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Back to the Woods
Back to the Woods
Directed by	Preston Black
Screenplay by	Andrew Bennison
Story by	Searle Kramer
Produced by	Jules White
Starring	Moe Howard; Larry Fine; Curly Howard; Murdock MacQuarrie ; Bud Jamison; Vernon Dent; Ethelreda Leopold; Harlene Wood; Cy Schindell; Ted Lorch
Cinematography	George Meehan
Edited by	Charles Nelson
Distributed by	Columbia Pictures
Release date	May 14, 1937 (U.S.);
Running time	19:27
Country	United States
Language	English

Back to the Woods is a 1937 short subject directed by Preston Black starring American slapstick comedy team The Three Stooges (Moe Howard, Larry Fine and Curly Howard). It is the 23rd entry in the series released by Columbia Pictures starring the comedians, who released 190 shorts for the studio between 1934 and 1959.

Plot

Set in nascent American colonies, the Stooges, cast as convicted felons expelled from England to embark on a series of misadventures upon their arrival. Their initial encounter involves a lively dance with the governor's daughters, followed by the disheartening revelation that the colonists face starvation due to the local indigenous population's refusal to grant access to hunting grounds without a hefty fee.

Undeterred by the predicament, the Stooges resolve to aid the struggling colony by venturing into the wilderness for a hunting excursion. Donning makeshift coonskin caps, with Curly sporting an unconventional skunk hat, the trio ventures outside Plymouth, Massachusetts, armed with blunderbusses in pursuit of game. A fortuitous discharge by Curly's firearm secures them a turkey, buoying their spirits for the task ahead.

However, a fateful misjudgment leads them to mistake a gathering of indigenous individuals adorned in ceremonial headdresses for a flock of turkeys. Their ill-conceived volley of shots provokes the ire of the indigenous group, precipitating a frantic chase. Despite their adversaries' pursuit, the Stooges concoct a series of improvised defenses, employing a tree branch catapult to repel their assailants with an assortment of projectiles.

Amidst the chaos, Larry finds himself ensnared and threatened with scalping, prompting Curly and Moe to orchestrate a daring rescue. Employing unconventional tactics involving hot coals and swift physical retribution, they manage to extricate their comrade from peril. Their escape, facilitated by a makeshift canoe, culminates in a comical resurgence of their adversaries, inadvertently revitalized by an inadvertent dousing with water.

Cast

Credited

Moe Howard as Moe
Larry Fine as Larry
Curly Howard as Curly

Uncredited

Murdock MacQuarrie as Judge
Bud Jamison as Prosecutor
William Irving as Courtroom Guard
Harlene Wood as Faith
Ethelreda Leopold as Hope
Beatrice Curtis as Charity
Vernon Dent as Governor
John Rand as Governor's Aide
Ted Lorch as Chief Rain in the Puss
Cy Schindell as Indian
Bert Young as Indian
Charles Dorety as Indian
Budd Fine as Indian
Sam Lufkin as Indian
Charlie Phillips as Indian
Blackie Whiteford as Indian

Production notes

Back to the Woods is the last Stooges' films directed by "Preston Black", pseudonym of Jules White's older brother and fellow producer/director Jack White. It is the second-longest Stooge short filmed, running at 19' 27"; the longest is A Pain in the Pullman, clocking in at 19' 46".^[1] Filming was completed on March 2–6, 1937.^[2]

Near the beginning of Back to the Woods when the Stooges are prisoners, each Stooge drops the metal ball that is being used to restrain him, in succession. When each ball hits the ground, a chime rings. The notes are the G-E-C chime sequence that was (and still is) the same as the NBC Chimes used for NBC radio and later NBC television. This is followed by Curly imitating a radio announcer. The "NBC chimes" gag would eventually be recycled in the team's 1941 short So Long Mr. Chumps.^[1]

Larry refers to the WPA, which he identifies as the "Willing Pilgrims Association". This is a reference to the Works Progress Administration, a New Deal program that was prominent in the 1930s.^[1]

Curly and Larry refer to Whopper and Rosemont, two popular racehorses of the era.^[1]

The shot of the Stooges leaving in their high speed canoe was recycled from Whoops, I'm an Indian!. Back to the Woods was the first Stooge film to employ stock footage, a practice that would become more common in future productions.^[1]

References

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e Solomon, Jon (2002). The Complete Three Stooges: The Official Filmography and Three Stooges Companion. Comedy III Productions, Inc. ISBN 0-9711868-0-4.
^ Back to the Woods at threestooges.net