| Pest Man Wins | |
| Director: | Jules White |
| Starring: | Moe Howard Larry Fine Shemp Howard Margie Liszt Nanette Bordeaux Emil Sitka Vernon Dent |
| Cinematography: | Fayte Brown |
| Editing: | Edwin Bryant |
| Producer: | Jules White |
| Distributor: | Columbia Pictures |
| Country: | United States |
| Language: | English |
Pest Man Wins is a 1951 short subject directed by Jules White starring American slapstick comedy team The Three Stooges (Moe Howard, Larry Fine and Shemp Howard). It is the 136th entry in the series released by Columbia Pictures starring the comedians, who released 190 shorts for the studio between 1934 and 1959.
The Stooges, assuming the role of pest exterminators, devise a marketing scheme by surreptitiously introducing mice, moths, and ants into an affluent household hosting a dinner party. Their objective is to subsequently offer their services to remediate the pest infestation they themselves created, thereby capitalizing on the situation.
Amidst the elegant ambiance of the soirée, the trio finds themselves amidst a series of comedic mishaps. Notably, during a piano recital featuring Johann Strauss II's "Blue Danube Waltz" performed by the esteemed guest pianist, Mr. Philander, the tranquil atmosphere is disrupted by a cacophony of feline voices, instigated by a mouse's intrusion into the piano. In their attempt to rectify the situation, the Stooges inadvertently exacerbate it, resulting in the destruction of the instrument.
Following this debacle, the Stooges become embroiled in a pie fight, initiated amidst the chaos of the event, further adding to the comedic tableau of the evening.
Pest Man Wins was filmed on February 12–15, 1951. It is a remake of Ants in the Pantry (1936) using minimal stock footage. In addition, pie fight footage was recycled from In the Sweet Pie and Pie (1941) and Half-Wits Holiday (1947).[1]
The title is a parody of the expression "the best man wins."[2]