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Squareheads of the Roundtable (1948)

metaldams · 15 · 11410

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Offline metaldams

http://www.threestooges.net/filmography/episode/106
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0040831/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=SMvC3EuzW7A

Watch SQUAREHEADS OF THE ROUNDTABLE in the link above



      SQUAREHEADS OF THE ROUNDTABLE is definitely a classic.  It's got a little of everything.  A fantastic supporting cast, wonderful scenery and atmosphere, a huge standout scene, some great humor, and a good story.  Most Stooge shorts have some of these things, but rarely do all these elements gel together as they do here.

      Vernon Dent, Christine McIntyre, Jock Mahoney, and for the first time in a Stooge short, Phil Van Zandt make for one heck of a supporting cast.  Vernon's facial expressions when he's hiding under the covers as Shemp is mocking his appearance are wonderful.  Christine, well, a little more on her later, but for now I'll say she looked even more beautiful than usual here and seemed to be having a great time.  Check out the look of satisfaction on her face as she crushes the hands of The Three Stooges in their team hand clutch, a nice reference to what Jock Mahoney did earlier.  Speaking of him, he does a great job here, being likable and worthy of the girl.  So many of these guys in the old movies seem so juvenile in these romantic lead roles, what I call the David Manners syndrome.  Jock is likable like I said, and check out his smile as the boys leave the jail cell.  I have trouble believing that smile was scripted, I want to believe he was enjoying himself here.  Then there's Phil Van Zandt, no doubt thinking, "From Orson to this?"  The former CITIZEN KANE actor would do a great job over the years playing slimy villains, as he does here.

      The scenery comes from the movie BANDITS OF SHERWOOD FOREST. Like I just outed in the "More Trivia" thread, this is only the third Shemp short filmed and HOT SCOTS the fourth, both using the same scenery.  Both films were also released well over a year after filming, and my guess is because Columbia wanted some distance from the release of these films and BANDITS OF SHERWOOD FOREST to avoid the obvious use of the same scenery being used.  BANDITS was released the same month these two shorts were shot, December 1946.

      No review would be complete without mentioning the classic balcony scene.  The boys get to harmonize beautifully and light heartedly in a strange rendition of  SEXTETTE FROM LUCIA (you opera experts can correct me if I butchered that title, Slayer didn't cover this song on their last album).  You folks with an ear for melody will notice it's the same tune from MICRO-PHONIES.  Christine McIntyre sings amazingly well, what a talented lady she was.  There's a part of me that's shocked she didn't go on to bigger things.

      The boys get to work with tools in this one, always a good thing.  One of my favorite bits is kind of subtle, but when the boys take the tools out of the bread Princess Elaine slips them while in jail, notice the way Shemp at first tries to use the chisel on the bars without a hammer.  He's using his bare hands!  I also enjoy references that obviously post date the days of knights and roundtables, such as a radio, THE JOLSON STORY, and the boys dancing to SWANEE RIVER! 

      Overall, a fantastic short, one of the best the boys ever did.

10/10

     

     
- Doug Sarnecky


Offline Big Chief Apumtagribonitz

Yup, what Metal said.  Yup, yup, yup.  The balcony scene brings tears to my eyes.  Also points out what Metal said a while ago about some of Edward Bernds's shorts being mini-features, with satisfying stories and great individual scenes and rousing climaxes.  Absolutely one of the best from any era.


Offline Dr. Hugo Gansamacher

  • Birdbrain
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  • "Pleese! You zit!"
Oh, a music lover! (See attachment. Ideally, this would be an animated GIF.)


Offline Paul Pain

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This is a short with nothing to dislike, really.  Every bit of this consists of coherent laughs that work to advance the plot in a Stoogean manner.  The lovers are not overly sappy.  The acting is good.  We got ourselves a top-notch short here.

We see the debut of the incredible Phil Van Zandt.  While he only played villains, he did so fantastically.  Obviously a top-notch actor, and we're all glad to have him along for the ride as his acting can add to the quality, much like Vernon Dent (who Phil almost always acted with in Stooge shorts) and Bud Jamison.
#1 fire kibitzer


Offline Lefty

Just 5 weeks ago I listed my 10 favorite Shemp shorts in chronological order, with this one being the first.  It is also first on the overall list of Shemp shorts.  The characters, the plot, the jokes, everything was "fab-a-mundo." 

Here is a Youtube video of "Sextet from Lucia di Lammermoor " with subtitles, and some of it sounded just like the Stooges lip-synching in "Micro-Phonies": 


(Granted, I prefer the sped-up version in this short.)


Offline metaldams

Just 5 weeks ago I listed my 10 favorite Shemp shorts in chronological order, with this one being the first.  It is also first on the overall list of Shemp shorts.  The characters, the plot, the jokes, everything was "fab-a-mundo." 

Here is a Youtube video of "Sextet from Lucia di Lammermoor " with subtitles, and some of it sounded just like the Stooges lip-synching in "Micro-Phonies": 


(Granted, I prefer the sped-up version in this short.)

Dude, she didn't raise the shade!  Blasphemy! 

All kidding aside, that was fascinating to watch.  Thanks for posting that.
- Doug Sarnecky


Offline Dr. Hugo Gansamacher

  • Birdbrain
  • ****
  • "Pleese! You zit!"
A couple of favorite bits of dialogue:

Moe: This is a fine how-d'ye-do!
Shemp: How d'ye do?
Moe: (slaps Shemp)

When the Stooges learn that they are to be beheaded along with Cedric the blacksmith:

Moe: Oh, no! I've got to get myself a cheap lawyer!
Shemp: And I've just bought two new hats!

By the way, the use of the "sextet from Lucy" in this short is not without thematic relevance. It is from Lucia di Lammermoor, an opera based on the novel The Bride of Lammermoor by Sir Walter Scott. The title character is forced into a politically convenient marriage by her brother, despite her love for another man, Edgar, whose family is at war with her own. The sextet is sung when Edgar unexpectedly appears at her wedding. Not exactly a tight connection, but still the same sort of family feud in a feudal setting.


Offline Shemp_Diesel

A very good short--I'm not quite as high on this one as others who've posted and I just finished watching it again & I would say my opinion of it remains the same in saying that it's an 8 on the 10 scale...


Talbot's body is the perfect home for the Monster's brain, which I will add to and subtract from in my experiments.



Offline Shemp_Diesel

Any reasons?


Hi Big Chief--my reasons for not liking this one as much as others do; I don't know if I can articulate it in words. Let's just say that I find much of this short to be very plot driven. Of course, I'm sure that is what Mr. Bernds was shooting for with this short, but for me the action does slow down at times while the story portion of the short takes over. There's some great slapstick throughout, but I don't know... like I said before, it's a very good short--I just don't think of it as one of the very best. Sorry...   :-\
Talbot's body is the perfect home for the Monster's brain, which I will add to and subtract from in my experiments.


Offline Kopfy2013

A good solid short. One of Shemps best.

 I like the lines "two heads are better than one".  " we didn't bring any presents, the stores were closed "

 Another chase scene.  As I said before not a big fan of those. I would give the short a solid eight
Niagara Falls


Offline Shemp_Diesel

Well, I was just cherry picking a few of the shorts off of Volume 5, and I've had a slight change of heart about this one. I think all the bouquets people have thrown at this short over the years are justified.

Still not one of my all-time favorites, but very funny & very good...

8.5 out of 10...
Talbot's body is the perfect home for the Monster's brain, which I will add to and subtract from in my experiments.


Offline Woe-ee-Woe-Woe80

Very good Shemp short that I've always liked, I love the scene where Moe thinks Larry is dead and Moe claims that if Larry comes back he'll never hit him again, then Larry comes out of nowhere and says "really", then Moe hits him! That scene is hilarious, not quite a classic episode but definitely a fun and enjoyable episode to watch.

I give the episode an 8.5 out of 10.


Offline Dr. Mabuse

A polished Edward Bernds effort and certainly better than "Fiddlers Three," but the laughs are sporadic at best. The balcony scene is a definite highlight. Some have posted their dislike for Stooge westerns. Truth be told, I'm not crazy about the medieval shorts (including the uneven "Restless Knights").  I'm glad the boys didn't venture into this historical territory too often. 

7/10


Offline Daddy Dewdrop

Again, I'm not as high on this one as most here.  That said, now that we're in my Top 60, every short is fun and the dividing lines get thinner and thinner.  This one ranks as my #12 (Shemp) and #60 overall.