Malice in the Palace

MALICE IN THE PALACE is probably Shemp's best and most popular short. I can't say it's number 1 on my list, but I'd make it number 5. The best scene is when everyone thinks Larry is chopping up cats and dogs in the kitchen.

My Rating: A++

Most aficionados of The Three Stooges consider Malice In The Palce to be their best short with Shemp. It certainly provides all of them with good moments.

The boys start out as waiters here in a restaurant somewhere in North Africa and a couple of rough customers come in for service which they get Stooge style. A rather lengthy bit with all the others including Moe and Shemp think Larry is cutting up cats and dogs for the dishes served at the establishment.

But the two villains decide that since a curse is on the famous lost diamond of King Rootin Tootin is said to strike the first who lay eyes on it, these guys are definitely expendable members of the human race. The Stooge mission is to retrieve that diamond and if one of them spots it first, no loss.

Of course there is a providence in heaven for women, small children and a Stooge. Check that last routine where the three of them come disguised in Santa Claus suits to fool the bad guys holding the Rootin Tootin diamond.

It's quite a rock and quite a Stooge delight.

The writers of the Three Stooges over the years really loved to use corny names. Check out the ones here: "Ginna Rumma, Affa Dollar, Hassan Ben Soba, the Cafe Casbahbah, the Emir Of Shmow," and more. For instance, check out the names on a map shown late in the film.

Anyway, this Arab-flavored story turns out to be a diamond heist story with the boys trying to capture it while disguised in Santa Claus suits. Yes, it's as absurd as it sounds! Actually, the main part of this film - almost half of it - is the restaurant bit with the thieves (and two Stooges) thinking they were eating the house cat and dog. Those comedy bits are hilarious especially when Larry and Moe "pet" their food or try to bite into it.

My favorite face in here is Frank Lackteen, one of those tough-looking mugs with the bony, scarred face that would be perfect in an Al Capone gangster film. In real life, he was a Lebanese man who played a lot of bit parts for many years on TV and in the movies, beginning way back in the silent film era.

By the way, note the "trivia" on the title page here under "Fun Stuff" to read an interesting comment about the deleted scene with Curly in this film. Kind of sad, but I'd like to have seen what he looked like.

Overall, this is very entertaining even if much of the material had been used before in various forms.

Larry, Moe, and Shemp are bumbling waiters in Cafe Casbahbah. Hassan Ben Sober and Ginna Rumma are customers. The two are thieves trying to steal the diamond from the tomb of King Rootintootin. There is a curse on the jewel and they try to trick the Stooges to do the dirty work. Before that happens, they get a note that Emir of Shmow has already grab the diamond. The boys figure to steal it back for the reward while dressed as Santa Claus.

Petting the hot dogs is pure comedic genius. I would be happier to have the whole short be the boys trying to serve the food to their customers. A more daring comedic attempt would have no plot. It's funnier to be about nothing. The other stuff is fine but the map scene is way too long. It's trying to show the hilarity of the countries in the map but it's not that funny. I want more of the hot dogs.

One of the better written and directed shorts with Shemp. Actually, the Shemp shorts up to about 1952 are pretty consistent as to quality. It's been written that a version with Curly was filmed, or planned. This makes sense, as it would free up Moe, Larry, and Shemp to react as a trio to Curly, who plays the A-type personality in charge of fixin's. It seems that all that remains is a single lobby card photo with a mustached Curly in a chef's costume. One source says that a complete Curly version exists alongside the Shemp version, but has never been shown. I am mystified that there isn't more interest in the alternate version. I hope to contact Columbia pictures and request it, as it appears that the original shorts will finally be released on DVD. Thanks!