Three Missing Links

Three Missing Links is the 33rd 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 boys are janitors at Hollywood studio Super Terrific Productions. They are cleaning the office of B. O. Botswaddle (James C. Morton), who is reviewing a script a new picture "Jilted In The Jungle" where the leading man will be a gorilla. After nearly destroying Botswaddle's office, Curly does his classic imitation of a "chicken with its head cut off" (Curly's trademark spinning around on the floor move) followed by other motions that cause Botswaddle to declare Curly to be the "dead image of the missing link" and sends the boys off to Africa to begin shooting.

While setting up camp, Curly buys some "love candy" from a cannibalistic medicine man (Naba), in hopes of impressing leading lady Mirabel Mirabel (Jane Hamilton). Problems arise when Curly (dressed as a gorilla) gets entangled with a real gorilla, who scares the film crew off the set. The gorilla then turns his attention to Curly, who, in trying to placate the beast, eats some of the love candy and falls in love with it. The gorilla, repulsed, dashes off with a lovestruck Curly in pursuit.

Quotes

• Moe: "We're terrific!"
• Larry: "We're colossal!"
• Curly: "We're even mediocre!"

Going Ape

Whoever was in the "real" gorilla suit was clearly having fun with his role. When Moe (thinking he is Curly) berates him, he shrinks meekly away, and even shudders his shoulders as if on the verge of tears. Later, watching Curly remove the head of his gorilla suit, the "real" gorilla experiments with trying to take off his own head too.

References

External links

• Three Missing Links at the Internet Movie Database
• Three Missing Links at AllRovi