Spook Louder

Spook Louder is a 1943 comedy mystery short subject, directed by Del Lord starring American slapstick comedy team The Three Stooges (Moe Howard, Larry Fine and Curly Howard). It is the 69th entry in the series released by Columbia Pictures starring the comedians, who released 190 shorts for the studio between 1934 and 1959.

The film is set in an eerie mansion. An inventor appoints the Stooges as the mansion's new caretakers. During his absence, spies attempt to steal his inventions. The Stooges have to defend the mansion from the intruders.

The film was one of several World War II-era propaganda films featuring the Stooges, depicting the threat posed at the time by the hostile Empire of Japan. The film features the running joke of "a phantom pie-thrower".

Plot
During an interview with a newspaper reporter, Professor J.O. Dunkfeather narrates the story of Graves, a proficient master spy.

Commencing with the Stooges portraying traveling salesmen, their unsuccessful attempts to market the "Miracle Reducing Machine" prompts their continued journey in dire need of funds to meet rent obligations. Fortuitously, the trio stumbles upon Graves' residence, where they are mistakenly assumed to be the new caretakers. Graves, en route to Washington, D.C., entrusts his eerie mansion to the Stooges, intending to return after testing his revolutionary death ray machine. Meanwhile, nefarious spies in Halloween costumes emerge, unsettling the Stooges. The Stooges become further agitated by unexplained cream pie projectiles, seemingly propelled by an enigmatic pie-throwing apparition.

Cornered by the spies, the Stooges employ a bomb provided by Graves, effectively subduing the criminals and safeguarding Graves' confidential inventions.

The narrative returns to the present as the inquisitive reporter seeks the identity of the mysterious pie-thrower. Dunkfeather initially claims responsibility but is contradicted when a pie suddenly materializes, casting doubt on his account.

Production notes
The title Spook Louder is a pun combining the request "speak louder" with the "spooks" of a mansion. It is a remake of the 1931 Mack Sennett film The Great Pie Mystery.

Co-stars Charles Middleton and Ted Lorch also appeared together in the 1936 serial Flash Gordon. This was Middleton's only appearance in a Stooge short.

Filmed on July 17–21, 1942, Spook Louder was one of several World War II-era Stooges shorts that engaged in propaganda against the then-enemy Japanese, with others including No Dough Boys, Booby Dupes and, notably, The Yoke's on Me.

Reception
The Stooge films released between 1942 and 1944 were considered to be a step down in quality from previous entries made between 1935 and 1941. Spook Louder, in particular, was singled out by author Ted Okuda as "their worst picture in some time. The story of a phantom pie-thrower is a repetitious one-joke affair devoid of laughs."

In popular culture
Several scenes from Spook Louder appear in the 1992 film Radio Flyer.