Goofs and Saddles (1937)

The Three Stooges actually play different characters here (or at least they have different names, different hairstyles, and different mustaches) -- Curly is Buffalo Bilious, Moe is Wild Bill Hiccup, and Larry is Just Plain Bill. They are General Muster's three best scouts, and now that the Indian problem is solved, he needs them to round up a gang of cattle rustlers. At first this sounds like bad news for General Muster and his men but, surprisingly, the boys are nearly halfway competent -- either that, or the rustlers are even more stupid than they are. Disguised as big gamblers from the West (sans mustaches and back to their usual hair), the Stooges head over to the Longhorn saloon, where they sit down to a card game with Longhorn Pete, the proprietor -- who's also the head of the rustlers. They've sent a note, via pigeon, asking for reinforcements, but the bird happens to be Pete's pet and their identities are uncovered. They escape in a wagon containing pots and pans which they toss out to stall their pursuers. There's also a monkey who terrorizes Curly. They wind up at a cabin where they shoot it out with the bad guys. When some bullets accidentally fall into a meat grinder Curly is using, it becomes a machine-gun-like device. The Stooges vanquish the rustlers and, as they are being congratulated, the monkey takes over the meat grinder and sends them off in a hail of bullets. Some shots from this picture would be recycled in 1954's Pals and Gals. ~ Janiss Garza, Rovi