A Pain in the Pullman (1936) Plot Summary Explained

The baggage car door slammed shut before they could load Joe, so they smuggled him into the passenger compartment to avoid Mr. Johnson's orders. They hoped to keep the monkey hidden while traveling, but this decision immediately led to chaos as Joe roamed freely and the Stooges struggled to contain him.

• monkey joe
• baggage car
• train
• stooges
• ejected

Joe was terrified and panicked while roaming through the train, causing him to accidentally pull the emergency brake lever. This sudden stop threw passengers into chaos and gave the conductor a clear reason to blame the Stooges for the disruption.

Foreshadowing: Earlier, the Stooges struggled to keep Joe hidden from Mr. Johnson, showing their inability to control the monkey throughout the journey.

• emergency brake
• monkey joe
• chaos
• train stop

The Stooges were ejected because Joe's accidental activation of the emergency brakestopped the train, endangering all passengers. The conductor and travelers were already frustrated by their earlier disruptions, invading Paul Payne's drawing room, eating his meal, and waking sleepers while struggling with their berths, so the brake incident gave everyone a reason to demand they be removed.

• ejected
• train
• stooges
• passengers
• conductor

When they discovered Payne's private drawing room was empty, the Stooges saw an opportunity and helped themselves to the fancy meal he had ordered. Their impulsiveness and lack of discipline led them to invade a passenger's space without permission, treating the situation as a chance for a free meal rather than respecting others' property.

Foreshadowing: The toupee theft earlier established the Stooges' disregard for others' belongings and property.

• paul payne
• drawing room
• meal
• stooges
• trespassing

Joe the monkey simply grabbed the toupee as a mischievous act of curiosity, characteristic of monkeys. This incident establishes the chaotic energy that will follow throughout the film and sets the conflict between the Stooges and the vain actor Paul Payne, who becomes another victim of theirmayhem.

• monkey joe
• toupee
• paul payne
• rooming house

Mr. Johnson, the stage manager, was responsible for ensuring the Stooges and their pet reached the performance safely without causing problems. He knew keeping Joe in the baggage car would prevent the monkey from disturbing other passengers, especially the vain actor Paul Payne who was concerned about his toupee and performance preparations.

• mr johnson
• baggage car
• monkey joe
• stage manager

The Stooges were notoriously clumsy, and their physical comedy routine translated into real-life awkwardness. Their loud, bumbling attempts to climb into their berths woke sleeping passengers and drew angry reactions, showing how their slapstick nature made even simple tasks chaotic.

• berths
• sleeping passengers
• stooges
• chaos
• comedy

After Joe triggered the emergency brake and stopped the train mid-journey, passengers and the conductor erupted in anger. The cumulative disruption from the Stooges, the meal theft, the noise, and now the dangerous brake incident, convinced the conductor to eject them immediately. Left on the platform, their theatrical commitment remained unfulfilled.

• ejected
• platform
• train stopped
• stooges
• consequences