The Three Stooges - Malice in the Palace (Comedy, 1949)

Malice in the Palace (1949) is a classic Three Stooges short film, a 16-minute comedy directed by Jules White. The Stooges—Moe Howard, Larry Fine, and Shemp Howard—play bumbling chefs running a restaurant in a vaguely Middle Eastern setting. When a customer leaves behind a map to a treasure guarded by a genie, the trio embarks on a chaotic quest to steal a diamond from the villainous Emir of Shmow, involving disguises, slapstick gags, and their signature physical comedy.The film features iconic Stooges antics, including eye-pokes, head slaps, and absurd misunderstandings. A memorable scene involves Shemp wrestling with a dog and a cat (dressed as a skeleton) to retrieve the diamond. The humor leans heavily on visual gags, like the Stooges’ disastrous attempts to serve food or infiltrate the palace, with Shemp’s ad-libs adding extra laughs. Supporting actors include Vernon Dent as the Emir and George J. Lewis as the genie, with the skeleton cat scene becoming a fan favorite.Running at a brisk pace, the short delivers non-stop chaos, typical of the Stooges’ post-Curly era with Shemp. It’s a quintessential example of their lowbrow, high-energy comedy, blending physical humor with absurd scenarios.