Customer Reviews

Cracked Nuts

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"Cracked Nuts" is not one of Wheeler and Woolsey's best movies. It is not even a good movie. I never felt the material took a no-holds-bar approach to the fullest extent. I have written some reviews on other movies by this team and I realize I may not be their biggest fan, but that does not mean I haven't enjoyed any of their works. I think "Diplomaniacs" is one of the funniest comedies I've ever seen. Their "Peach-O-Reno" has an inspired lunacy to it. I also like "Hips, Hips, Hooray!" and "Hook, Line and Sinker" but "Cracked Nuts" is not in the same league as these other movies.

The biggest problem with this movie is that it is simply not funny. One of the reasons Wheeler and Woolsey are not remember by large audiences today is due to the fact their brand of comedy is dated. And in "Cracked Nuts" we get an ample supply of stale one-liners delivered by Woolsey. In his defense though there have been times when Woolsey could handle a wise-crack.

"Cracked Nuts" was the team's seventh movie and by this time they were already established RKO stars. The movie has Wheeler playing Wendell Graham, a millionaire who has squandered an inheritance. He is in love with Betty Harrington (Dorothy Lee) niece to Aunt Minnie (Edna May Oliver), who, to put nicely doesn't like Wendell. She thinks he is a failure and has proven he would not be able to take care of Betty.

So in an attempt to prove himself worthy Wendell buys a revolution, in doing so he bceomes the small country's king. But unknown to him, a childhood friend Zander Ulysses Parkhurst (Robert Woolsey) has won the crown in a game of craps. Which was all a scheme since the king wanted to leave the country before the war breaks out.

Perhaps in describing the movie to you it sounds funny. But the material doesn't take full advantage of the possibilities which could have been conjured. Another mistake the movie makes is by delaying Wheeler and Woolsey meeting. That's right, the team has few scenes together. This is odd because as Wheeler and Woolsey grew more and more popular, Hollywoood, in one of its inspired ideas, decided to try each man as a solo. Both films (Wheeler in "Too Many Crooks" and Woolsey in "Everything Rosie") failed. So why would RKO make a film were the two are not a team? Didn't they learn their lesson?

I can imagine fans of Wheeler and Woolsey getting mad over the fact I don't like this movie but I can't imagine them agruing with me saying the movie is better than "Diplomaniacs" or "Peach-O Reno". But regardless if you're a fan of the team chances are you'll want to watch this movie, all I can say to you is, enjoy. For the rest of us, lets skip this one.

Bottom-line: Disappointing Wheeler and Woolsey comedy that doesn't rank with their best. The plot never quite goes over the top and explores all the comedic possibilities which could have pursued. Plus the team has a few scenes together.