GOOFS AND SADDLES

Goofs and Saddles has quite a bit in common with the previous short, Back to the Woods. Both shorts feature a frontier setting (albeit different centuries) and are primarily gag driven. Goofs and Saddles has a bit more story to it than Back to the Woods, but its gags aren't as strong.
It's fun to see the Stooges playing "professionals" in any setting, as they often stumble through their work, getting the job done by accident. The poker game is a highlight, as the boys attempt to cheat in the game. Moe and Curly each have two aces and attempt to pass cards to each other, only they each hand each other their own aces!
Their Union soldier shtick is a lot of fun in Goofs and Saddles. I got to admit, the boys look good in those long haired wigs and mustaches. It's a bit startling when they appear without them halfway though. I thought it would be something fun and different had they worn them throughout the entire short, but maybe that's just me.
The gags get stronger as the short goes on. The climatic chase is grand and Curly with the meat grinder is classic stuff. It's enough to make Goofs and Saddles a good short well worth checking out.
Final Shemp's Final Word: 3 Pokes

Wow! So many good reviews for this short! Now it's time for me to rain on your parade.First, I disagree about Curly being better than Shemp in the westerns. Eiteher Shemp was better or they were both as good as the other. I can't decide. It just seems like the Curly westerns were better because the Shemp ones weren't as well written.As far as "Goofs and Saddles", I like it, but it's my least favorite Stooge western and maybe my least favorite Stooge short. I'd rather see the boys without those wigs. They looked convincing enough in the other western shorts as westerners. Also, one BIG reason I LOVE the Stooges is Moe's mean, bullying character, but it just isn't emphasized enough in this short. If there's even one slap it's when Moe says to Larry, "What's the big idea, pullin' me off the horse?" (Great line, by the way). There are no eye gouges, punishment with foreign objects (scissors, wrenches etc.) Moe does give orders, but Larry and Curly comply too easily. Where's the "I'll do it when I'm ready?" line, or Curly's "Not me!" (SLAP) "I STILL WON'T!" (SLAP!, KONK) (etc.)I do like Larry's line "Your hat blew off." Wouldn't that guy realy get his hat, then hit Larry when he sees him making time with his girl? The ending is good. There's no loose ends and it's a good, funny ending. Still, I say this short could've been better.ISLIPP, therefore I am. ®2001

This short hasn't had a comment since the beginning of summer! So I'll post a comment. This was a great short, and very funny, but it was a little disjointed and Moe's wrath seems to be very limited, just like in all of the stooge westerns(except "Yes, We Have No Bonanza" in which Moe has a pretty bad temper). I also found it odd that Larry was always the one hitting bad guys over the head instead of Moe or Curly. But oddness in a short makes me find it more interesting. 3 1/2 pokes

A great short, and one of the few Stooge westerns I like. My favorite parts are the card game scenes and the wild chase at the end, especially when Curly uses a meat grinder as a machine gun!

I normally don't care much for these Western spoofs. (Does anyone?) Too much Western and not enough Stooges (who, let's face it, were city boys.) This one's worth watching to see the boys in those nutty Three Musketeer wigs and beards. But if y'wanna catch a great Stooge western, try YES WE HAVE NO BONANZA (1939) instead.

As much as I love both Curly AND Shemp, I have to admit that the Curly westerns are better than the Shemp westerns. I think it's probably because Curly's personality is better suited to be put in a dopey cowboy outfit. I mean, it was hard enough to believe that The Stooges were cowboys.(Curly's youth and clownish personality made it a little more believable though, in my opinion.) Although I generally don't like the westerns as much as the others, this is a great short and probably my favorite Stooge western. I just feel that The Stooges were better suited to be the city boys that they were(detectives or salesmen or doctors or clumsy painters or football players or even dressed as women, than to be cowboys trying to save Nell or whatever.)..best example of a bad one: "The Three Troubledoers" or "Merry Mavericks") This one though, is great! The 'poker game' and Curly's 'organ grinder gun' are the highlights!