Malice in the Palace
Encyclopedia
Malice in the Palace is the 117th short subject
starring American slapstick
comedy team the Three Stooges
. The trio made a total of 190 shorts for Columbia Pictures
between 1934 and 1959.
The Stooges, while running the Cafe Casbah Bah (a Middle Eastern restaurant) and attempting to prepare a meal for customers Hassan Ben Sober (Vernon Dent
) and Ginna Rumma (George J. Lewis
), discover a plan that their hungry customers are hatching. These two thieves are attempting to rob the tomb of King Rootintootin, which contains a priceless diamond, but they discover that the emir of Schmow (Johnny Kascier
) has already gotten his hands on the diamond. The two plotters start wailing and are thrown out of the restaurant. The Stooges then attempt to retrieve the diamond themselves, as there is a $50,000 reward at stake.
The Stooges arrive at the emir's palace, all three dressed as Santa Claus
. They then manage to acquire the diamond and make a quick exit, but not before dealing with a burly guard.
— a lobby card photo shot for this film features a slim and mustachioed Curly as an angry chef. However, his scenes were cut and ultimately Larry assumed the role as the chef. Had Curly been able to appear, this would have been the second short — after Hold That Lion!
— in which all four of the original Stooges appear in the same film. Curly would not work after this, as his health declined until his death in 1952.
Short subject
A short film is any film not long enough to be considered a feature film. No consensus exists as to where that boundary is drawn: the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences defines a short film as "an original motion picture that has a running time of 40 minutes or less, including all...
starring American slapstick
Slapstick
Slapstick is a type of comedy involving exaggerated violence and activities which may exceed the boundaries of common sense.- Origins :The phrase comes from the batacchio or bataccio — called the 'slap stick' in English — a club-like object composed of two wooden slats used in Commedia dell'arte...
comedy team the Three Stooges
Three Stooges
The Three Stooges were an American vaudeville and comedy act of the early to mid–20th century best known for their numerous short subject films. Their hallmark was physical farce and extreme slapstick. In films, the Stooges were commonly known by their first names: "Moe, Larry, and Curly" and "Moe,...
. The trio made a total of 190 shorts for Columbia Pictures
Columbia Pictures
Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc. is an American film production and distribution company. Columbia Pictures now forms part of the Columbia TriStar Motion Picture Group, owned by Sony Pictures Entertainment, a subsidiary of the Japanese conglomerate Sony. It is one of the leading film companies...
between 1934 and 1959.
Plot
Vernon Dent
Vernon Bruce Dent was a comic actor who appeared in over 400 films in his career. He co-starred in many short films for Columbia Pictures, frequently as the foil to the Three Stooges.-Early career:...
) and Ginna Rumma (George J. Lewis
George J. Lewis
George J. Lewis was a Mexican-born actor who appeared in many films and eventually TV series from the 1920s through the 1960s, usually specializing in westerns...
), discover a plan that their hungry customers are hatching. These two thieves are attempting to rob the tomb of King Rootintootin, which contains a priceless diamond, but they discover that the emir of Schmow (Johnny Kascier
Johnny Kascier
Johnny Kascier was an American actor who appeared in over 90 films between 1932 and 1956. Modern viewers will recognize Kascier as the Emir of Schmow in the Three Stooges film Malice in the Palace and its remake Rumpus in the Harem, and as the hotel bellboy who catches Moe kissing...
) has already gotten his hands on the diamond. The two plotters start wailing and are thrown out of the restaurant. The Stooges then attempt to retrieve the diamond themselves, as there is a $50,000 reward at stake.
The Stooges arrive at the emir's palace, all three dressed as Santa Claus
Santa Claus
Santa Claus is a folklore figure in various cultures who distributes gifts to children, normally on Christmas Eve. Each name is a variation of Saint Nicholas, but refers to Santa Claus...
. They then manage to acquire the diamond and make a quick exit, but not before dealing with a burly guard.
Curly Howard
According to The Three Stooges Journal, a part was written for CurlyCurly Howard
Jerome Lester "Jerry" Horwitz , better known by his stage name Curly Howard, was an American comedian and vaudevillian. He is best known as a member of the American slapstick comedy team the Three Stooges, along with his older brothers Moe Howard and Shemp Howard, and actor Larry Fine...
— a lobby card photo shot for this film features a slim and mustachioed Curly as an angry chef. However, his scenes were cut and ultimately Larry assumed the role as the chef. Had Curly been able to appear, this would have been the second short — after Hold That Lion!
Hold That Lion!
Hold That Lion! is the 100th short subject starring American slapstick comedy team the Three Stooges. The trio made a total of 190 shorts for Columbia Pictures between 1934 and 1959.-Plot:...
— in which all four of the original Stooges appear in the same film. Curly would not work after this, as his health declined until his death in 1952.