Heavenly Daze
Encyclopedia
Heavenly Daze is the 109th short subject
starring American slapstick
comedy team the Three Stooges
. The trio made a total of 190 shorts for Columbia Pictures
between 1934 and 1959.
, talking with his Uncle Mortimer (Moe, dressed to resemble Moses
). Mortimer is on the phone checking to see if Shemp will remain in Heaven or Hell
, and it does not look good. Furthermore, it comes to light that cousins Moe and Larry have also not been on their best behavior. Seeing this as an opportunity for his deceased nephew, Uncle Mortimer gives Shemp the chance to reform Moe and Larry from their evil ways so he can gain entry to Heaven. The catch is that Shemp cannot be seen nor heard by anyone on Earth
, much to his delight.
Back on Earth, Moe and Larry are crying their eyes out while attending the reading of Shemp's will with their attorney, I. Fleecem (Vernon Dent
). Seems that Shemp has left behind a grand total of $140, which is $10 less than Fleecem's fee of $150. The boys grumble about not having much dough, but invisible Shemp swipes the money back from Fleecem, putting it in Moe and Larry's pockets. When they realize money has magically reappeared, they get spooked, and then remember Shemp saying he would come back to haunt them. They brush this off, but do not completely clear their heads of Shemp's ghostly presence.
Afterwards, Moe and Larry rent a luxury apartment, complete with butler Spiffingham (Sam McDaniel
), and rent tuxedos. The boys have a grand scheme that involves the conning of wealthy couple the DePuysters (Victor Travers
and Symona Boniface
) into buying a fountain pen that will write under whipped cream.
Shemp enters the luxurious apartment and terrorises Spiffingham the Butler into leaving. He then smacks Moe and Larry to let them know he is there. Though their butler has run off, Moe and Larry remain, but frightened. The DePuysters show up, and promptly receive dollops of cream in their face when Shemp turns the mixer to "high." After the mixer catches fire, Shemp begins yelling. A few moments later, he awakes, realizing this was all a dream, but then, to his horror, he discovers that the bed is on fire from a cigarette he was smoking. Moe hits him with a cream pie-and Larry gives him a pen and tells Shemp to write himself a letter ("Dear Ma...").
In the 1940's the supernatural
was a popular fantasy film
genre of the departed coming back to assist the living such as Here Comes Mr Jordan, A Matter of Life and Death, Wonder Man
, and Columbia's Mr. Jordan sequel Down to Earth
. The Tom and Jerry
series also reworked parts of Heavenly Daze the following year in Heavenly Puss
.
Short subject
A short film is any film not long enough to be considered a feature film. No consensus exists as to where that boundary is drawn: the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences defines a short film as "an original motion picture that has a running time of 40 minutes or less, including all...
starring American slapstick
Slapstick
Slapstick is a type of comedy involving exaggerated violence and activities which may exceed the boundaries of common sense.- Origins :The phrase comes from the batacchio or bataccio — called the 'slap stick' in English — a club-like object composed of two wooden slats used in Commedia dell'arte...
comedy team the Three Stooges
Three Stooges
The Three Stooges were an American vaudeville and comedy act of the early to mid–20th century best known for their numerous short subject films. Their hallmark was physical farce and extreme slapstick. In films, the Stooges were commonly known by their first names: "Moe, Larry, and Curly" and "Moe,...
. The trio made a total of 190 shorts for Columbia Pictures
Columbia Pictures
Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc. is an American film production and distribution company. Columbia Pictures now forms part of the Columbia TriStar Motion Picture Group, owned by Sony Pictures Entertainment, a subsidiary of the Japanese conglomerate Sony. It is one of the leading film companies...
between 1934 and 1959.
Plot
Shemp has died and is in heavenHeaven
Heaven, the Heavens or Seven Heavens, is a common religious cosmological or metaphysical term for the physical or transcendent place from which heavenly beings originate, are enthroned or inhabit...
, talking with his Uncle Mortimer (Moe, dressed to resemble Moses
Moses
Moses was, according to the Hebrew Bible and Qur'an, a religious leader, lawgiver and prophet, to whom the authorship of the Torah is traditionally attributed...
). Mortimer is on the phone checking to see if Shemp will remain in Heaven or Hell
Hell
In many religious traditions, a hell is a place of suffering and punishment in the afterlife. Religions with a linear divine history often depict hells as endless. Religions with a cyclic history often depict a hell as an intermediary period between incarnations...
, and it does not look good. Furthermore, it comes to light that cousins Moe and Larry have also not been on their best behavior. Seeing this as an opportunity for his deceased nephew, Uncle Mortimer gives Shemp the chance to reform Moe and Larry from their evil ways so he can gain entry to Heaven. The catch is that Shemp cannot be seen nor heard by anyone on Earth
Earth
Earth is the third planet from the Sun, and the densest and fifth-largest of the eight planets in the Solar System. It is also the largest of the Solar System's four terrestrial planets...
, much to his delight.
Back on Earth, Moe and Larry are crying their eyes out while attending the reading of Shemp's will with their attorney, I. Fleecem (Vernon Dent
Vernon Dent
Vernon Bruce Dent was a comic actor who appeared in over 400 films in his career. He co-starred in many short films for Columbia Pictures, frequently as the foil to the Three Stooges.-Early career:...
). Seems that Shemp has left behind a grand total of $140, which is $10 less than Fleecem's fee of $150. The boys grumble about not having much dough, but invisible Shemp swipes the money back from Fleecem, putting it in Moe and Larry's pockets. When they realize money has magically reappeared, they get spooked, and then remember Shemp saying he would come back to haunt them. They brush this off, but do not completely clear their heads of Shemp's ghostly presence.
Afterwards, Moe and Larry rent a luxury apartment, complete with butler Spiffingham (Sam McDaniel
Sam McDaniel
Sam McDaniel was an African American actor who appeared in over 210 television shows and films between 1929 and 1950. He was the older brother of actresses Hattie McDaniel and Etta McDaniel. born in Wichita, Kansas, to former slaves. He was one of 13 children...
), and rent tuxedos. The boys have a grand scheme that involves the conning of wealthy couple the DePuysters (Victor Travers
Victor Travers
Victor Travers was an English character actor of stage and screen, known for his work in many of the Three Stooges films. He began his career in 1938, and performed until his death in 1948...
and Symona Boniface
Symona Boniface
Symona Boniface was an American film actress. She appeared in 120 films between 1925 and 1956.-Career:...
) into buying a fountain pen that will write under whipped cream.
Shemp enters the luxurious apartment and terrorises Spiffingham the Butler into leaving. He then smacks Moe and Larry to let them know he is there. Though their butler has run off, Moe and Larry remain, but frightened. The DePuysters show up, and promptly receive dollops of cream in their face when Shemp turns the mixer to "high." After the mixer catches fire, Shemp begins yelling. A few moments later, he awakes, realizing this was all a dream, but then, to his horror, he discovers that the bed is on fire from a cigarette he was smoking. Moe hits him with a cream pie-and Larry gives him a pen and tells Shemp to write himself a letter ("Dear Ma...").
Production
Supernatural
The supernatural or is that which is not subject to the laws of nature, or more figuratively, that which is said to exist above and beyond nature...
was a popular fantasy film
Fantasy film
Fantasy films are films with fantastic themes, usually involving magic, supernatural events, make-believe creatures, or exotic fantasy worlds. The genre is considered to be distinct from science fiction film and horror film, although the genres do overlap...
genre of the departed coming back to assist the living such as Here Comes Mr Jordan, A Matter of Life and Death, Wonder Man
Wonder Man (film)
Wonder Man is a 1945 film starring Danny Kaye and Virginia Mayo. It is based on a short story by Arthur Sheekman, adapted for the screen by a staff of writers led by Jack Jevne and Eddie Moran, produced by Samuel Goldwyn, and directed by H. Bruce Humberstone...
, and Columbia's Mr. Jordan sequel Down to Earth
Down to Earth (1947 film)
Down to Earth is a musical comedy starring Rita Hayworth, Larry Parks, and Marc Platt, and directed by Alexander Hall. It is a sequel to the 1941 film Here Comes Mr. Jordan, also directed by Hall. Edward Everett Horton and James Gleason reprise their roles from the earlier film, but Roland Culver...
. The Tom and Jerry
Tom and Jerry
Tom and Jerry are the cat and mouse cartoon characters that were evolved starting in 1939.Tom and Jerry also may refer to:Cartoon works featuring the cat and mouse so named:* The Tom and Jerry Show...
series also reworked parts of Heavenly Daze the following year in Heavenly Puss
Heavenly Puss
Heavenly Puss is a 1949 one-reel animated cartoon and is the 42nd Tom and Jerry short, created in 1948, and released on 9 July 1949. It was directed by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera, and produced by Fred Quimby...
.