Hoi Polloi is the tenth Columbia Pictures short subject to star the Three Stooges.
Plot[]
In an adaptation of the 1913 play Pygmalion by George Bernard Shaw, Professor Richmond (Harry Holman), certain that environment and not heredity dictates social behavior, bets one of his peers, Professor Nichols (Robert Graves) $10,000 that he can take a common man and through environment and proper training turn him into a gentleman. Professor Richmond responds that there are always one or two exceptions to every rule, but agrees on a wager for Professor Nichols to train three common people to become gentlemen. Naturally, the Stooges, who are garbage men, are discovered and made the subjects of the wager. After many attempts to teach them proper etiquette (including a dance class punctuated by an errant bee that flies down the back of their female dance instructor), the Stooges will decide the wager by their behavior at a fancy society party given by Richmond.
The party does not go well: Curly pulls Moe's jacket threads until it splits. Moe then hijacks Curly's oversized jacket. Larry and Moe dance with stomped feet and bumps galore. Curly, as usual, gets most of the faux pas: he shaves in front of a guest; he gets stuck on a spittoon; he picks a "mascasino" (maraschino) cherry from a punch bowl; he hides a bottle of champagne, which Moe sees. Frustrated, Moe kicks Curly in the pants, resulting in the champagne popping open and spraying a guest. Also, Curly has stolen silverware that he has hidden under his clothing. When Moe hits him, the silverware drops onto the floor.
Eventually, Professor Richmond admits he's lost the bet and gives a check to Professor Nichols. Nichols in turn apologizes to Mrs. Richmond for annoying her with the "rowdies". The remark does not go over well with her, and she says "Spread out!" and then slaps him in the face, apparently having picked up the Stooges' behavior. Professor Richmond laughs, and Mrs. Richmond slaps him. In quick succession, the guests begin imitating the Stooges and laugh at each other's misfortunes. Slaps and gouges fly until the party becomes a melee of Stooge-born slapstick. The Stooges, disgusted by it all, realize that this is what they get for "associating with the hoi polloi" and decide to leave, but Richmond and Nichols get the last laugh on them via champagne bottles crashed onto their heads.
Cast[]
- Moe Howard as Moe
- Larry Fine as Larry
- Curley Howard as Curley
Trivia[]
The THREE STOOGES in the Fast Lane - Ep. 1 'Hoi Polloi' with @CurlysGrandson and @AndyPagana
- Moe Howard's wife Helen came up with the idea for this short, but she accepted payment instead of screen credit, leaving Felix Adler sole writing credit.
- This short is featured in the first episode of the The Three Stooges+ series Three Stooges in the Fast Lane.