Even though America's allies were fighting against Adolf Hitler and his army of Nazi minions before Pearl Harbor, the movie production code still forbade Hollywood from producing motion pictures criticizing or making fun of the Fuhrer. The Three Stooges were able to slip through January 1940's "You Natzy Spy," a satire on the German leader. The censors gave it some latitude since they felt short movies were less impactful and visible than feature films. The movie was the first anti-Nazi Hollywood film to poke fun at Hitler. The short predated by several months Charlie Chaplin's parody feature film of a Hitler lookalike in 1940's "The Great Dictator."
"You Natzy Spy," observed film critic Martin Chalakoski, "is now considered as one of the most influential movie pieces ever made, and one that raised people's awareness when it was needed the most, while at the same time inspiring many others to speak freely on the silver screen and do the same." The censors working in the Hays Office were under pressure from influential American isolationists, including United States senators, who demanded they ban any Hollywood movie with an anti-Nazi slant that would inspire the public to press the United States into the European war. "You Natzy Spy," whose title was a variation of an Alice Faye song, 'Oh You Nasty Man,' shows the Three Stooges as wallpaper hangers working in the adjourning room conscripted by three munitions manufacturers to overthrow Moronika's king and to move the nation into war. The Stooges, who are eager to assume the leadership mantle, transition into Moe as Hitler, Curly as Hermann Goring and Larry as Joseph Goebbels, all under the guise of Hailstone, Gallstone and Pebble. Just before filming, Larry had injured his foot and walked with a noticeable limb. His portrayal of the Propaganda Minister was fortuitous since Goebbels always was seen hobbling because of a club foot.
Moronika is infiltrated by a spy, Mattie Herring (Lorna Gray), who uses a billiard 'Eight-Ball' to predict the future for the three rulers. The fortune-telling ball seen in the film quite possibly had inspired toy manufacturers to produce the hot-selling "The Magic Eight Ball" ten years after the release of "You Natzy Spy." Moe and Larry said this satire on Nazi Germany was their favorite Stooges' film. The short was so successful the three comedians made a follow-up Nazi spoof in 1941's "I'll Never Heil Again."
"You Natzy Spy," observed film critic Martin Chalakoski, "is now considered as one of the most influential movie pieces ever made, and one that raised people's awareness when it was needed the most, while at the same time inspiring many others to speak freely on the silver screen and do the same." The censors working in the Hays Office were under pressure from influential American isolationists, including United States senators, who demanded they ban any Hollywood movie with an anti-Nazi slant that would inspire the public to press the United States into the European war. "You Natzy Spy," whose title was a variation of an Alice Faye song, 'Oh You Nasty Man,' shows the Three Stooges as wallpaper hangers working in the adjourning room conscripted by three munitions manufacturers to overthrow Moronika's king and to move the nation into war. The Stooges, who are eager to assume the leadership mantle, transition into Moe as Hitler, Curly as Hermann Goring and Larry as Joseph Goebbels, all under the guise of Hailstone, Gallstone and Pebble. Just before filming, Larry had injured his foot and walked with a noticeable limb. His portrayal of the Propaganda Minister was fortuitous since Goebbels always was seen hobbling because of a club foot.
Moronika is infiltrated by a spy, Mattie Herring (Lorna Gray), who uses a billiard 'Eight-Ball' to predict the future for the three rulers. The fortune-telling ball seen in the film quite possibly had inspired toy manufacturers to produce the hot-selling "The Magic Eight Ball" ten years after the release of "You Natzy Spy." Moe and Larry said this satire on Nazi Germany was their favorite Stooges' film. The short was so successful the three comedians made a follow-up Nazi spoof in 1941's "I'll Never Heil Again."