While the Three Stooges are best known for their violent brand of slapstick -- and director Jules White generally played the boys' physical aspect for all it was worth -- this comic short also contains quite a few very funny lines. The Stooges are detectives, but they're more interested in their card games than they are in actually putting anyone behind bars. This infuriates their chief, who insists that they find an at-large murderer within 24 hours -- or else. They actually have a man who confesses to the crime: "I am the culprit who perpetrated this incident!" he insists. The Stooges, however, don't understand his multi-syllable confession and believe he's giving them a bunch of double-talk. The next man they bring up is a witness, an organ grinder with a monkey. Although he looks Italian, the moment he opens his mouth, he reveals a British accent. Shemp takes a call regarding a bootlegging charge that was dismissed -- "The DA says we can't make a case out of 11 bottles of whiskey." The real killer finally arrives and starts shooting up the place. The Stooges are pretty much helpless amidst the gunfire, but the monkey manages to knock the guy out cold. Because Shemp has taken a number of the gunshots, Moe tries reviving him with some whiskey. But he springs several leaks and a veritable shower pours from his chest. Moe and Larry take the hint and promptly don shower caps.
by Janiss Garza
synopsis
