate!
On the island
On the island, Curly’s disappeared — but Larry picks up his tracks, literally! Soon, Moe and Larry are captured by the natives, and taken to see the king. King Curly? Apparently, he won the crown from the previous king in a crooked dice game! And when the King figures it out, he’s very angry! But, he’ll spare Curly if he’ll marry his homely sister! But Curly would rather end up in the stew!
And despite chef Dudley Dickerson’s efforts, all three Stooges escape! And then, all they have to do is get the tree, and escape with their lives! Easy, right?
First, Curly finds the tree! But then he has to get it away from the protective four-armed idol. Then, the drops it! And an alligator eats it! So, Moe holds the gator’s upper jaw with his belt, Larry stands on the lower jaw, and Curly has to reach way in! But then the natives are restless – literally – and the Stooges run to their waiting boat! Which is as seaworthy as a sieve, and they bail it out as they try to escape, ending the short film.
Three Stooges bits
- During the tree operation, Moe calling for various instruments in gibberish, ending with him being hit with “Cotton!” (such as Men In Black and All Gummed Up)
Trivia
- The title, Some More of Samoa, is clearly a pun – pronounce it as “some mo’ a’ Samoa”. Since the Stooges go to the mythic island of Rhum-Boogie, not Samoa.
- The slap-happy idol gag was redone in Hula-La-La (1951).
- When Curly tells Moe to “Beat me, Daddy, down to the floor,” he is paraphrasing the lyrics of a popular song — “Beat me, Daddy, eight to the bar.”
- They reference Carnation’s motto, “milk from contented cows” – the natives live on “milk from contented coconuts.”
Funny movie quotes from Some More of Samoa
Sign on the Three Stooges’ office: Elite Painless Tree Surgeons – the biggest grafters in town
[Curly is examining a sick tree]
Moe: How about it, Doc?
Curly: I don’t like the sound of its bark!
Moe: [Curly packs the phone in their bag] What’s the idea of taking the phone?
Curly: In case we get a call while we’re out. [phone rings, Curly answers] Hello? [sticks his head in the bag] HELLO! [Moe snaps the bag shut on his head] YEOW!
[Moe hits Curly on the head with a mallet, to shrink him down to his normal height]
Curly: Wait a minute! I’m back to normal.
Moe: You’ll never be that!
Larry: I lost the end of my shoe!
Moe: The end of a shoe ain’t important!
Larry: Well this one is! I think it had my toes in it!
Cast of characters
- Curly Howard … Curly
- Larry Fine … Larry
- Moe Howard … Moe
Additional Cast
- Mary Ainslee (I’ll Never Heil Again) … Nurse / Curly’s Blonde (uncredited)
- Symona Boniface (Vagabond Loafers) … Mrs. Winthrop (uncredited)
- Louise Carver (Disorder in the Court) … The King’s Sister (uncredited)
- Dudley Dickerson (Hold That Lion) … Native Cook (uncredited)
- John Tyrrell (Three Little Sew and Sews) … The Gardener (uncredited)
- Tiny Ward (Goofs and Saddles) … King (uncredited)
- Duke York (Higher Than a Kite) … Kingfisher (uncredited)