Uncivil Warriors

Uncivil Warriors

The Stooges were not professionally known as "The Three Stooges" when this film was released as they were billed by their individual names
Directed by Del Lord
Produced by Jules White
Written by Felix Adler
Starring Moe Howard
Larry Fine
Curly Howard
Bud Jamison
Ted Lorch
Music by R.H. Bassett
Cinematography John Stumar
Edited by Charles Hochberg
Distributed by

Columbia Pictures

Coca-Cola Telecommunications (1987)
Release dates
  • April 26, 1935 (1935-04-26) (U.S.)
Running time
 19:33
Language English

Uncivil Warriors is the eighth short film released by Columbia Pictures in 1935 starring American slapstick comedy team The Three Stooges (Moe Howard, Larry Fine and Curly Howard). The comedians released 190 short films for the studio between 1934 and 1959.

Plot

Set during the American Civil War, the short begins with a Northern General (James C. Morton) assigning Larry, Moe, and Curly (as Operators 12, 14 and 15, respectively) to sneak behind enemy lines and obtain secrets. Disguising themselves as southern officers and taking the names Lieutenant Duck (Larry), Captain Dodge (Moe) and Major Hyde (Curly), they insinuate themselves into the mansion of southern officer, Colonel Butts (Bud Jamison).

During preparations for a dinner party at the mansion, Curly, more interested in the Colonel's daughter, Miss Judith Butts (Phyllis Crane), manages to mistake a quilted potholder for a cake, resulting in a feather-coughing scene. The short concludes with an episode in which Larry and Curly disguise themselves as, respectively, Captain Dodge's father and wife. This leads to a controversial gag in which Major "Bloodhound" Filbert (Ted Lorch) inquires about Captain Dodge's baby. Moe runs off and brings in a swaddled infant, which is revealed to be black, thus giving away the Stooges' charade.

The three goofs run for their lives and hide in a "log" — which turns out to be a cannon — which is fired by the Confederates. The Union General wonders aloud where these three spies are. At that moment, the trio promptly land on the General from the sky.

Production notes

Uncivil Warriors was filmed on March 13–18, 1935.[1] It is the first short in which the Stooges mention "Good Time Charlie". When the Stooges meet a guard, they often reference Charlie. The guard asks who Charlie is, and a Stooge replies that "everybody knows Charlie. He walks like this." The Stooges then demonstrate a silly walk until they get clear of the guard, at which point they take off running. This is a recurring joke in the Stooge shorts. In Uncivil Warriors, they actually meet a soldier named Charlie, who asks the Stooges, "Are you all looking for me?"[2]

The potholder gag would later appear in the Shemp-era short Three Hams on Rye during a live theatrical production.[2]

When Moe brings the black baby into the Colonel's office he attempts to explain how the baby got his dark complexion ("We had him down the beach all summer...he got quite sunburned!"); this is sometimes deleted for U.S. television broadcasts.[2]

The introductory music over the titles is a medley of "Battle Hymn of the Republic" (most popular marching song of the Union Army) and "Dixie" (which had the same status in the Confederate Army).[2]

References

  1. ↑ Pauley, Jim (2012). The Three Stooges Hollywood Filming Locations. Solana Beach, California: Santa Monica Press, LLC. p. 295. ISBN 9781595800701.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Solomon, Jon (2002). The Complete Three Stooges: The Official Filmography and Three Stooges Companion. Glendale, California: Comedy III Productions, Inc. pp. 62–64. ISBN 0-9711868-0-4.

External links

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