The Cuckoos

After their success in supporting comic roles in RIO RITA, Wheeler and Woolsey were given the leads in this stage musical, which comes to the screen pretty much as if it were a filmed stage show (most of these early adaptations look like this - witness RIO RITA, WHOOPEE! etc.).

Not much plot and what there is follows the musical comedy formula. The romantic leads are dull, but we're not watching this for them. W & W are as usual marvelous together, with one gag word play after another. It's a most enjoyable 97 minutes.

One smash hit song from the Bolton/Kalmar/Ruby score (which by the way is universally tuneful and quality)is I LOVE YOU SO MUCH. Ten songs were retained from the stage show for the film.

There are three two-strip Technicolor inserts (reds, greens, browns) : a. the first act finale to the song GOODBYE, occurring from the 53 minute mark to 57:30 (4:30 minutes); b. the second act DANCE THE DEVIL AWAY number, occurring from 1 hour 21 minutes, 20 seconds to 1 hour, 23, minutes, 40 seconds (2:20 minutes); c. the Finale, occurring from 1 hour 34 minutes, 20 seconds to 1 hour, 36 minutes, 55 seconds (2:35).

Technicolor totals: 9:25 minutes.

A kidnapped heiress & a daring pilot. A wicked baron & an evil gypsy king. A wealthy matron & a cute young Romany. Not to mention a couple of fake psychics who are as crazy as THE CUCKOOS in any clock.

This ancient musical was Wheeler & Woolsey's 2nd film (Bert Wheeler is the little curly-haired guy; Robert Woolsey is the skinny bespectacled one). The Boys are always fun to watch, and they've got some good songs, but when they're off screen the film groans badly. However, it must be said that the massive Jobyna Howland is a great Dumont-esque foil for them & more than holds her own.

The Boys' frequent kewpie-doll co-star, Dorothy Lee, is on hand - and in Wheeler's arms. Ivan Lebedeff is OK as the villain. The romance between June Clyde & Hugh Trevor is dull stuff.

Three early Technicolor scenes are included and they are easy on the eyes. Some of the musical numbers seem to exist solely for the purpose of exhibiting the RKO chorus girls in various stages of undress.

Wondering what a band of Eastern European gypsies are doing in Northern Mexico? In films like this you don't ask questions like that...

A real early one for vaudeville team Wheeler and Woolsey. and oh. my. god. SOOOOO many song and dance numbers. each time we go into another song, the reel has been colorized, and they show cuckoos in a cuckoo clock. Personallyl, i would have preferred a stronger, tighter script, and less singing, but that's a personal preference. There ARE a couple really clever bits in here, and of course, they play around with word phrasing. and also show some flesh on the dancing girls. This was only 1930, so even though most of the film takes place in mexico (theoretically), the costumes really are quite skimpy. Co-stars Dorothy Lee and Jobyna Howland. it's pretty good if you stick with it to the end, very similar to a Marx brothers film. lots of horsing around and a love story in between the chases, falls, and knife fights. Directed by Paul Sloane, who had worked with Edison from the earlly days, then moved to other studios. Pretty good. can't go wrong with a Wheeler and Woolsey film.

Made during the early talkie era, this was only Bert Wheeler and Robert Woolsey's second movie after Rio Rita. Along with them is usual leading lady Dorothy Lee and Jobyna Howland who is hilariously mismatched with Woolsey as she towers over him! Many fine musical numbers and comedy routines abound including one about a keg of beer which W & W try to take from U.S. customs to Mexico during this Prohibition period. There's also a funny sequence of Wheeler in drag. And there are three two-strip Technicolor musical numbers that must have been awe-inspiring when first presented to 1930 audiences. So on that note, I recommend The Cuckoos

W & W are a couple of fortune-tellers with, of course, no talent in this particular area other than an understanding of Pig-Latin. This comes in handy when the purse of wealthy Jobyna Howland (Fannie) is stolen by gypsy leader Mitchell Lewis (Julius). He's a baddie that wants to kill Bert Wheeler (Sparrow) because Bert is in love with the same girl as him - adopted gypsy Dorothy Lee (Anita). He's also involved in a plot to kidnap June Clyde (Ruth) on behalf of Ivan Lebedeff (The Baron). It's a nonsense plot set in Mexico but this is irrelevant. We watch for the comedy routines and musical numbers.

There are 3 musical sections that are filmed in two-strip technicolour with greens and reds prominent. There are quite a few songs and some entertaining dances throughout the film. It seems like everyone has a go. If you enjoy this film, I'd recommend Whoopee! from the same year starring Eddie Cantor. Very similar stuff also in technicolour. A couple of good songs that stand out in this are "All Alone Monday" and "I Love You So Much".