Story: Moe, Larry, and Shemp have found themselves as caretakers of sorts, helping their neighbor Mary (Mary Ainslee) with various tasks. Mary is in a wheelchair, so the extra help from the Stooges is a kind gesture, though things aren’t exactly as they seem. While the Stooges believe Mary is in need of their support, she is actually not confined to the wheelchair at all. Instead, she is working an insurance scam, but will the Stooges be able to figure out her ruse?

Entertainment Value: This sixteen minute short from The Three Stooges is a solid one, with Moe, Larry, and Shemp on deck to perform. I know some dislike the Shemp era and I prefer Curly myself, but I also think Shemp is a lot of fun to watch in action. I’ve even seen him in some non Stooges related comedies and he performed well in most cases, so I don’t mind the Shemp era at all. In Hokus Pokus, things start off strong with a morning routine that offers a series of humorous, well staged slapstick set pieces, though things do taper off a bit once that concludes. There are still laughs to be had, but the rest of the short never quite returns to the great energy of the morning routine segments. Even so, this is a fun watch and Stooges fans should appreciate these antics.

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