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« Last post by Umbrella Sam on February 04, 2024, 09:26:33 AM »
Well, compared to the trainwreck that was DIXIANA, this is definitely a major improvement. The plot is better, the casting is better, Wheeler and Woolsey are funnier. That being said, I still don’t think it’s perfect. Actually, when the movie started, I was afraid it was going to have the same pacing problems as DIXIANA because they spent what felt like forever focusing on Wheeler and Woolsey constantly changing their outfits so they could flirt with French women. Thankfully, once they finally get past that, the movie does get better.
I agree with HomokHarcos regarding their decision to make Dorothy Lee’s character 16. Completely unnecessary and it really casts a shadow over that storyline. It’s a shame, because I think this is one of Lee’s better performances. That number that she and Wheeler perform, “Whistling the Blues Away” is great and I like the brief choreography she, Wheeler and Woolsey do before the MPs show up to arrest them. One thing that I think really distinguishes Wheeler and Woolsey from their contemporaries is their focus on song and dance routines. I know not everyone likes them and, sure, I definitely took issue with some of the numbers in THE CUCKOOS and especially DIXIANA, but when they get it right, it really is very entertaining. They’re not using doubles either, it’s clearly them doing the actual dancing. Compare this to the Abbott and Costello features where they just throw in random song and dance numbers to fill up space; it’s distracting there because we just want to see Abbott and Costello. But with Wheeler and Woolsey, it’s actually a part of their act, so even if they throw in a song-and-dance number without them, like the one with the waiters at the French restaurant, it’s not distracting at all and actually feels like it fits in with what’s been going on.
Speaking of the French restaurant, that’s probably my favorite part. An opportunity for Wheeler and Woolsey to mess with their superior, Bert does some fun visual humor when sliding across the floors, and an opportunity for them to interact with Edna May Oliver. I’ve been re-reading the Watz book entries and was surprised to learn that this was apparently Oliver’s first Hollywood film; don’t know how I missed that the first time.
I also agree regarding the slightly more dramatic battlefield scene with Wheeler and Woolsey. Sure, it does kind of feel like it came out of nowhere, but it is a nice way for them to explore the relationship between the duo and again show off their versatility.
So yeah, definitely a step in the right direction for Wheeler and Woolsey, but there definitely is still some room for improvement. If I recall correctly, the next film is even more of an improvement.
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