The Yoke's on Me (film)

Title The Yoke's on Me
Date
Genre Comedy
Director Jules White
Producer Jules White
Screenplay Clyde Bruckman
Starring Curly Howard (Curly); Larry Fine (Larry); Moe Howard (Moe); Emmett Lynn (Smithers); Eva McKenzie (Ma); Robert McKenzie (Papa); Al Thompson (Sheriff); Victor Travers (Deputy)
Music John Leipold
Cinematography Glen Gano
Editing Charles Hochberg
Runtime 16 minutes
Country US
IMDB The Yoke's on Me

Wartime comedy short subject starring the Three Stooges, whose plot involves in encounter with escapees from "a relocation center." The 79th Three Stooges short, "The Yoke's on Me" was released on May 26, 1944.

The story begins with the Stooges being rejected for the army due to Curly's "water on the knee," leading to a predictable sight gag (and not explaining why the other two were rejected). Urged to pursue farming as their contribution to the war effort by their father, the stooges buy a farm for $1,000 and a car from a farmer eager to sell. The departing farmer is stopped by two policemen who inform him that "some Japs escaped from a relocation center last night and we're checking all cars." They also note an escaped ostrich from a circus. After various misadventures at the broken down farm, the boys find the escaped ostrich in a barn eating explosives. They subsequently encounter the escaped "Japs" and are soon cornered by them. Moe grabs an ostrich egg, saying "If we're gonna die, at least we'll scramble some Japs with these eggs." Moe throws an egg, which explodes, killing the six "Japs" as the short ends. The "Japs" are all young men who are wearing prison-style jumpsuits and are played by uncredited Asian looking actors. None speak.

When Three Stooges shorts were repackaged for television in the 1950s and 1960s, "The Yoke's on Me"—along with a number of other wartime movies that contain stereotypical portrayals of Japanese Americans—was removed from the airwaves due to protests by the Japanese American Citizens League and others. It has been included in recent DVD compilations of Stooges shorts and can be viewed on YouTube and other online outlets.

Authored by Brian Niiya

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Last updated Sept. 26, 2016, 3:14 p.m..