Movies

Cracked Nuts (1931) Comedy duo Wheeler and Woolsey are competing to be king of a generic comedy kingdom of that era, and perform what is essentially a series of standup routines and burlesque sketches with various straightmen and women. With Edna May Oliver as the obstacle to Bert Wheeler's marital bliss, and Boris Karloff as a shiny-haired schemer. One routine involving mapping out a battle plan includes an early fragment of Who's On First, with a town named What. Q: What's the name of the town? A: That's right! As a scholar of the history of comedy I found this enjoyable. 5/10

Palmy Days (1931) A slightly more sophisticated musical comedy starring Eddie Cantor as a lucky fool who falls into a high-paying job as an efficiency expert in an ultramodern bakery staffed by hundreds of lovely young women in backless minidresses or backlit transparent skirts. Their daily fitness routines are choreographed by Busby Berkeley. Charles Middleton, remembered as Flash Gordon's nemesis Emperor Ming, is a phony psychic after the company bonus money, and George Raft is one of his henchmen. Silly entertainment. 6/10

Paradise.