It's ancient Egypt and the boys are selling used chariots. Their bad products end up with them being sentenced to execution. But thanks to another con job (Schemp being a dentist), the Pharaoh gives them a reprieve. The problem is that they have formed some bad connections with others who aren't powerful but are dangerous. This is one of the better Stooge films with lots of slapstick and the usual nuttiness.
8 Reviews
good Shemp Stooges
SnoopyStyle17 May 2021
In ancient Egypt during the reign of Great King Rootentooten, Larry, Moe, and Shemp run an used-chariot dealership. They slapdash together an old jalopy. They use various schemes to sell the lemon to a powerful customer. The unhappy customer turns out to be the head of the palace guards and the guys are promptly arrested. The King receives bad tax news and has a bad toothache. He quickly sentence them to be fed to the crocodiles. The boys offer to fix his toothache.
I am solidly a fan of Curly over Shemp. To me, Shemp is always second best but that does not mean that he's bad at his work. Curly is a transcendent comedy God. Shemp is merely a mortal who does good work. In this case, the story holds together very well and the boys are an excellent team. It hits on all the right notes in both comedy and story. This is as good as the Shemp Stooges get.
I am solidly a fan of Curly over Shemp. To me, Shemp is always second best but that does not mean that he's bad at his work. Curly is a transcendent comedy God. Shemp is merely a mortal who does good work. In this case, the story holds together very well and the boys are an excellent team. It hits on all the right notes in both comedy and story. This is as good as the Shemp Stooges get.
Upward Mobility
bkoganbing9 March 2011
Warning: Spoilers
No wonder the Egyptian Empire fell with the help the Pharoah was getting from the Three Stooges in Mummy's Dummies.
Moe, Larry, and Shemp give a lesson in upward mobility in that ancient civilization, they go from used chariot salesmen, to dentists, and finally to royal counselors. All in a day's work mind you. What would Pharoah Phil Van Zandt do without them.
But when the royal taxes are stolen and hidden in a mummy's sarcophagus it's the boys who recover the royal loot and Pharoah can proceed with building his pyramid.
Shemp had a bit he used occasionally in Stooges shorts and working by himself where he would put on a pair of glasses that made him blind as a bat. You might recall it in the Abbott&Costello film Africa Screams which came out the year following Mummy's Dummies. Shemp played the visually challenged guide in that film. Works nicely here as well.
Moe, Larry, and Shemp give a lesson in upward mobility in that ancient civilization, they go from used chariot salesmen, to dentists, and finally to royal counselors. All in a day's work mind you. What would Pharoah Phil Van Zandt do without them.
But when the royal taxes are stolen and hidden in a mummy's sarcophagus it's the boys who recover the royal loot and Pharoah can proceed with building his pyramid.
Shemp had a bit he used occasionally in Stooges shorts and working by himself where he would put on a pair of glasses that made him blind as a bat. You might recall it in the Abbott&Costello film Africa Screams which came out the year following Mummy's Dummies. Shemp played the visually challenged guide in that film. Works nicely here as well.
Would You Buy A Used Chariot From These Guys? One Of The Best Of The Stooges Films
ccthemovieman-18 February 2007
The only mummy in here is Shemp dressed up as such in the last minute or two of the film. Otherwise, it is a bunch of stories and comedy bits all strung together - but most of them are very good, making this one of the better Stooges films from their latter years.
The boys are back in ancient Egypt days - " in the reign of King Rootentooten." They are used chariot salesmen and, yes, they give all the clichés you have heard from used car salesmen over the years. It's pretty comical, especially when they con some poor sap into buying this piece of junk for 400 shekels. Unfortunately, the joke is on the them as the "sucker" works for the king. He has their butts hauled in, and the king gives his okay to "throw them to the crocodiles." But, the king also is in pain with a toothache so Moe comes up with a last-minute plea, saying Shemp is a dentist and can fix his aching tooth! Shemp, known as "Painless Papyrus," according to Moe, dons his thick glasses attempts dentistry. Yikes, this is painful to watch, but things work out, the king is thrilled and the boys are given their freedom.
Later, they discover two of the king's helpers are cooks and there is a mad three-minute chase involving the capture of them.
All of it, from the subtle stuff to the slapstick finale, are pretty good. Believe it or not, the dialog is here also is clever at times with a number of good puns.
The boys are back in ancient Egypt days - " in the reign of King Rootentooten." They are used chariot salesmen and, yes, they give all the clichés you have heard from used car salesmen over the years. It's pretty comical, especially when they con some poor sap into buying this piece of junk for 400 shekels. Unfortunately, the joke is on the them as the "sucker" works for the king. He has their butts hauled in, and the king gives his okay to "throw them to the crocodiles." But, the king also is in pain with a toothache so Moe comes up with a last-minute plea, saying Shemp is a dentist and can fix his aching tooth! Shemp, known as "Painless Papyrus," according to Moe, dons his thick glasses attempts dentistry. Yikes, this is painful to watch, but things work out, the king is thrilled and the boys are given their freedom.
Later, they discover two of the king's helpers are cooks and there is a mad three-minute chase involving the capture of them.
All of it, from the subtle stuff to the slapstick finale, are pretty good. Believe it or not, the dialog is here also is clever at times with a number of good puns.
Painless Papyrus
angus_dei24 September 2005
Great short. Who would have thought that ancient Egypt was plagued with unscrupulous used chariot salesmen? And here we have the Stooges, three of the best in the business. They even bamboozle the head of the Royal Palace Guards out of a considerable number of "sheckels" with the old "original paint" line! Of course, back then it was probably still a fresh scam. They even have Shemp get into disguise and act as a shill to drive up the price. Hilarious indeed, but alas, they picked the wrong guy to rip off. They end up arrested and are dragged to court before King Rootintootin himself, the rightfully beloved Vernon Dent. As good luck will have it, Rootintootin is suffering from a toothache. Shemp, a.k.a. "Painless Papyrus," always carries around with him his "delicate instruments," which comprise 2 pairs of pliers, a hammer, two chisels, a Phillips Head screwdriver, a bit-and-brace, and some extra bits. Well, what did you expect in ancient Egypt, Novocaine? Of course, Shemp must put on the pair of spectacles he carries around for his delicate work, and we see first-hand that optometry in ancient Egypt was still quite primitive. Couldn't those Egyptians get anything right? No matter: somehow, through sheer serendipity, the Stooges cure Rootintootin, and are rewarded with positions as "royal chambermaids". Then we see that ancient Egypt, despite all its shortcomings, was a highly advanced political state, since the head tax collector, the rightfully revered Phil Van Zandt, has been ripping the royal treasury off blind. Now, that sure makes me feel at home. So what happens? Do the Stooges save the day again for old Rootintootin? And what about Rootintootin's unmarried daughter? Could this be Shemp's chance to marry into royalty? Will Moe be best man? Hey, don't listen to a poor slob like me. Get out there and see this remarkable short for yourself! You won't be disappointed.
"If that chariot doesn't do everything we claim for it, I wouldn't be a bit surprised."
slymusic4 June 2009
Warning: Spoilers
"Mummy's Dummies" is an excellent Three Stooges short directed by Edward Bernds. Ancient Egypt is not exactly my favorite setting for a Stooge comedy, but in this film, the laughs just keep coming and coming! The boys are dishonest used-chariot dealers (The Smiling Egyptians) who sell a broken-down chariot to Rhadames (Ralph Dunn), the Chief of the Palace Guards. And that, Stooge fans, is only the beginning. (DO NOT read any further until after you have seen this film for yourselves.)
My absolute favorite sequence in "Mummy's Dummies" involves a straw box, where Moe and Larry hide. First, Rhadames tries to sit on it, misses it, and falls over. Then he opens the lid, gets punched by Moe, and malleted on the head by Larry. The king's tax collector Tutamon (Philip Van Zandt) then approaches the unconscious Rhadames while Larry scares him by jumping out of the box and shouting "BOING!" Moe then whacks Tutamon with his mallet, sending him backward into a small fire. He then grabs his sword and runs toward Moe and Larry. His sword goes through a wall and stabs King Rootentooten (Vernon Dent) in the posterior. He screams and throws his wine mug in the air, and it crashes on his head. Some of my other favorite scenes: Shemp tries to pull the king's bad tooth, with some expected hijinks. Shemp: "Some perfume, sister. What brand do you use?" Lady: "Stink." Shemp: "I know, but what brand do you use?" CRASH! And finally, Shemp disguises himself as an oracle displaying a crystal ball and wearing a bull's head; when Rhadames asks him where the Stooges went, Shemp replies, "They went thataway and that ain't no bull."
"Mummy's Dummies" is a great Stooge film. Be sure to check it out!
My absolute favorite sequence in "Mummy's Dummies" involves a straw box, where Moe and Larry hide. First, Rhadames tries to sit on it, misses it, and falls over. Then he opens the lid, gets punched by Moe, and malleted on the head by Larry. The king's tax collector Tutamon (Philip Van Zandt) then approaches the unconscious Rhadames while Larry scares him by jumping out of the box and shouting "BOING!" Moe then whacks Tutamon with his mallet, sending him backward into a small fire. He then grabs his sword and runs toward Moe and Larry. His sword goes through a wall and stabs King Rootentooten (Vernon Dent) in the posterior. He screams and throws his wine mug in the air, and it crashes on his head. Some of my other favorite scenes: Shemp tries to pull the king's bad tooth, with some expected hijinks. Shemp: "Some perfume, sister. What brand do you use?" Lady: "Stink." Shemp: "I know, but what brand do you use?" CRASH! And finally, Shemp disguises himself as an oracle displaying a crystal ball and wearing a bull's head; when Rhadames asks him where the Stooges went, Shemp replies, "They went thataway and that ain't no bull."
"Mummy's Dummies" is a great Stooge film. Be sure to check it out!
A good Stooge short!
Movie Nuttball10 March 2003
This ancient Egypt tale that stars the Three Stooges is very good.Vernon Dent is very good as King Rootentootin.Ralph Dunn was good as Rhadames and Philip Van Zandt Futamon,the Tax Collector.Mummies Dummies is very funny.This is one of My favorites and if you a Stooge fan then this is a good one to check out!
Shemp's "reward"
Celluloid_Vince16 August 2005
Warning: Spoilers
Be very very very careful what you wish!! The ending to this makes it one of my favorite Shemp 2-reelers. When it's made clear what's attached to the "hand in marriage" for the "lucky man", Moe and Larry are more than willing to let Shemp bask in the "glory".
Check out the make-up job on actress Dee Green. I'm sure she was a lovely actress in her day, but you wouldn't know that by her character contributions to the stooges shorts. She was always portrayed as an ugly hag who always had a thing for Shemp, to his horror.
IMDb comes up with blanks on her biography, but I think read that she had some silent screen experience.
Check out the make-up job on actress Dee Green. I'm sure she was a lovely actress in her day, but you wouldn't know that by her character contributions to the stooges shorts. She was always portrayed as an ugly hag who always had a thing for Shemp, to his horror.
IMDb comes up with blanks on her biography, but I think read that she had some silent screen experience.
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