The Knife of the Party

Hollywood has always been on the lookout for new ideas and fresh, adaptable material from other sources to create new Cinematic Works of Art and Pot Boiler Programmers alike. The constant demand to produce critically appealing yet salable features and shorts created a voracious literary appetite in the Studios. And regardless of available sources of fodder for the writers, they would sometimes suffer from a sort of "collective writers cramp." And the universal axiom was, "When all else fails, do a drama or farce about show business.

We needn't look too far to find so many examples which serve us well in making our point. Consider Warner Brothers' 42ND STREET (1933), RKO's ROOM SERVICE (1938) and its musical remake, STEP LIVELY (RKO, 1944). All add credence to that vain, narcissistic and self praising film type.

As for this KNIFE OF THE PARTY (1934), it was a live action 2 reel Comedy, which was a production of Van Beuren Studios, a New York based animation Production Company. As we previously mentioned, they built their 20 minute script around that same basic plot line of a Theatrical Company's facing bankruptcy while being stuck in a hostile town, miles from home, in a hotel where they are already well in arrears in payment of their bills. The whole plot revolves around the troupe having to work in order to compensate the Hotel owner.

The story always gets interrupted with musical numbers; including the song. "Whistle While You Work!" But please, have no fear; for it's not the Award Winning Song from Walt Disney's SNOW WHITE AND THE SEVEN DWARFS (Walt Disney/RKO Radio 1937), but a whole, completely different breed of cat altogether.

The production had a certain primitive, staginess and closed in look about it. In that regard it bore a strong overall resemblance those Warner Brothers/Vitaphone Shorts, which, incidentally were also shot in New York. Both in the sound quality and the physical appearance of the sets, there was never any delusions about its being any sort of exponent of movie magic.

As for the cast, we give them an E for effort, for each and every player sure did his best in giving a pretty fair performance. The male and female leads did a decent job of trying to impart a little entertaining' to the movie audience; as did the rest of the cast. The group were doubtless New York actors and musical performers, hence there was likely to be an experienced company with regards to the 'legitimate theatre, but not so to films.

And this movie featured appearance by 'Shemp Howard & His Stooges'. This group of four, diminutive and nondescript characters had some potential, but never had the chance to shine, as there was never any chance to develop any personalities or to get into any trademark schtick all of their own. Shemp, after leaving the act in favor of youngest brother Curly, was making personal appearances with his own band of 'Stooges'. These are probably the most unappreciated comic answers around, anywhere.

If this KNIFE OF THE PARTY is any indicator, it is the decision of this court that this VAN BEUREN STUDIO should have stuck with their animated output.

I am absolutely sure that as long as the earth exists no one will ever read this comment simply because maybe two people in the world today know about this film. Nevertheless, I will write a comment. "Knife of the Party" should be a very interesting short for anyone who is a fan of the Three Stooges. Why? Not just because Shemp Howard is in this short, but because in this short Shemp is the leader of his own set of Stooges, and he slaps them around the way Moe slapped him, Larry, and Curly around. Shemp was an original member of the Three Stooges beginning in 1925, but he quit in 1931 because of the abusive behavior of their straight-man leader Ted Healy. He was replaced by Curly, of course. Then, without Ted Healy, the original Three Stooges hit it big in 1934, the same year this short was made. Some people obviously realized that Shemp was once an original Stooge before they hit it big (Shemp appears as a Stooge in the wacky 1930 film "Soup to Nuts," alongside Ted Healy, Moe and Larry). So someone decided to have this ex-Stooge lead his own bunch of Stooges, which he does with a lot of energy in this short. Unfortunately, while Shemp has his usual colorful personality, the other Stooges are stiff and don't say anything. In addition, Shemp is better as the one who receives the slaps from Moe, instead of the one who gives the slaps. The production values here are crude, and the male and female leads in this short completely lack color, but it is interesting.

"The Knife of the Party" is a painfully unfunny short film with almost nothing to recommend it. The only thing worth seeing, perhaps, is to see Shemp Howard with his own versions of the Three Stooges. This is fascinating because Shemp was one of the original Stooges but quit and was replaced by his brother, Curly, when the team went to Hollywood. Then, on stage, Shemp created a new Stooge act--and this film is apparently the only appearance of these faux Stooges. It's odd because Shemp acts in the Moe role and there are FIVE not three of the Stooges. But they also aren't the least bit funny and do some of the usual Stooge antics (such as slapping) but in an unfunny way.

As for the rest of the film, it's an unfunny comedy set in a hotel. It's full of singing (one of the songs is actually enjoyable, the rest aren't). Overall, it's not the least bit entertaining nor funny--as this Van Buren offering is terribly written and just bad.

Now available on DVD as part of the Three Stooges collection "Greatest Hits and Rarities", Knife of the Party definitely fits into the rarities category -- and for good reason. It's terrible.

Made for a non-existent budget, this musical short is about as far from MGM musicals of the time as it is possible to get. The songs are terrible, the acting is terrible and the plot is missing in action.

What makes this film of any note is a rare appearance by Three Stooges alumnus Shemp Howard as the leader of his OWN team of Stooges. Unfortunately, while any Stoogeophile worth his salt can name every Stooge, Shemp's gang remains completely anonymous, with no personality whatsoever.

For fans of Shemp, Moe, Larry, Curly, et al, Knife of the Party is worth checking out once as a Stooge-related curiosity piece, but I wouldn't knock myself out searching for it.