''Restless Knights'' is a 1935

short subject A short film is any motion picture that is short enough in running time not to be considered a feature film. 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 ...

directed by

Charles Lamont Charles Lamont (May 5, 1895 – September 11, 1993) was a prolific filmmaker, directing over 200 titles and producing and writing many others. He directed several Abbott and Costello comedies and many Ma and Pa Kettle films. Biography A Calif ...

starring

American American(s) may refer to: * American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America" ** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America ** American ancestry, pe ...

slapstick Slapstick is a style of humor involving exaggerated physical activity that exceeds the boundaries of normal physical comedy. Slapstick may involve both intentional violence and violence by mishap, often resulting from inept use of props such ...

comedy team

The Three Stooges The Three Stooges were an American vaudeville and comedy team active from 1922 until 1970, best remembered for their 190 short subject films by Columbia Pictures. Their hallmark styles were physical farce and slapstick. Six Stooges appeared ...

(

Moe Howard Moses Harry Horwitz (June 19, 1897 – May 4, 1975), known professionally as Moe Howard, was an American actor and comedian. He is best known as the leader of The Three Stooges, the farce comedy team who starred in motion pictures and television ...

Larry Fine Louis Feinberg (October 5, 1902 – January 24, 1975), known professionally as Larry Fine, was an American actor, comedian, and musician. He is best known as a member of the comedy act the Three Stooges. Early life Fine was born to a Russian Je ...

and Jerry Howard). It is the sixth entry in the series released by

Columbia Pictures Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc. is an American film production studio that is a member of the Sony Pictures Motion Picture Group, a division of Sony Pictures Entertainment, which is one of the Big Five studios and a subsidiary of the mu ...

starring the comedians, who released 190 shorts for the studio between 1934 and 1959.

Plot

Set in medieval times, the father

Walter Brennan Walter Andrew Brennan (July 25, 1894 – September 21, 1974) was an American actor and singer. He won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performances in '' Come and Get It'' (1936), ''Kentucky'' (1938), and '' The Westerner ...

of the Stooges informs him from his deathbed that they are of royal blood. Now dubbed the Duke of Durham (Larry), the Count of Fife (Moe) and Baron of Grey Matter (Curly), they are entrusted by their father to take up arms and protect Queen Anne (

Geneva Mitchell Geneva Doris Mitchell (February 3, 1908 – March 10, 1949) was an American actress. After beginning her entertainment career as a chorus girl at the age of twelve, she became more well known for her roles in several Hollywood films. Early ...

) of their old kingdom of Anesthesia, as word has spread that the present prime minister, Prince Boris (George Baxter), may attempt to seize the throne. The Stooges accept and make their way to Anesthesia, where, as the Duke of Mixture, the Fife of Drum and Baron of Brains, they become the queen's royal guards. The prince puts in motion his plan to abduct the queen as a royal wrestling match starts. Disgusted by the result of the match, Moe and Curly take it upon themselves to wrestle in their place with Larry acting as the referee. After an unforgettable match, the queen ends up missing, with the Stooges blamed for being lax. A sword fight ensues and the Stooges are taken away to be executed. The Stooges are sentenced to be shot by crossbows, but before the arrows are fired the archers spot a woman undressing at a window. Enchanted, they watch her, giving the Stooges a chance to escape. As they hide out from the guards someone drops a jug on Curly's head. It contains a note stating that the queen is hidden in the wine cellar. The Stooges head to the cellar, spotting a few of the men who had taken the queen, and come up with a plan—Curly will lure them out one by one, and Moe and Larry will knock them out. The plan goes well until one guard trips while chasing Curly and Moe and Larry inadvertently knock themselves out. Curly takes off with the guard hot on his trail, until Curly sneaks up behind him and knocks him out. He then runs back to the alcove, where Moe and Larry regain consciousness just in time to hear footsteps. Thinking them to be of the guard they missed, they swing their clubs and knock Curly out instead. The queen, tied up and hidden away, is able to loosen the gag on her mouth and call for help. The Stooges rush to her rescue, but a few more guards show up to search the wine cellar for them. Moe instructs Curly to do the same tactic he did before, but as he and Larry take position and Curly dashes past the doorway, the queen follows him, unaware of their plan, and is accidentally knocked out. Once they realize what they have done, all three Stooges hit themselves on the head, knocking each other out.

Production notes

''Restless Knights'' was filmed on December 19–22, 1934.''Restless Knights'' at threestooges.net
/ref> The film title ''Restless Knights'' is a pun on "restless nights," or chronic

insomnia Insomnia, also known as sleeplessness, is a sleep disorder in which people have trouble sleeping. They may have difficulty falling asleep, or staying asleep as long as desired. Insomnia is typically followed by daytime sleepiness, low energy, ...

.Solomon, Jon. (2002) ''The Complete Three Stooges: The Official Filmography and Three Stooges Companion'', p. 59; Comedy III Productions, Inc., Opening theme music was titled "Entry of the Giants," composed by Louis Silvers. The title ''Baron of Grey Matter'' is a pun on "barren of

grey matter Grey matter is a major component of the central nervous system, consisting of neuronal cell bodies, neuropil ( dendrites and unmyelinated axons), glial cells ( astrocytes and oligodendrocytes), synapses, and capillaries. Grey matter is ...

References

External links

* *
''Restless Knights'' at threestooges.net
{{films based on Arthurian legends 1935 comedy films 1935 films 1935 short films American black-and-white films Arthurian films Columbia Pictures short films Fiction set in Roman Britain Films directed by Charles Lamont Films set in the 1620s The Three Stooges films 1930s English-language films 1930s American films