In this 1936 short, The Three Stooges are pest exterminators who, due to a lack of business, are forced by their boss to drum up business by planting mice, moths, and ants in an unsuspecting house under the threat of being fired if they cannot. They select a fancy mansion where a high society dinner party is being held. After successfully infesting the house with vermin, the trio are predictably hired to clean up their own mess, without interrupting the party, dressed as guests. Thus, Hilarity Ensues as they end up crashing the fancy party.
The short was remade with Shemp in 1951 in Pest Man Wins.
If they ain't got tropes, you give them tropes:
- Agony of the Feet: As Larry is chasing a mouse with a hammer, he hammers the feet of several guests.
- All Part of the Show: After witnessing the hilarity of the Stooges trying to get the cats they hid in the piano out, the guests actually believe that the Stooges are hired entertainment for the party.
- Anti-Sneeze Finger: As Moe and Curly are hiding under the bed, a moth tickles Curly's nose. Moe stops him from sneezing this way.
- Eek, a Mouse!!
- Engineered Heroics: In the sense that the Stooges are causing problems just so they can be hired to solve them.
- Gossipy Hens: Many of the guests, particularly a woman named Eleanore. Thus the Stooges are told to keep the pest problem as secretive as they can before it becomes the talk of the town.
- Literal-Minded: The Stooges are playing cards and Moe asks Curly to "Cut the cards" (meaning spread them out to each of them). Curly instead slices the cards with an axe.
- Mean Boss: The Stooges are ordered by their boss (Mr. Mouser) to drum up business by raking in money from people who need pest removal after the Stooges plant pests in their homes.
- Minor Injury Overreaction: Larry, after getting his eyes poked.Larry: I can't see! I can't see!Moe and Curly: What's the matter?Larry, smugly: I've got my eyes closed.
- Real Life Writes the Plot: The Stooges' Engineered Heroics were Truth in Television for a long time. For years, even well into the 20th century, exterminators would drum up business by deliberately planting termites, ants, roaches, mice, etc in people's homes and then show up to deal with them.
- Smelly Skunk: While fox hunting, Curly, who has a cold, picks up a skunk by mistake, causing Larry and Moe to pass out, along with their horse.
- Squirrels in My Pants: A mouse goes down a man's shirt, and then down into his pants. As he shakes around to get it out the Stooges begin to dance, in order to convince the other guests that he's only dancing.
