Idiots Deluxe is the 85th short subject starring The Three Stooges, released on June 20, 1945.
Moe is on trial for assaulting Larry and Curly during a Horrible Camping Trip. Moe appeals to the judge (Vernon Dent), claiming he is a sick man who was instructed by his doctor to maintain peace and quiet, and the audience is shown what happened from there.
Moe's peace was broken by Larry and Curly, who were loudly rehearsing their "The Original Two-Man Quartet" routine. Moe cracked, and wrapped Curly's trombone slide around the "quartet's" necks. Realizing Moe is in bad shape, Larry and Curly decided to take their ailing leader on a hunting trip in the woods to relieve his stress. Moe agreed, but the trip was anything but relaxing after the trio were hounded by a bear.
This was the last short produced before Curly suffered from the stroke that would negatively affect his performance in the next shorts.
Tropes:
- Artistic License – Music: During the "Two-Man Quartet" bit, Curly mimes his trumpet playing backwards: instead of sliding out on low notes, he slides out on high notes. There's also the fact that the trumpet produces a "falling" note sound when the slide disconnects instead of going silent, but that could be chalked up to the Rule of Funny (Curly knew how to play trombone in real life, so was likely in on the joke).
- Bears Are Bad News: Although the bear does whack each of them on their heads, he doesn't seem to display any intent to kill or injure the Stooges at all. The bear's probably just as scared as the Stooges are.
- Butt-Monkey: Moe suffers a lot of Amusing Injuries for the sake of getting the viewer to laugh.
- Captain Oblivious: The Stooges are so absorbed in one task like overdosing their toasts with condiments that they can't keep an eye on their food as the bear eats it all.
- Courtroom Episode: Though the hunting trip takes up the bulk of the episode.
- Department of Redundancy Department:Judge: You face charges of attempt to commit mayhem.
Curly: You mean murder!
Larry: Yeah! He tried to kill us, too! - Disproportionate Retribution: Moe has every right to be angry at Curly and Larry for the injuries he sustained, but they were just being clumsy oafs yet Moe acts like they hurt him on purpose.
- Enemy Eats Your Lunch: The bear eats a lot of the food the Stooges laid out (because they left the window open) such as scrambled eggs and spaghetti aggravating Moe cause there's nothing left for him and so he blames his chubby brother Curly (who's a Big Eater) for the disappearance of their food.
- Hard Head: When Moe hits Curly over the head with an axe, all it does is bend and warp the end.
- Horrible Camping Trip
- How We Got Here: The story begins at Moe's trial for assaulting Larry and Curly; Moe's explanation of the events that lead to the assault takes up most of the short's running time.
- Leave the Camera Running: As the bear eats their food.
- Literal-Minded: Larry thinks a sign reading "Fine For Hunting" means it must be a fine spot to hunt on.
- Plank Gag: Moe accidentally hits a police officer with an axe this way at the trial.
- Shot in the Ass: Happens to Moe, after he hides under a bear rug and Curly mistakes him for the bear.
- Stock Animal Diet: The bear finishes off a whole jar of honey with his exceptionally long tongue.
- Vacation Episode
