Shivering Sherlocks

Shivering Sherlocks
Shivering Sherlocks
	File:ShiveringSherlocksTITLE.jpg
Directed by	Del Lord
Written by	Del Lord; Elwood Ullman
Produced by	Hugh McCollum; Jules White
Starring	Moe Howard; Larry Fine; Shemp Howard; Vernon Dent; Christine McIntyre; Kenneth MacDonald; Frank Lackteen; Duke York; Stanley Blystone; Cy Schindell; Joe Palma
Cinematography	Allen G. Siegler
Edited by	Henry DeMond
Distributed by	Columbia Pictures
Release dates	January 8, 1948
Running time	17' 17"
Country	United States
Language	English

Shivering Sherlocks is the 104th short subject starring American slapstick comedy team the Three Stooges. The trio made a total of 190 shorts for Columbia Pictures between 1934 and 1959.

Plot

The Stooges are believed to be bank robbers who have just robbed an armored car. The fact they are discovered hiding in a garbage can in an alley near the crime scene does not help their claims of innocence very much. They are taken to the police station, where Captain Mullens accuses them of the robbery but the Stooges fail the lie detector test (they fail on account of they break the machine) and their guilt cannot be proven. While on the "hot seat" (as Larry calls it), they do tell one lie — that they work at the Elite Café. However the beautiful and soft hearted café owner Gladys Harmon (Christine McIntyre) vouches for the boys as she knows they are innocent. After being released the Stooges go to the Elite Cafe to thank Miss Harmon for saving their necks, and discover she is having problems running the restaurant particularly finding good help. Most of Gladys' customers have left unsigned cheques for their meals which enrages the Stooges, until they discover the cheques Gladys has been stuck with are on account of the Stooges whose appetites are not matched by as big a wallet. Out of embarrassment over their actions and a desire to repay Gladys for saving them from prison, the Stooges volunteer to work for free much to Gladys' surprise and delight.

While working in the cafe, upsetting the customers and nearly destroying it with their cooking skills, Captain Mullens comes in and the Stooges try to convince him they are innocent. On a hunch Mullens pulls out a mug shot photo of "Lefty" Loomis (Kenneth MacDonald) whom the Stooges recognize as the ringleader of the armored car robbers.

Later that day Gladys receives a letter from the lawyer handling her father's estate which states that someone is interested in purchasing her family's old country homestead for $1,000. Gladys is delighted and plans to accept so she can use the money to get out of debt, but the boy insist on accompanying Gladys to the home to inspect it and make sure she is not being swindled. After a long drive they reach the decrepit old house just after nightfall, and start to think Gladys is getting a good deal. It just so happens that the house is being used as a hideout by the actual crooks the police had confused the Stooges for. Gladys gives Moe the key from her purse and they try to get in the front door, but it is bolted from the inside and the door won't open. The Stooges fan out to find a way in or something to open the door with, leaving Gladys alone at the front door. The crooks, delighted that the only witnesses have shown up for them to eliminate, aim a shotgun barrel outside a peephole and prepare to fire. Shemp thinks the gun barrel is a piece of pipe and tries to grab it, ensuing in a tug-of-war with the criminals. When the "pipe" vanishes, Shemp panicks and calls for Moe. While the Stooges are distracted, Gladys is overpowered and kidnapped by the crooks who grab her and force her inside the house. Moe and Shemp return to the front door but can find no trace of the missing Gladys Harmon and call out for her. The front door opens and Larry emerges with a crowbar, which Moe then promptly smacks him with as the Stooges enter in search of Gladys.

Lefty's partner then informs his boss that the Stooges are all inside. Lefty then sends Angel, a mutated human resembling an ogre (Duke York) wielding a large razor-sharp machete, to deal with the Stooges, telling his partner that "he'll do a nice quiet job." Imagining what Angel will do to the Stooges, Lefty's partner gulps and grasps his throat. On his way to find the Stooges, Angel enters the cluttered and murky storage room in the back of the house where Gladys is being held prisoner by the robbers. Gladys has been tied up in a heavy armchair with thick ropes lashed around her wrists, waist and torso keeping her nearly immobile and unable to move, and she is detective gagged with a thick strip of cloth tied over her mouth. Gladys is struggling and squirming to free herself when she hears Angel creeping up behind her, casuing her to cease moving. Hearing an ominous grunt behind her Gladys turns her head and on seeing his frightening appearance, frantically tries to squirm out of her ropes and call out for help. Angel raises his machete and prepares to execute Gladys whose muffled whimpering is barely audible, but before Angel can strike he hears the Stooges and leaves to hunt them down thus temporarily sparing Gladys' life. Angel then leaves out a side door of the storeroom with Gladys watching helplessly as he approachs the Stooges from behind. Once in the hallway there ensues a classic Stooges chase scene as Angel tries to slice the Stooges to pieces with his large machete, and the other crooks attempt to gun the Stooges down. In the end, the Stooges manage to capture the crooks for the police (who arrive in the nick of time) and save Gladys.

Notes

Shivering Sherlocks was reworked in 1955 as Of Cash and Hash, using ample recycled footage.
This was the final film directed by long-time Stooge director Del Lord.

Plot

Notes

Further reading