Pardon My Scotch

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.

Larry, Curley, and Moe are workmen installing a door in a drugstore. The store is running out of scotch and the owner is desperate for a delivery. When he has to leave, he puts the boys in charge of the store. They invent a drink to replace scotch and get invited to a fancy party where they dress in traditional Scottish outfits.

They do some door antics. Moe is the one getting hit this time. At the party, more could be done with the kilt. Larry loses his seemingly by accident. I am fascinated by Curley's sandwich. I wonder if it could be funnier. A sausage is funnier. Getting knocked back in the chair is funny. Blowing up the keg is also funny. There is some good funny here.

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.

This is my review of the ninth short of The Three Stooges they made for Columbia Pictures. In this one, they are handymen who try to put a new door for a pharmacy. After the proprietor leaves, however, they're in charge of the fountain drink department when a customer, a alcohol businessman who's down-on-his-luck, comes and orders something strong. The drink Moe, Larry, and Curley (as his name was still spelled at the time) literally explodes to the point that the businessman wants to do business with them! I'll stop there and just say that this was a nearly hilarious short from beginning to end though I admit cringing a little when Curley had to use that saw! In fact, after he cut that table Moe stood on, Moe injured himself when he performed that stunt of falling on the floor though it's still funny even knowing that. The real highlights were at the society party afterwards where the boys throw grapes and bananas at the opera singer (The always funny Billy Gilbert) and their funny dance in Scots clothing, not to mention Curley's involvement with bread. And, finally, this is the first time that the people have to tolerate the Stooges to get what they want and we get the first of their several theme songs (this one is the one that ends that classic novelty song, "The Curly Shuffle"). So on that note, Pardon My Scotch is well worth seeing.

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.