''Listen, Judge'' is a 1952

short subject A short film is a film with a low running time. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) defines a short film as "an original motion picture that has a running time of not more than 40 minutes including all credits". Other film or ...

directed by

Edward Bernds Edward Bernds (July 12, 1905May 20, 2000) was an American screenwriter and director, born in Chicago, Illinois. Career While in his junior year in Lake View High School, he and several friends formed a small radio clique and obtained amateur li ...

starring American

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 as ...

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 comedy. Six total ...

(

Moe Howard Moses Harry Horwitz (June 19, 1897 – May 4, 1975), better known by his stage name Moe Howard, was an American comedian and actor. He is best known as the leader and straight man of the Three Stooges, the farce comedy team who starred in motion ...

Larry Fine Louis Feinberg (October 4, 1902 – January 24, 1975), better known by his stage name Larry Fine, was an American actor, comedian and musician. He is best known as a member of the comedy act the Three Stooges and was often called "The Middle St ...

and

Shemp Howard Shemp Howard (born Samuel Horwitz; March 11, 1895 – November 22, 1955) was an American comedian and actor. He is best known as the third Stooge in The Three Stooges, a role he played when the act began in the early 1920s (1923–1932), while i ...

). It is the 138th entry in the series released by

Columbia Pictures Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc., Trade name, doing business as Columbia Pictures, is an American film Production company, production and Film distributor, distribution company that is the flagship unit of the Sony Pictures Motion Picture Group ...

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

Plot

The Stooges are entangled in a series of mishaps stemming from their roles as repairmen. Initially accused of stealing chickens but exonerated in court, their misfortune persists when a live chicken escapes Shemp's jacket, inadvertently striking Judge Henderson. Subsequently fleeing the courtroom, they encounter a customer seeking repair for her malfunctioning doorbell. Despite their earnest efforts, the Stooges inadvertently wreak havoc within the customer's home, culminating in a confrontation with the resident chef. Prompted by the chef's departure, the trio find themselves unexpectedly hired to cater a birthday party for George Morton, a friend of the Judge. To their dismay, they discover that the party is attended by none other than Judge Henderson himself, whose wife is their previous customer. Under mounting pressure, the Stooges attempt to salvage the situation by preparing a dinner, facing numerous comedic obstacles along the way. A particularly calamitous moment occurs when their punctured cake is unwittingly filled with town gas, leading to a dramatic explosion during the party. The chaotic events result in Henderson's embarrassment and jeopardize his chances of re-election. Matters escalate when George Morton's wife, Lydia, exposes the Stooges' true identities, prompting a heated confrontation that culminates in the trio being chased away by the Judge wielding a shotgun.

Production notes

Filmed on November 6–8, 1951, ''Listen, Judge'' consolidates narrative components extracted from three separate Stooge films in which Curly Howard portrayed the third Stooge: *The courtroom scene involving the accusation of chicken theft is adapted from ''

A Plumbing We Will Go ''A Plumbing We Will Go'' is a 1940 short subject directed by Del Lord starring American slapstick comedy team The Three Stooges ( Moe Howard, Larry Fine and Curly Howard). It is the 46th entry in the series released by Columbia Pictures starri ...

'' (1940). *The segment concerning doorbell repair originates from ''

They Stooge to Conga ''They Stooge to Conga'' is a 1943 short subject directed by Del Lord starring American slapstick comedy team The Three Stooges (Moe Howard, Larry Fine and Curly Howard). It is the 67th entry in the series released by Columbia Pictures starring ...

'' (1943). *The segments involving food preparation and the climactic exploding cake, constituting the latter portion of the film, are borrowed from ''

An Ache in Every Stake ''An Ache in Every Stake'' is a 1941 short subject directed by Del Lord starring American slapstick comedy team The Three Stooges (Moe Howard, Larry Fine and Curly Howard). It is the 57th entry in the series released by Columbia Pictures starri ...

'' (1941).Solomon, Jon. (2002) ''The Complete Three Stooges: The Official Filmography and Three Stooges Companion'', p. 401; Comedy III Productions, Inc.,

References

External links

*
''Listen, Judge'' at threestooges.net
{{The Three Stooges 1952 films 1952 comedy films The Three Stooges films American black-and-white films Short films directed by Edward Bernds The Three Stooges film remakes Columbia Pictures short films American comedy short films 1950s English-language films 1950s American films