Film & Shorts Discussions > Random Comedy Reviews
The Cuckoos (1930) - Wheeler and Woolsey
Umbrella Sam:
--- Quote from: GenoCuddy on January 15, 2021, 10:32:12 PM ---While I love Wheeler and Woolsey, I must admit to not seeing the appeal of Cockeyed Cavaliers. I have watched the film numerous times and, while it has its moments, was a disappointment to me. To me, Wheeler and Woolsey's finest work will always be the surreal Diplomaniacs, which I prefer over the more polished Duck Soup released that same year. I realize the preceding comment is sacrilege, but I am sticking to it and to let the record show, I love Duck Soup as well. As far as my favorite W&W musical number, it has to be "Ood-Gay Eye-Bay" from Diplomaniacs. "Paul Whiteman, that's the right man!"
--- End quote ---
To each their own, I guess. I have seen other reviews that also implied that COCKEYED CAVALIERS was overrated and that the songs weren’t as good as songs in their other films. I do still find that I enjoy the film a lot, and for some reason I find myself humming AND THE BIG BAD WOLF WAS DEAD every now and then.
metaldams:
There are films I enjoy better than COCKEYED CAVALIERS, but I do enjoy it. I do remember being impressed by the costumes and sets and finding parts funny. Far from their worst, anyway. Been a while since I’ve seen it, overdue another viewing.
GenoCuddy:
--- Quote from: metaldams on January 18, 2021, 08:53:44 PM ---There are films I enjoy better than COCKEYED CAVALIERS, but I do enjoy it. I do remember being impressed by the costumes and sets and finding parts funny. Far from their worst, anyway. Been a while since I’ve seen it, overdue another viewing.
--- End quote ---
I second this, I don't hate Cockeyed Cavaliers, I just feel it is overrated. I too enjoy the Big Bad Wolf musical number, I just didn't enjoy the movie on the level so many others do.
Now as far as Wheeler and Woolsey films that are indigestible, On Again-Off Again takes the title for me, I just did not like the idea of Bert and Bob as rivals. I realize this may have been RKO trying to revitalize, what they deemed a stale formula at the time, but it just does not work for me.
Aside from one great scene earlier in the film, and a sight gag featuring a poster for King Kong, I found The Rainmakers to be a disappointment too, the extended train sequence at the end was done much better by other comics and was draining to watch.
However, the all time worst, most maddening, anger-inducing, pile of comedy swill in the Wheeler and Woolsey filmography has to be Bert Wheeler's solo feature, Too Many Cooks. It's such a sad sack of a movie.
The whole film, aside from a few minor sequences, takes place at a construction site, so the film feels claustrophobic. Usually, I like Bert Wheeler's passive aggressive character, but his in-laws in the movie were so intolerable that I was waiting for him to give it to these folks right in the mush. That moment never came, and the last reel or so where the house is all built and Wheeler is walking through the house alone is such a dreary moment, I detested it and apparently so did he, on the set of the film he turned to Dorothy Lee and said, "Yeah, I know this picture stinks, but they aren't paying us to stand around and do nothing."
Bob Woolsey took great delight in teasing Wheeler with the bad reviews from his solo feature and I must confess, Bob's solo vehicle, Everything's Rosie, is the better film, it still isn't great, but I enjoyed it far more.
Umbrella Sam:
--- Quote from: GenoCuddy on January 18, 2021, 09:41:26 PM ---I second this, I don't hate Cockeyed Cavaliers, I just feel it is overrated. I too enjoy the Big Bad Wolf musical number, I just didn't enjoy the movie on the level so many others do.
Now as far as Wheeler and Woolsey films that are indigestible, On Again-Off Again takes the title for me, I just did not like the idea of Bert and Bob as rivals. I realize this may have been RKO trying to revitalize, what they deemed a stale formula at the time, but it just does not work for me.
Aside from one great scene earlier in the film, and a sight gag featuring a poster for King Kong, I found The Rainmakers to be a disappointment too, the extended train sequence at the end was done much better by other comics and was draining to watch.
However, the all time worst, most maddening, anger-inducing, pile of comedy swill in the Wheeler and Woolsey filmography has to be Bert Wheeler's solo feature, Too Many Cooks. It's such a sad sack of a movie.
The whole film, aside from a few minor sequences, takes place at a construction site, so the film feels claustrophobic. Usually, I like Bert Wheeler's passive aggressive character, but his in-laws in the movie were so intolerable that I was waiting for him to give it to these folks right in the mush. That moment never came, and the last reel or so where the house is all built and Wheeler is walking through the house alone is such a dreary moment, I detested it and apparently so did he, on the set of the film he turned to Dorothy Lee and said, "Yeah, I know this picture stinks, but they aren't paying us to stand around and do nothing."
Bob Woolsey took great delight in teasing Wheeler with the bad reviews from his solo feature and I must confess, Bob's solo vehicle, Everything's Rosie, is the better film, it still isn't great, but I enjoyed it far more.
--- End quote ---
I have the second Wheeler and Woolsey RKO DVD Collection, which I mainly bought to have COCKEYED CAVALIERS on DVD. The only other films on there I’ve watched are THE CUCKOOS and EVERYTHING’S ROSIE. I do plan on watching the other ones eventually, but when I do, TOO MANY COOKS is definitely dead last on that list, and I may skip it entirely. As some of the other posters here know, I tend to usually hate in-law comedies, and the fact that Wheeler’s solo film is an in-law comedy that is already so derided does not seem promising.
I thought EVERYTHING’S ROSIE had an interesting idea for a story, but Woolsey wasn’t a very good fit for the role; I think he can pull off solo scenes without Wheeler, but he seemed a bit lost trying to sustain an entire feature by himself. Apparently this film is a rip off of a W.C. Fields musical called POPPY. Recently, I was talking about how I wasn’t very interested in Fields’s work, but I also just realized that he seems like the ideal choice for this role and I would be interested in checking out at least one of his film versions. I’m curious, does anyone recommend the silent or sound version over the other?
GenoCuddy:
--- Quote from: Umbrella Sam on January 18, 2021, 10:53:01 PM ---I have the second Wheeler and Woolsey RKO DVD Collection, which I mainly bought to have COCKEYED CAVALIERS on DVD. The only other films on there I’ve watched are THE CUCKOOS and EVERYTHING’S ROSIE. I do plan on watching the other ones eventually, but when I do, TOO MANY COOKS is definitely dead last on that list, and I may skip it entirely. As some of the other posters here know, I tend to usually hate in-law comedies, and the fact that Wheeler’s solo film is an in-law comedy that is already so derided does not seem promising.
I thought EVERYTHING’S ROSIE had an interesting idea for a story, but Woolsey wasn’t a very good fit for the role; I think he can pull off solo scenes without Wheeler, but he seemed a bit lost trying to sustain an entire feature by himself. Apparently this film is a rip off of a W.C. Fields musical called POPPY. Recently, I was talking about how I wasn’t very interested in Fields’s work, but I also just realized that he seems like the ideal choice for this role and I would be interested in checking out at least one of his film versions. I’m curious, does anyone recommend the silent or sound version over the other?
--- End quote ---
I admire your bravery in admitting on a forum of this caliber to not being a fan of Fields. If I am being honest and this may result in me getting ousted from this forum but, I really do not care for the Three Stooges at all. I realize this is a Stooge forum, but I am mainly here for the comedy discussion outside of The Stooges. As far as Woolsey is concerned, I think he would have had the more promising solo career of the two, if given better scripts. I love Wheeler, but my favorite of the two has always been Woolsey.
Interesting to note as well, Woolsey had a role in the original stage run of Poppy.
Now if you'll excuse me, I must find somewhere to hide from the angry mob that will undoubtedly be approaching in the hours to come.
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