Don't Throw That Knife (1951) User Reviews

Making sense of the census

[bkoganbing · 7/10 · 16 September 2014]

As this 3 Stooges short subject came out in 1951 the 1950 census would have been over and done with. I'm familiar with how census takers are hired, it's a patronage boom for the administration in charge at the time. Moe, Larry, and Shemp must have been fine Democrats and supporters of Harry Truman to get these positions. And believe me sometimes those hired aren't far above the level of the 3 Stooges.

The guys have been hired as census takers and obviously their supervisor felt that three were needed at once to get the needed information. Usually census takers work solo, but what's the fun in that?

So the first apartment they come to is that of Jean Willes and her husband, movie western villain Dick Curtis. They're show business performers with a magic act. Their time before a fun house mirror is amusing, but the real fun starts when Curtis comes home and Willes flees because Curtis is a jealous man.

Curtis who played some mean villains has a great sense of comedy and gets as many laughs as the boys.

One of the best of the short subjects with Shemp.

One of their better entries!

[JohnHowardReid · 6/10 · 27 February 2018]

Shemp Howard, Moe Howard, Larry Fine (themselves), Jean Willes (Lucy Wycoff), Dick Curtis (Wycoff).

Director: JULES WHITE. Original story and screenplay: Felix Adler. Photography: Fayte Browne. Film editor: Edwin Bryant. Art director: Charles Clague. RCA Sound System. Producer: Jules White. (Available on an excellent Sony DVD).

Copyright 3 May 1951 by Columbia Pictures Corp. 16 minutes.

COMMENT: In this one, our trio of misfits are census takers who stumble into the apartment of the lovely Jean Willes where they are menaced by her knife-throwing husband.

Despite its slight production values and an inordinate amount of time wasted whilst Moe and Larry view themselves in distorting mirrors, this is a moderately entertaining entry. I must admit I enjoyed all the business with the collapsing chair and its substitution.

Jean Willes is a wow, while Dick Curtis justifies my belief that he's a top heavy.

One of their very best!

[tforbes-2 · 10/10 · 30 November 2012]

"Don't Throw That Knife" is clearly one of the very best Three Stooges shorts done when Shemp was on the team, and one of their best overall. They boys are census takers, and we already get a glimpse of the insanity to follow when we see a sequence in which Moe does a mock interview with Shemp and Larry. That alone elevates this piece, with its insanity and nonsense!

Then we get to the Wyckoff segment, and more mayhem ensues. We get to see trick mirrors, as well as other gags! Jean Willes and Dick Curtis do a fantastic job, playing opposite the Stooges. Sadly, while Mr. Curtis would do more work after this short, he was dead within a year of its release. Still, he left a good body of work, and this is an excellent example of what he could do!

And come to think of it, this is a short the Three Stooges can be proud of, even today!! Pure fun!

Great Three Stooges short!

[Movie Nuttball · 10/10 · 2 August 2004]

The Three Stooges has always been some of the many actors that I have loved. I love just about every one of the shorts that they have made. I love all six of the Stooges (Curly, Shemp, Moe, Larry, Joe, and Curly Joe)! All of the shorts are hilarious and also star many other great actors and actresses which a lot of them was in many of the shorts! In My opinion The Three Stooges is some of the greatest actors ever and is the all time funniest comedy team!

A good Three Stooges short with Shemp! Dick Curtis and Jean Willes performed really good together as a couple. The scenes when The Stooges do their census stuff in the hall is funny. The short has some really funny scenes especially the mirror scenes. Also the scenes when Dick Curtis is doing his stuff is also really good. I recommend this Three Stooges Short!

You Stooges better run and hide!

[slymusic · 17 October 2009]

Directed by Jules White, "Don't Throw That Knife" is a fun Three Stooges short to watch. Moe, Shemp, and Larry are census takers who visit the home of a husband & wife vaudeville team. Moreover, the husband is insanely jealous!

Highlights: The Stooges spend a minute observing some trick mirrors that frighten them. The husband has an unforgettable look in his eyes when he discovers he's kissing Shemp's hand instead of his wife's. Shemp has a few April Fools' Day gags for Moe as the latter tries to obtain the Stooges' credentials. When Moe asks the lady of the house her name and she answers "Wycoff," Larry and Shemp come up with some smart cracks as to why Moe is coughing.

Portraying the husband and wife in "Don't Throw That Knife" are Dick Curtis and Jean Willes, who were both well suited to play their roles as the Stooges' foils.