The Yoke's on Me
Encyclopedia
The Yoke's on Me is the 79th 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
.
by the draft board due to Curly having water on the knee
. After they decide to go on vacation until a job comes along, their father (Robert McKenzie
) insists they aid the war effort instead by becoming farmers. Inspired, the trio sell their dilapidated car and buy an equally dilapidated farm. The farm contains no livestock except for one ostrich
, which eats gunpowder. The boys then spot some pumpkins and decide to carve and sell them.
In the interim, several Japanese internees escape a prison camp (known during World War II
as 'relocation centers'), and work their way onto the Stooges' farm. Curly is the first to notice some suspicious activity (one of the refugees places the carved pumpkin on his head, spooking Curly). Eventually, Moe and Larry believe him, and realize that the farm is surrounded by the Japanese. Moe then throws an ostrich egg (laden with digested gunpowder) at the refugees, killing them.
, the Stooges made a few comedies that engaged in propaganda
against the then-enemy Japanese, including Spook Louder
, No Dough Boys
, Booby Dupes
and The Yoke's on Me. These films can be uncomfortable to view today.
The Yoke's on Me is especially singled out by modern critics. For many years, the film was blacklist
ed from the Stooges' television syndication package, due to its treatment of American-Japanese escapees from a relocation center (the character are not Japanese POWs). The Yoke's on Me finally returned the airwaves in July 2010 when AMC broadcasted the film.
Author Jon Solomon has said, "no Stooge film so profoundly disturbs modern viewers as this one." Author Michael Fleming put it more bluntly: "Knowing what we do now about how Japanese-born American citizens were mistreated and stripped of their belongings in relocation centers makes this as funny as a train wreck
."
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
1934 in film
-Events:*January 26 - Samuel Goldwyn purchases the film rights to The Wonderful Wizard of Oz from the L. Frank Baum estate for $40,000.*February 19 - Bob Hope marries Dolores Reade...
and 1959
1959 in film
The year 1959 in film involved some significant events, with Ben-Hur winning a record 11 Academy Awards.-Events:* The Three Stooges make their 190th and last short film, Sappy Bull Fighters....
.
Plot
The Stooges try to join the army but are labeled 4-FSelective Service System
The Selective Service System is a means by which the United States government maintains information on those potentially subject to military conscription. Most male U.S. citizens and male immigrant non-citizens between the ages of 18 and 25 are required by law to have registered within 30 days of...
by the draft board due to Curly having water on the knee
Water on the knee
Knee effusion or swelling of the knee occurs when excess fluid accumulates in or around the knee joint. There are many common causes for the swelling, including arthritis, injury to the ligaments or meniscus, or when fluid collects in the bursa...
. After they decide to go on vacation until a job comes along, their father (Robert McKenzie
Robert McKenzie (actor)
Robert McKenzie was an Irish film actor. He appeared in over 310 films between 1915 and 1946.McKenzie was married to actress Eva McKenzie until his death from a heart attack in 1949. The two appeared as husband and wife in The Three Stooges film The Yoke's on Me...
) insists they aid the war effort instead by becoming farmers. Inspired, the trio sell their dilapidated car and buy an equally dilapidated farm. The farm contains no livestock except for one ostrich
Ostrich
The Ostrich is one or two species of large flightless birds native to Africa, the only living member of the genus Struthio. Some analyses indicate that the Somali Ostrich may be better considered a full species apart from the Common Ostrich, but most taxonomists consider it to be a...
, which eats gunpowder. The boys then spot some pumpkins and decide to carve and sell them.
In the interim, several Japanese internees escape a prison camp (known during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
as 'relocation centers'), and work their way onto the Stooges' farm. Curly is the first to notice some suspicious activity (one of the refugees places the carved pumpkin on his head, spooking Curly). Eventually, Moe and Larry believe him, and realize that the farm is surrounded by the Japanese. Moe then throws an ostrich egg (laden with digested gunpowder) at the refugees, killing them.
Wartime Propaganda
During World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, the Stooges made a few comedies that engaged in propaganda
Propaganda
Propaganda is a form of communication that is aimed at influencing the attitude of a community toward some cause or position so as to benefit oneself or one's group....
against the then-enemy Japanese, including Spook Louder
Spook Louder
Spook Louder is the 69th 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:...
, No Dough Boys
No Dough Boys
No Dough Boys is the 82nd short subject starring the slapstick comedy team the Three Stooges. The trio made a total of 190 shorts for Columbia Pictures between 1934 and 1959.-Plot:...
, Booby Dupes
Booby Dupes
Booby Dupes is the 84th 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:...
and The Yoke's on Me. These films can be uncomfortable to view today.
The Yoke's on Me is especially singled out by modern critics. For many years, the film was blacklist
Blacklist
A blacklist is a list or register of entities who, for one reason or another, are being denied a particular privilege, service, mobility, access or recognition. As a verb, to blacklist can mean to deny someone work in a particular field, or to ostracize a person from a certain social circle...
ed from the Stooges' television syndication package, due to its treatment of American-Japanese escapees from a relocation center (the character are not Japanese POWs). The Yoke's on Me finally returned the airwaves in July 2010 when AMC broadcasted the film.
Author Jon Solomon has said, "no Stooge film so profoundly disturbs modern viewers as this one." Author Michael Fleming put it more bluntly: "Knowing what we do now about how Japanese-born American citizens were mistreated and stripped of their belongings in relocation centers makes this as funny as a train wreck
Train wreck
A train wreck or train crash is a type of disaster involving one or more trains. Train wrecks often occur as a result of miscommunication, as when a moving train meets another train on the same track; or an accident, such as when a train wheel jumps off a track in a derailment; or when a boiler...
."
Quotes
- Curly: "Look, look! (a goose waddles up to them) A pelicanPelicanA pelican, derived from the Greek word πελεκυς pelekys is a large water bird with a large throat pouch, belonging to the bird family Pelecanidae....
!" - Moe: "That's no pelican, it's a gander."
- Curly: "Mahatma gander?"
- Moe: "No, a gander, a gander! A goose's husband."
- Larry: "Yeah, a papa goose."
- Curly: "Do they have papa gooseses and mama gooseses?"
- Larry: "Oh sure. And little baby gooseses, too."
- Curly: "Oh, I read about them. They come from Germany...the goosetapo!GestapoThe Gestapo was the official secret police of Nazi Germany. Beginning on 20 April 1934, it was under the administration of the SS leader Heinrich Himmler in his position as Chief of German Police...
"