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Muscle Up a Little Closer

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Muscle Up a Little Closer
Columbia Pictures made an error by listing the Stooges as "Shemp (who had died in November 1955), Larry and Joe," omitting Moe entirely.
Directed byJules White
Written byFelix Adler
Produced byJules White
StarringMoe Howard
Larry Fine
Joe Besser
Maxine Gates
Ruth Godfrey
Harriette Tarler
Matt Murphy
CinematographyIrving Lippman
Edited byHarold White
Distributed byColumbia Pictures
Release date
  • February 28, 1957 (1957-02-28)
Running time
16:46
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

Muscle Up a Little Closer is a 1957 short subject directed by Jules White starring American slapstick comedy team The Three Stooges (Moe Howard, Larry Fine and Joe Besser). It is the 176th 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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Moe, Larry, and Joe find themselves on the brink of proposing marriage to their respective beloveds. However, their plans are disrupted when they discover that the engagement ring intended for Joe's fiancée has been stolen. Suspicions fall upon Elmo, a robust colleague employed at their workplace. Determined to retrieve the ring, the Stooges confront Elmo in the company gymnasium. Their attempt to reclaim the ring through physical coercion proves ineffective, resulting in Moe and Larry being rendered unconscious.

In a surprising turn of events, Joe's fiancée demonstrates remarkable fortitude, overpowering Elmo and reclaiming the stolen ring, thereby ensuring the continuation of their engagement.

Production notes

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Filmed on June 27–29, 1956,[1] Muscle Up a Little Closer was the first film to feature Moe and Larry's more "gentlemanly" haircuts, first suggested by Joe Besser. However, these had to be used sparingly, as most of the shorts with Besser were remakes of earlier films, and new footage had to be matched with old.[2]

The title of the film parodies the Otto Harbach/Karl Hoschna 1908 song "Cuddle up a Little Closer, Lovey Mine".[3]

References

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  1. ^ Muscle Up a Little Closer at threestooges.net
  2. ^ Lenburg, Jeff; Howard Maurer, Joan; Lenburg, Greg; (1982). The Three Stooges Scrapbook, p. 264, Citadel Press. ISBN 0-8065-0946-5
  3. ^ Solomon, Jon. (2002) The Complete Three Stooges: The Official Filmography and Three Stooges Companion, p. 487; Comedy III Productions, Inc., ISBN 0-9711868-0-4
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