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Squareheads of the Round Table

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Squareheads of the Round Table
Directed byEdward Bernds
Written byEdward Bernds
Produced byHugh McCollum
StarringMoe Howard
Larry Fine
Shemp Howard
Christine McIntyre
Vernon Dent
Philip Van Zandt
Jock Mahoney
Harold Brauer
CinematographyAllen G. Siegler
Edited byHenry DeMond
Production
company
Columbia Pictures
Distributed byColumbia Pictures
Release date
  • March 4, 1948 (1948-03-04)
Running time
18:17
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

Squareheads of the Round Table is a 1948 short subject directed by Edward Bernds starring American slapstick comedy team The Three Stooges (Moe Howard, Larry Fine and Shemp Howard). It is the 106th entry in the series released by Columbia Pictures starring the comedians, who released 190 shorts for the studio between 1934 and 1959.

Plot

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The Stooges are troubadours during the Middle Ages amidst the era of King Arthur's reign,during the Middle Ages inKing Arthur Pendragon's time. The narrative unfolds wherein nefarious Black Prince harbors aspirations of union with Princess Elaine. However, the princess's affections lie with Cedric, the humble blacksmith. The intervention of the Stooges is pivotal, as they endeavor to advocate for Cedric's cause through the medium of music, specifically performing the sextet excerpted from Gaetano Donizetti's opera Lucia di Lammermoor.

Following a daring escape from confinement within the dungeon, where the King has sentenced them to face decapitation, Moe overhears a clandestine dialogue between the Black Prince and an accomplice. This exchange reveals a treacherous plot to assassinate the King subsequent to his nuptials with Princess Elaine, with the ulterior motive of securing the throne for the Black Prince. Through a display of diversionary antics, the trio engages in an armored dance choreographed to the strains of Stephen Foster's composition "Old Folks at Home", successfully disrupt the unfolding scheme, thereby affording Elaine the opportunity to liberate Cedric from captivity. The King ultimately apprehends the Black Prince and his confederate, thereby thwarting their machinations. Princess Elaine is consequently granted permission to unite in matrimony with Cedric.

Cast

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Credited

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Uncredited

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Production notes

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Squareheads of the Round Table was the ninth Stooge film released but only the third one filmed after Shemp rejoined the comedy team. Filming occurred on December 9–12, 1946, but was withheld from release until March 1948, approximately 15 months later.[1] It was filmed approximately five months after the last entry, Out West (1947), was filmed.[2]

Squareheads of the Round Table was remade in 1954 as Knutzy Knights, using ample stock footage. Like Fiddlers Three and The Hot Scots, Squareheads of the Round Table was filmed on the existing set of the feature film The Bandit of Sherwood Forest.[3]

Quotes

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  • King Arthur: "My daughter marry a ‘smith?!"
  • Shemp: "Take it easy, King; millions of women marry Smiths every year!"

References

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  1. ^ Squareheads of the Round Table at threestooges.net
  2. ^ Out West at threestooges.net
  3. ^ Solomon, Jon. (2002) The Complete Three Stooges: The Official Filmography and Three Stooges Companion; Comedy III Productions, Inc., ISBN 0-9711868-0-4
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