Production Information
Title: Hula-La-La
Studio: Columbia
Short Number: 135
Release Date: November 01, 1951
Running Time: 16:1
“Hey, red shoes!”
(Moe)
Hula-La-La Short Take
B. O. Pictures’ president Mr. Baines wants to use the island of Rarabonga for his next musical extravaganza, but the natives don’t know how to dance! So he sends studio choreographers Moe, Larry and Shemp to the south Pacific island as dance teachers. Unfortunately, the natives are head hunters under the control of witch doctor Varanu. On the run for their lives, the Stooges receive help from the King’s daughter Luana, and attempt to gain the upper hand with a box of left-over World War II gernades guarded by a living three-armed totem idol.
Cast & Crew
| Directed by | Hugh McCollum |
|---|---|
| Produced by | Hugh McCollum |
| Written by | Edward Bernds |
| Starring | Moe Howard Larry Fine Shemp Howard Jean Willes Kenneth MacDonald Emil Sitka Joy Windsor Maxine Doviat Heinie Conklin |
| Cinematography | Henry Freulich |
| Music by | Nico Grigor Ross DiMaggio |
| Edited by | Edwin H. Bryant |
Hula-La-La Trivia
The only Three Stooges short directed by producer Hugh McCollum.
The standard “3 Blind Mice” theme is replaced on the ending fadeout with the hula composition “Lu-Lu,” composed by Ross DiMaggio and Nico Grigor; see The Three Stooges Journal # 96 (Winter 2000).
Production Notes
Hula-La-La was filmed on May 25–29, 1951. It was the only Three Stooges film directed by producer Hugh McCollum, who gave the medium a shot while Edward Bernds was busy directing feature films. Bernds described McCollum’s directing style as “gentle and tasteful”, like McCollum himself. However, film author Ted Okuda believed this hurt his films, not allowing them to reach their full potential. Hula-La-La was cited as an example of suffering from moments of restraint, resulting in several scenes lacking their comedic punch.
