The Outlaws Is Coming (1965)

Great Film overall

Good films always raise compelling questions, whether the format is fiction or documentary fact.

The acting in this movie is really good.

All of these films share one commonality, that being a kind of emotional center that humanizes a cast of monsters.

Some grown-up dialog -- "Look at all those fighting Indians" (and if you don't get the joke, then you never heard the original story about the Custer memorial) -- far-above-average acting and just generally good production values elevate this Stooges movie.Of course there is the usual Stooges schtick, without which we would feel terribly bereft, and Joe DeRita shows he is a superb Stooge.Emil Sitka played three parts! As is mentioned elsewhere, he had been a "Fourth Stooge" for so many pictures, he was slated to become a Third Stooge, to replace the ill Larry Fine, but no movie ever got produced.That is a shame for him and for us, for us who loved the Stooges, and especially for us who loved him.Most of the cast members, except for Adam West, were not very well known, but they showed some understated acting ability that proved their talent and demonstrated how good a Stooges movie could be.The guys were lucky. So many other comics and comedy groups or teams declined, but their last picture might well be their best.I hope everyone will get a chance to see this, for the sheer fun of it, and for the chance to evaluate the Three Stooges and their work.

WITH Columbia Pictures' release of most of their backlog of Comedy Shorts from their now defunct and then closing down Short Subjects Department in 1959, a whole new generation of fans, kids that is, was introduced to the work of people like former Silent Screen Mack Sennett Player, Andy Clyde, latter day sound shorts cone by "the Great Stone Face", Buster Keaton and lastly, some guys named Moe, Larry, Curly and Shemp, who were four of the six guys who at one time or another were members of the act called THE 3 STOOGES. (Luckily, they didn't show us any of those latter day ones that ran right about up to the time when they made that Television Release Package that featured Joe Besser.)NAMES like Jules White, Clyde Bruckman, Felix Adler, Charley Chase (Writer/Directors) and Vernon Dent, Bud Jamison, Benny Rubin, Christine McIntyre, Simona Boniface, Edward Brends, Emil Sitka Jack "Tiny" Lipson, Casey Colombo, Al Hill and Dorothy Appleby; supporting players parr excellance all! BUT the greatest beneficiaries (other than us Baby Boomer Generation kids) were the Stooges themselves.NOT more than a couple of years had elapsed between the time that the last STOOGES Comedy featuring Joe Besser as the third guy had been put in the can (completed) to that day when all of those stations around the country began playing the comedies. In our fair town of Chicago, Illinois, it was the Chicago Tribune's own station of WGN TV, Channel 9 that played the shorts hosted by Bob Bell as old Andy Starr, caretaker of the old Odeon Theatre.BEFORE the year was out, the 3 Stooges ) now with Joe DeRita as the third numbskull, rechristened "Curly Joe". They had a very successful personal appearance tour and were able to ink a new picture deal with their old home studio, Columbia Pictures Corporation.INASMUCH as the old Short Subjects Department/Division was now gone; the deal called for the Stooges to now make some starring, kiddie oriented Feature Films. In order to handle the business end of the deal, Moe's Son-in-Law, Norman Maurer became their producer. They formed their own company, Norman Maurer Productions (Later called Normandy Productions).THEIR first movie, HAVE ROCKET, WILL TRAVEL (Norman Maurer Productions/Columbia Pictures Corporation, 1959) hit the neighborhood shows in the Autumn of that year and was highly successful. Others followed: THE THREE STOOGES MEET HERCULES, THE THREE STOOGES GO AROUND THE WORLD IN A DAZE, SNOW WHITE AND THE 3 STOOGES, THE THREE STOOGES IN ORBIT, THE THREE STOOGES SCRAPBOOK as well as guest starring appearances in 4 FOR Texas and IT'S A MAD, MAD, MAD, MAD WORLD.AND if you can believe it, the humor was just about the same in these. They consistently borrowed from what seemed to be the best source, their old films. But even steak can get boring if eaten too often. So they set out to make a Stooges feature for the youngster that was a little better and different.THE resulting movie, THE OUTLAWS IS COMING (Norman Maurer/Columbia, 1965) was not only an excellent outlet for the 3 Stooges own brand of outrageous comedy; but also was original, lampooned the Westerns (that were all over the TV Tube in those Days) and gave an opportunity to have a relatively large guest cast. At the same time it managed to kid the old Horatio Alger/Horace Greeley train of American thoroughly and philosophy.COSTARRING with the boys was our old friend, Adam West (who the following year would be the hit of the tear on the twice weekly BATMAN TV Series.) Also in the Female Lead, we have Miss Nancy Kovack as Annie Oakley. Miss Nancy would also be featured on the BATMAN Show as the Joker's Gun Mall, Queenie in the first 2 part Joker escapade: "BATMAN IS RILED"/"THE JOKER IS WILD". (We think she may also have had a small, part in the premiere 2 parter, "HI RIDDLE DIDDLE" "SMACK IN THE MIDDLE" as a patron of the new Discothèque.ALTHOUGH the picture would have figured to change the Stooges Movie format somewhat for the better, the steam was starting to run out on the theatrical releases after about six or so good years. Television still beckoned; but not as the none paid in residuals for the old shorts. They were still in demand as guests and the old careers got a boost with the hybrid of part animated, part live action TV Series of THE NEW 3 STOOGES (Normandy Productions/Cambria Animation, 1965).BUT that my dear Schultz, is another story! (P.S. See our really neato review, elsewhere in IMDb.com.) POODLE SCHNITZ!!

I am not disappointed by this film. For a Stooge movie, it seems very much a product of its time, very modern in its tone. For one, you have Sixties icons Adam West and Henry Gibson, the latter playing a Native American educated at the University of Alabama, complete with Southern drawl! And Mr. Gibson is smarter than the dumb outlaws he is dealing with, to boot! Oh, and Curly Joe is funny in this scene, too! Watch also for at least two Beatles references, as well as references to the environment. Maybe the Stooges were slowing down by 1965, but they are still a joy to watch. And there are certainly many funny sequences as well. Definitely fun to watch!

In Their last feature film.The Three Stooges:Moe,Larry & Curly Joe De Rita are sent to Casper ,Wy. to stop The American Buffalo from being killed off and also to halt a Native American Uprising.Aided by A pre "Batman:Adam West and Nancy Kovacs.The boys,Mr.West and Ms.Kovacs stumble into a barrageof sight gags,topical references,pies,and brawling.As they try to foil the evil scheame of western gandleader:"Rance Rodin"(Don Lamond)and his henchmen:"Trigger Mortis"(Played by former Perry Mason Show Cop:Mort Mills)and "The Sunstroke Kid"(Rex Holman)from killing off the Buffalo and aiding the indians in a war that could destroy the White American and Native American Races.The film also features some wonderful performances from former "Stooge Foils"Harold(Tiny)Brauer as a wisecracking bartender,Murray Alper as a gruff old Indian Chief and Emil Sitka.Who totally surpasses' himself by playing three Roles"Mr.Abernathy"The boys and Mr.West's not too understanding Boss,A Indian Medicine Man and a pompus US Calvery Officer.There is also a brief but memorable cameo from Henry Gibson(Yes! That zany poet.Who three years later would go onto tv fame as the hip bard on NBC TV's:Rowan & Martin's Laugh In!)as a hip Young Brave.And Nine of The USA's Most popular Kids tv hosts/performers Sally Starr,Paul Shannon,Wayne Mack,Hal Fryer,Bruce Seadley,Ed T.McDonnell,Johnny Ginger,Bill Camfield,and "Officer Joe"Bolton play The film's Nine Outlaws.Putting all of these element together.This is The Three Stooges Best Feature Film.