Cracked Nuts (1931)

Wheeler and Woolsey are an acquired taste, for sure, but I've liked all their films so far. Their jokey, hokey vaudeville style somehow makes me laugh even (or maybe especially?) when the jokes are lame. The groaning is part of the enjoyment. As always, the happenings are extremely silly- this time with Wheeler and Woolsey competing to be king of a small nation that is not so desirable to lead, and the hilarity takes no prompting to ensue. Many old jokes that have been re-used mercilessly and no doubt pre-date Edwardian times; many dumb jokes that no one dared to use again; and sometimes even a good one, (my fave, "He's the most absent-minded man in the kingdom. Last week he put a cigarette to bed and threw himself out the window.") Dorothy Lee, who was especially good in Half Shot at Sunrise, is also good in this one, to a lesser extent. She and Wheeler form the ultimate sticky-and-sweet-as-molasses couple. Edna May Oliver is the perfect comic foil to, well, just about everyone. It is especially enjoyable when things turn violent vaudeville style.And if you find yourself thinking that this reminds you of Duck Soup, remember this film came two years before that one. Recommended if you have worked up a taste for Wheeler and Woolsey or think you might be able to do so.

That's the way they do it in comic strips when a bad joke takes place. In that case, "Cracked Nuts" would be festooned with these literary exclamations, due to the great number of bad jokes. I take a back seat to no one in my admiration for Wheeler and Woolsey, but this picture must represent the nadir of this very funny comedy team's association.The inane screenplay is not very good, about Wheeler becoming the king of a mythical kingdom, of which Woolsey is already the king. You can see a very young-looking Boris Karloff as one of his advisers, and also one of Hollywood's best character actresses in Edna May Oliver, who steals most of the scenes she's in. There's a good song and dance number between Wheeler and his girlfriend, Dorothy Lee.And that's about it in this very disappointing, unfunny comedy. This one is a far cry from "Half Shot At Sunrise", which is one of their best.

While not their best, this harmless 65 minute feature puts Wheeler and Woolsey dead center, rather than using them in supporting roles. It's no great comedy, but is quite pleasant and passes the time. It's really a series of two person one liners. Woolsey is constantly amusing opposite Leni Stengel as Queen Carlotta (Have you ever seriously considered marriage? she asks. Certainly, he replies, that's why I'm single.) We know we're in for chuckles when the first gag is a visual one- the camera moving in on the apartment house where Aunt Minnie stays - the name is Venus De Milo Arms. As Aunt Minnie announces, "Stop talking while I'm interrupting you." we spin into the plot, nicely laid out by other reviewers on this site. Outstanding is the battle plan sequence, where towns are named "What" and "Which," etc., while Woolsey fumes in exasperation.Lots of fun, especially the concluding bombing sequence. "As Caesar says, All roads lead to rum."

Cracked Nuts (1931) * (out of 4) This was my second Wheeler and Woosley flick and it'll probably be my last for a while. This film has pretty much been forgotten except it does feature Boris Karloff is one of his non-monster 1931 roles. In the film, Woosley wins the throne of a small country in a dice game but gives it to Wheeler who wants it to impress the aunt of his girlfriend. I somewhat enjoyed the duo's Mummy's Boys but this film here was just dreadful. There were a few funny lines but the rest of the film was rather hard to get through. Karloff is wasted as is Dorothy Lee. One interesting aspect is Lee who does some voice effects, which would later be used by Curly of The Three Stooges.