(Bert) Wheeler and (Robert) Woolsey. Say the names to anyone but the most dedicated old film comedy aficionado and you’ll be met with a blank stare. However, in their day, they were RKO’s big comedy team and were serious box office competitors with Laurel and Hardy and The Marx Brothers. The start of their film career can also draw some parallels to Abbott and Costello. Both teams first film appearance were as comedy relief in a film they did not star in. 1929’s RIO RITA was to Bert and Bob what ONE NIGHT IN THE TROPICS was to Bud and Lou. In RIO RITA’s case, it happened to be RKO’s biggest box office hit ever until KING KONG topped it four years later in 1933. So after a lot of red tape and delays, Bert and Bob, both solo stage comedians who teamed up for one previous play and film, were now an official comedy team and would remain so for 21 films. THE CUCKOOS is their first film where they get star billing and like with Bud and Lou in BUCK PRIVATES, elements of what would make Bert and Bob work are there, but are not used in full confidence.
The romantic couple. The bane of many a comedy feature. Yes folks, they’re here too. They do get a couple of big musical numbers together and yeah, Wheeler and Woolsey do help them in their plight. The Marx Brothers did it, Abbott and Costello did it, Laurel and Hardy did it - it became a part of film comedy when silent cinema died and the stage and music became more an influence. The thing with Wheeler and Woolsey is it was possible to have the romance and music without having to resort to bland romantic couples. Both comedians are more than capable of doing unique song and dance numbers and in the case of Bert Wheeler, being a romantic leading man himself. In fact, his regular leading lady, Dorothy Lee is also in this film and Bert and Dorothy do get a few delightful scenes together. The musical number by the apple tree is great fun to watch as is their first kiss scene and beats the heck out of the humorless couples we get most of the time in scenes like this. Dorothy Lee was petite and gorgeous with a high pitched voice reminiscent of Betty Boop. A total cutie who would go on to make many Wheeler and Woolsey films more enjoyable. As petite as Ms. Lee was, Bert Wheeler was about the same size. Wheeler had an athletic build and was a good physical comedian, the two displayed a pleasant innocence together that doesn’t work as well when the glamorous types try it. So yeah, that outside romantic couple is completely unnecessary and in future Wheeler and Woolsey films, we’ll be seeing less of their type. Bert and Dottie will do just fine.
Robert Woolsey usually gets a more over the top comic romantic partner. Another diminutive comedian, he’s a cigar chomper and master wisecracker - think a mix of Groucho Marx with the look of an older George Burns. In THE CUCKOOS, his romantic partner is played by the much taller Jobyna Howland. Woolsey only falls for her when he finds out she is loaded with money. A marriage proposal to Howland from Woolsey consists of him asking to marry him so he won’t have to work anymore! Familiar concept? Yeah, speaking of Groucho, very Groucho and Margaret Dumont like. The big difference is Dumont’s contribution to the comedy is keeping her dignity and acting appalled at the mischief surrounding her. Ms. Howland joins in on the fun, eventually aggressively kissing Woolsey after he asks a couple of times and even manages to lift him high in the air - with the aid of a hook and wire, of course! Not better or worse than the way Dumont handles this kind of thing, but different and all in good fun.
There are a few other good comedy scenes. One thing about Wheeler and Woolsey films are they are very pre code. There is a scene at a slot machine where a very attractive woman, played by Lita Chevret, manages to get lucky with winnings at said machine and keeps her earnings in her stocking. She has no problem exposing her shapely leg, yet when Bert and Bob find ways to pay attention to it, she’ll do what she can to hide it. The fun continues when jealous of her ability to get money out of the machine, Bert and Bob both wrestle her to the ground trying to get as many quarters for themselves as they can. There is also a fun scene where Bert and Bob are in bed trying to get some sleep and get interrupted by a wide variety of people, including some non PC caricatures like a Mexican Bandolero and a knife wielding Chinese man, the latter of which they wonder if they forgot to pay the laundry bill. Earlier in the film they have a trippy discussion with a couple of young ladies at the breakfast table where Wheeler informs them he’s wearing poison ivy on his suit in honor of mother in law’s day. They then go into the musical number, “Oh! How We Love our Alma Mater,” a number which would have fit in fine in any Marx Brothers Paramount film and shows how entertaining both comedians are working in a comic music and dance environment. Really good stuff. There is also a scene where Bert is trying to sneak a beer barrel in his jacket across the border. When asked about it, Robert Woolsey’s reply is, “goiter.” BEER BARREL POLECATS, anyone?
While there is plenty to recommend about THE CUCKOOS it works better as an introduction to Wheeler and Woolsey if you also happen to like very early talkies with straight, non comic musical numbers. If not, you may want to start with other films. THE CUCKOOS clocks in at 97 minutes versus the comfort zone of 60 - 80 minutes that usually works for films of this type and yes, there are a lot of musical numbers not involving the comedians where your mileage may vary. Some of them are even shot in technicolor. One such scene shows a score of scantily clad women in devil outfits managing to show lots of hip, leg, and fire and brimstone. Thank God Joseph Breen saved us from such things a few years later!
![[pie]](https://threestooges.net/forums/Smileys/default/throwingapie.gif "Throw Pie")
Oh yeah, there’s also Bert Wheeler’s big finale cross dressing and attracting other men as a trick, not a favorite comic device of mine. Again, your mileage may vary. But yeah, if pre code, music and comedy are your thing, check this one out right away. I will link below the DVD collection it is available. If just comedy is your thing, start with other Wheeler and Woolsey films first, but you’ll enjoy this one once you work your way into it.
A few more things. Though uncredited, Roscoe “Fatty” Arbuckle did direct some scenes in this one and Bert Wheeler, years later, had nothing but nice things to say about the man. Also, from Edward Watz, the same author of THE COLUMBIA COMEDY SHORTS book, is the definitive Wheeler and Woolsey book, which I will also link to below. A lot of information in this and future Wheeler and Woolsey reviews will be from that book, which I can’t recommend enough.
Since I don’t think many people have seen this one, my question is what have you seen from or know about Wheeler and Woolsey?
https://www.amazon.com/Wheeler-Woolsey-Vaudeville-1929-1937-McFarland/dp/0786411414/ref=sr_1_2?crid=23FLMGTQ0DDH5&keywords=wheeler+and+woolsey&qid=1579229899&s=books&sprefix=Wheeler+%2Caps%2C173&sr=1-2Edward Watz Wheeler and Woolsey book link
https://www.amazon.com/Wheeler-Woolsey-Comedy-Classics-Collection/dp/B01LTHLW8Q/ref=sr_1_5?keywords=wheeler+and+woolsey&qid=1579229962&s=movies-tv&sr=1-5Buy THE CUCKOOS plus five other films here
