Half Shot at Sunrise

RKO gave the vaudeville comedy team of Wheeler and Woolsey a second starring feature with this fairly funny piece set in Paris during the Great War. The boys are AWOL from their lowly ranks in the army and running amok amongst the girls in the wicked city. Meanwhile the colonel (former singer George MacFarlane) is juggling a romance with the sparky Olga (scene-stealing Leni Stengel) and the suspicion of his wife (Edna May Oliver's film debut), while his youngest daughter (the team's resident cutie, Dorothy Lee, fixing on curly-haired Wheeler as usual) is on the prowl for someone to ‘be nice' to her.

The movie has a watchable mix of pure comedy (the roller skating waiter, the scented letter, the café scene), songs (the usual duet for Wheeler and Lee; plus a fun bit for Woolsey and Stengal where he ends up dancing in a fountain in his underwear), and romance – with the obligatory happy endings after all the mayhem. What does jar though is the attempt to signpost the war by sending the boys to the Front – this section just doesn't fit somehow.

Sure it seems more than a bit stale in this day and age, but consider the state of film when this was made. The audio is a bit weak, but sound in films was still a cutting edge concept. Much of the dialog regarding these two soldiers attempting to pick up women seems sanitized, but this was made a decade before Clark Gable uttered the word damn and caused an uproar. When you look back at it, Half Shot at Sunrise was probably well ahead of its time.

The thin plot involves two US army privates stationed in Paris during WWI who are constantly AWOL and looking to score with any and all ladies they encounter. One of the most pointless and destructive conflicts in history was happening all around them, but these two only care about scoring with women! At least they have their priorities straight! On their trail are a couple tough-talking MPs, a two-timing Colonel, his amorous daughter, and..... well there just isn't a lot of plot here. Some of the dialog is just too parsed to be taken seriously. "These men make love to every woman they meet," an MP warns the colonel's pretty young daughter after he learns she may be smitten by one of these two. Some of the jokes provide more than a few chuckles. In one scene, Woolsey and Wheeler are disguising themselves as officers to impress a table of French ladies. "Why don't you want to play a general?" one asks the other. "Because then there's no chance of promotion!" the other replies. Probably the biggest laugh I had was after one of them whispers a proposition into the ear of a French girl. She replies with a long angry response in her native language. "What did she say?" asks one of our heroes. "She said no," the other replies. Ha! If you want to see one of the earliest and tamest sex comedies imaginable, then check this film out. I think youtube has the entire thing available. See where some of our more contemporary filmmakers may have gotten some inspiration. One of these two main characters is named Tommy Turner. Just like the most raunchy member of the gang in Porkys! 6 of 10 stars.

The Hound.

Tommy (Bert Wheeler) and Gilbert (Robert Woolsey) have gone AWOL from the army in Paris and are running around chasing girls. Col. Marshall (George MacFarlane) wants them arrested. However, his daughter Annette (Dorothy Lee) bumps into Tommy and they fall in love. Olga (Leni Stengel) meets with Gilbert and they also fall in love. Annette has a plan that will make heroes out of Tommy and Gilbert..............

Wheeler and Woolsey (the one with the glasses) act out various set-piece scenes, most of which are crammed with obvious one-liners and aren't very funny. Dorothy Lee is good in her scenes even if a little wooden at times - but she is not bad as the actors who play the military police. They are terrible! Mrs Marshall (Edna May Oliver) is the best of the cast.

There are 3 good bits in the film - the first dance with Wheeler and Lee (she is very good to watch); the 2nd dance with Wheeler, Wooster and Lee (watch her final landing and subsequent explanation as she jumps off a truck); and there is a funny moment at the restaurant where Tommy, disguised as a waiter, serves the food to the Colonel and his wife. That's your lot for entertainment - it's not a catastrophe but the film mostly drags.

Wheeler and Woolsey are two of my favorite comedians from this era. You just never know what to expect. This takes place in France during World War I, and while there is always an expected amount of sexual innuendo in their movies, (and in a lot of movies made before the codes) this one has the most I've seen yet. Ex. Cute innocent Dorothy Lee says to the boys she's about to turn in as A.W.O.L. for reward "I expect to make $500 from both of you tonight." to which Woolsey exclaims to Wheeler, "You're in Paris now boy"! Don't even get me started on Leni Stengel as the exotic Olga. I found this movie very enjoyable, even when things invariably get silly.

Two soldiers go AWOL in Paris during World War 1. An enjoyable comedy made by RKO. Dorothy Lee, a favorite of Wheeler and Woolsey is delightful in this film, especially the musical number "Whistling the Blues Away." Edna Mae Oliver has a small but effective role as the snooty wife of a general. Leni Stengel is also very effective as the beautifully dressed and elusive Olga.