Pardon My Scotch

Funny Three Stooges short has them in various situations over the span of its quick running time. They begin as clueless carpenters who are trying to install a new door (this routine is one of the best they ever did, and Moe explained in his memoirs that he actually broke his ribs doing a real fall from a table that gets sawed in two ... amazingly, he still managed to rise up and finish the shot before collapsing in pain!). Then the Stooges are mistaken for pharmacists, who inadvertently concoct a beverage that gets bought by a booze salesman. In the end they find themselves at one of those high class parties where they just don't fit in, causing riotous mayhem. *** out of ****

This Three Stooges short, revolving around the then-topical Prohibition theme, is neatly divided into two sections, each seen before in superior Laurel & Hardy efforts – the boys at work from THE FINISHING TOUCH (1928) and BUSY BODIES (1933) and the dinner-table mayhem recalling FROM SOUP TO NUTS (1928).

As usual, The Three Stooges find themselves in the wrong place at the wrong time and here, told to mind the chemist's counter for a while, concoct an impromptu "explosive" beverage for a paying customer who, happening to be a down-on-his-luck alcohol dealer, sees a reversal of his fortunes in marketing The Stooges' new drink! It's a passable enough star vehicle but the stars' typical schtick is rather unsympathetic, and gets repetitive pretty quick.

Alcohol and the Stooges were a perfect match, and this episode is hands down insane. Andrew Bennison wrote the story, who specialized in comedy, not to disappoint anyone.

This time around Moe, Larry and Curly are working in a drugstore, and while the owner is away they happen to mix some medicines and chemicals and come up with their own brew? The stuff is so potent that a local businessman wants to sell it ASAP, beliving its a revolutionary new brand of scotch!

Best part is the Stooges crashing an elite party, pretending to be Scottish(!) to put one over on the unsuspecting drinkers.

Pretty clever and ALWAYS wild, featuring comedian Billy Gilbert as an opera singer. Gilbert was a foil for LAUREL AND HARDY, fun as heck here. He also had that boooooming voice to match. James C. Morton returns, this time playing J. T. Walton.

Two important actresses appear; Symona Baniface plays one of the party goers, soon to become the #1 foil for the Stooges, compared to Margaret Dumont and the Marx Brothers. Also Grace Goodall, as Mrs. Walton. Grace held the honor of being one of the most frequently cast bit actors in films. Nat Carr appears, whose career went back to the 20s, featured in the original JAZZ SINGER (1927).

Yes, also the film where Moe was injured in a fall, breaking several ribs, but continuing his scene. Oliver Hardy spoke from experience, and commented many times that on the job injuries seemed to go with comedy. Not an understatement, recalling both Curly and Larry were injured in "Three Little Pigskins," a year earlier.

Always on Columbia dvd, generally in box sets by decades, 30s, 40s and 50s episodes. Some box sets have themes and related episodes. Thanks all the time to METV for running these mini classics on Saturdays for all us big little kids.

Many years ago, I read a book by Moe Howard and it was all about his days with the Three Stooges. One part that surprised me was Moe saying that of the three, he suffered the worst injuries making their shorts. And, if you don't believe this, watch "Pardon My Scotch". IMDB indicates that with the table bit, Moe was seriously injured...breaking ribs and suffering a concussion. Yet, like a trooper, he continued with the scene! Watch the bit...and you'll wince as you realize it's no trick...it's real!

As for the plot, the boys work for a pharmacist. A client comes in asking for some medicine but the pharmacist isn't in...so these idiots decide to make their own concoction! The resulting mixture should have killed the customer but he likes it...thinking it's an excellent sort of whiskey! Suddenly, they find themselves in the bootleg liquor business...which is lousy timing as Prohibition had been repealed a few months earlier and liquor is now legal.

Much of the film takes place when the boys are invited to a big society dinner. What takes place there is exactly what you'd expect, though it was nice to see Billy Gilbert in a supporting role here.

Overall, a silly film. Not among there very best but a decent and enjoyable outing that even non-Stooge fans might like.

Pardon My Scotch (1935)

*** (out of 4)

The Three Stooges are mistaken for bootleggers due to a special chemical they made up. There are a few dry spots but overall this is another entertaining shorts that has one of their best jokes. The scene where Moe is standing on a table that gets cut in half is priceless as is another scene with the boys mixing up their scotch. Curley does a roll dance ala Chaplin in The Gold Rush but this here certainly doesn't have the same effect.

Now available on Columbia's 2-disc set, which includes over 20 shorts, all digitally remastered.