Pies and Guys
Encyclopedia
Pies and Guys is the 185th 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 trio are repairmen who make a scene in the presence of two psychologists, Professors Quackenbush (Milton Frome
) and Sedletz (Gene Roth
). Quackenbush makes a bet with Sedletz that he can turn the boys into gentlemen through environment. Training is slow and painful for the professor, who pulls his hair out in disgust. The Stooges do have the opportunity to flirt with the professor's assistant (Greta Thyssen
), however, while learning table etiquette
. Finally, the Stooges will decide the wager by their behavior at a fancy society party.
The party, naturally, goes awry. Joe greets the Countess Spritzwasser (Harriette Tarler
) by kissing her hand, and biting off the diamond
in her ring. Realizing this, Moe and Larry take Joe to a secluded area to lecture him, only to find he has swiped a load of silverware.
Joe then grabs a pie from a pastry table, and tries to eat it whole. Moe sees this, swipes the pie, and pushes Joe out of the way. Seeing another guest, Mrs. Smythe-Smythe (Symona Boniface
, in archival footage), approaching, Moe tosses the pie straight up — to which it attaches itself to the ceiling. Seeing that he can barely get a sentence out, she sympathetically comments, "young man, you act as if you have the Sword of Damocles
hanging over your head." Moe replies that Mrs. Smythe-Smythe is a psychic
and flees, to which the pie comes crashing down on the society matron. This sparks off a massive pie melee that takes no prisoners.
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
In the third Stooge adaptation of PygmalionPygmalion (play)
Pygmalion: A Romance in Five Acts is a play by Irish playwright George Bernard Shaw. Professor of phonetics Henry Higgins makes a bet that he can train a bedraggled Cockney flower girl, Eliza Doolittle, to pass for a duchess at an ambassador's garden party by teaching her to assume a veneer of...
, the trio are repairmen who make a scene in the presence of two psychologists, Professors Quackenbush (Milton Frome
Milton Frome
Milton Frome was an American character actor. He made approximately 140 television and film appearances between 1934 and 1982.-Career:...
) and Sedletz (Gene Roth
Gene Roth
Gene Roth was an American film actor. Born in Redfield, South Dakota, Roth was born Eugene Oliver Edgar Stutenroth...
). Quackenbush makes a bet with Sedletz that he can turn the boys into gentlemen through environment. Training is slow and painful for the professor, who pulls his hair out in disgust. The Stooges do have the opportunity to flirt with the professor's assistant (Greta Thyssen
Greta Thyssen
Greta Thyssen is a Danish-born American film actress and former model. Born in Copenhagen, Denmark, she appeared in films and television shows between 1956 and 1967.-Career:...
), however, while learning table etiquette
Etiquette
Etiquette is a code of behavior that delineates expectations for social behavior according to contemporary conventional norms within a society, social class, or group...
. Finally, the Stooges will decide the wager by their behavior at a fancy society party.
The party, naturally, goes awry. Joe greets the Countess Spritzwasser (Harriette Tarler
Harriette Tarler
Harriette Tarler was an American film actress. Born in New York, New York, Tarler appeared in over 15 films between 1956 and 1959.-Career:...
) by kissing her hand, and biting off the diamond
Diamond
In mineralogy, diamond is an allotrope of carbon, where the carbon atoms are arranged in a variation of the face-centered cubic crystal structure called a diamond lattice. Diamond is less stable than graphite, but the conversion rate from diamond to graphite is negligible at ambient conditions...
in her ring. Realizing this, Moe and Larry take Joe to a secluded area to lecture him, only to find he has swiped a load of silverware.
Joe then grabs a pie from a pastry table, and tries to eat it whole. Moe sees this, swipes the pie, and pushes Joe out of the way. Seeing another guest, Mrs. Smythe-Smythe (Symona Boniface
Symona Boniface
Symona Boniface was an American film actress. She appeared in 120 films between 1925 and 1956.-Career:...
, in archival footage), approaching, Moe tosses the pie straight up — to which it attaches itself to the ceiling. Seeing that he can barely get a sentence out, she sympathetically comments, "young man, you act as if you have the Sword of Damocles
Damocles
Damocles is a figure featured in a single moral anecdote commonly referred to as "the Sword of Damocles," which was a late addition to classical Greek culture. The figure belongs properly to legend rather than Greek myth. The anecdote apparently figured in the lost history of Sicily by Timaeus of...
hanging over your head." Moe replies that Mrs. Smythe-Smythe is a psychic
Psychic
A psychic is a person who professes an ability to perceive information hidden from the normal senses through extrasensory perception , or is said by others to have such abilities. It is also used to describe theatrical performers who use techniques such as prestidigitation, cold reading, and hot...
and flees, to which the pie comes crashing down on the society matron. This sparks off a massive pie melee that takes no prisoners.