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Back from the Front

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Back from the Front
Directed byJules White
Written byEwart Adamson
Jack White
Produced byJules White
StarringMoe Howard
Larry Fine
Curly Howard
Stanley Blystone
Vernon Dent
Bud Jamison
Heinie Conklin
Lew Davis
George Gray
Jack "Tiny" Lipson
Harry Semels
Al Thompson
Adele Mara
Sally Cairns
Ruth Skinner
CinematographyJohn Stumar
Edited byEdwin H. Bryant
Distributed byColumbia Pictures
Release date
  • May 28, 1943 (1943-05-28) (U.S.)
Running time
17:52
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

Back from the Front is a 1943 short subject directed by Jules White starring American slapstick comedy team The Three Stooges (Moe Howard, Larry Fine and Curly Howard). It is the 70th entry in the series released by Columbia Pictures starring the comedians, who released 190 shorts for the studio between 1934 and 1959.

Plot

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The Stooges embark on a patriotic endeavor, bidding farewell to their romantic partners and enlisting in the Merchant Marines to contribute to the war effort. While aboard ship, they engage in a brief altercation with Lieutenant Dungen (later revealed as a Nazi spy) before encountering a torpedo mistaken for a beached whale. Mistaking it for a threat, Moe commands its destruction, resulting in an unexpected explosion.

Lost at sea for an extended duration, the Stooges encounter the SS Schicklgruber, where they clandestinely board the vessel. Amidst their time adrift, they undergo significant physical transformations, characterized by the growth of full beards. Encountering Lieutenant Dungen once more, they remain unrecognized due to their altered appearances. Realizing the presence of German sailors aboard, they engage in a covert operation to overpower the crew, ultimately assuming control of the ship by forcing the sailors overboard.

Cast

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Credited

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Uncredited

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Production notes

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Back from the Front was filmed over four days on July 24–28, 1942.[1] Notably, this film marked a significant innovation for the Stooge franchise, introducing a distinctive sound effect to accompany the eye poke gag. The incorporation of a "TWANG" sound effect synchronized with Moe's action of poking Lieutenant Dungen in the eyes distinguished this film from its predecessors.[2]

Subsequent Stooge films experimented with different sound effects to enhance comedic moments. Throughout 1943 and 1944, varying degrees of success were achieved with alternative sound effects. For instance, in Higher Than a Kite, a nose honk sound effect was utilized, albeit inappropriately. Similarly, in Crash Goes the Hash, a xylophone sound effect was integrated into comedic sequences.[2]

The film series found consistency in its use of specific sound effects post-1945. The sound of a ukulele or violin string being plucked became a staple, frequently employed to accentuate comedic moments.[2]

Moe reprises his Adolf Hitler role from You Nazty Spy! and I'll Never Heil Again. The end was satire, with Moe telling the Nazis to use their heads and shoot out their brains, to which Stanley Blystone replies, "But mein Führer, we're Nazis. We have no brains."[2] When the Hitler-disguised Moe sneezes and his toothbrush moustache flies off his face, he gets it back and refers to it as "my personality".

"Schicklgruber" is the surname Adolf Hitler's father, Alois Hitler carried for the first 40 years of his life, until he took the name Hitler (Hiedler) from his stepfather. While Adolf Hitler himself never carried the surname, the British made use of it for propaganda purposes since even to Germans, the name is laughable. The Stooges used it numerous times as the only name by which they would refer to Hitler.[2]

References

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  1. ^ Back from the Front at threestooges.net
  2. ^ a b c d e Solomon, Jon (2000). The Complete Three Stooges: The Official Filmography and Three Stooges Companion. Comedy III Productions, Inc. ISBN 0-9711868-0-4.
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