This is an odd outing for Wheeler and Woolsey. The first half of the movie is excellent--very funny, well-paced and clever. However, towards the end, the film falters very badly. The plot just disappears and it's a rather goofy free for all that just seemed rushed--like the film was taking too long to complete so they just hastily tossed together a not especially enjoyable but very goofy finale.
The film begins with the boys actually a success. In most of their films they are out of work and without a penny to their names. Here, they are both lawyers(!) and making a killing in Reno handling divorces. The problems are that their ethics are a tad suspect and the other divorce lawyers are mad because the boys are stealing all their business--and they want revenge.
During this first half of the film, there are two major plots. First, an older man and woman have decided to divorce--much to the consternation of their grown daughters. The couple really do love each other and the daughters are working to reunite them--while Wheeler represents the father and Woolsey represents the mother and the boys both have a vested interest in keeping them apart. The other plot is far from cerebral but is also very, very funny. A crazy guy (Mr. Crosby) has vowed to kill Wheeler because of the divorce that took away the man's wife (Wheeler was the attorney for the wife). So, Wheeler goes in drag to avoid being killed (and for other reasons which aren't worth exploring here) for a very long but well played scene. I've seen him play women in other films but he was amazingly good at playing a woman--even singing like one. It got really funny when Crosby himself fell for her/him!! The way this all ended was also pretty funny--with a great punchline. Sure, it ain't sophisticated but it is pretty good--one of the best drag sequences in comedy history.
So far, so good. But when the feuding couple go to court the plot just falls apart. The judge is one of the very same lawyers who hates Wheeler and Woolsey and he has vowed throughout the film that IF he becomes a judge, he'll never grant any of their clients a divorce and will make their lives miserable. However, when the case comes up, the new judge seems to have completely forgotten this. Then, the trial becomes even crazier and more nonsensical than if the Marx Brothers had done it. While this MIGHT have worked, it did not fit in with the first half of the film and this team just could not pull it off--it just was way outside their range. Plus, the writing really, really sucked (a term I don't often use--but it is appropriate here). It was like the boys were just winging it.
Despite this bad ending, the film still has a lot to recommend it. Funny and different, had the film not crumbled apart late, it would have clearly been one of the team's best.
The film begins with the boys actually a success. In most of their films they are out of work and without a penny to their names. Here, they are both lawyers(!) and making a killing in Reno handling divorces. The problems are that their ethics are a tad suspect and the other divorce lawyers are mad because the boys are stealing all their business--and they want revenge.
During this first half of the film, there are two major plots. First, an older man and woman have decided to divorce--much to the consternation of their grown daughters. The couple really do love each other and the daughters are working to reunite them--while Wheeler represents the father and Woolsey represents the mother and the boys both have a vested interest in keeping them apart. The other plot is far from cerebral but is also very, very funny. A crazy guy (Mr. Crosby) has vowed to kill Wheeler because of the divorce that took away the man's wife (Wheeler was the attorney for the wife). So, Wheeler goes in drag to avoid being killed (and for other reasons which aren't worth exploring here) for a very long but well played scene. I've seen him play women in other films but he was amazingly good at playing a woman--even singing like one. It got really funny when Crosby himself fell for her/him!! The way this all ended was also pretty funny--with a great punchline. Sure, it ain't sophisticated but it is pretty good--one of the best drag sequences in comedy history.
So far, so good. But when the feuding couple go to court the plot just falls apart. The judge is one of the very same lawyers who hates Wheeler and Woolsey and he has vowed throughout the film that IF he becomes a judge, he'll never grant any of their clients a divorce and will make their lives miserable. However, when the case comes up, the new judge seems to have completely forgotten this. Then, the trial becomes even crazier and more nonsensical than if the Marx Brothers had done it. While this MIGHT have worked, it did not fit in with the first half of the film and this team just could not pull it off--it just was way outside their range. Plus, the writing really, really sucked (a term I don't often use--but it is appropriate here). It was like the boys were just winging it.
Despite this bad ending, the film still has a lot to recommend it. Funny and different, had the film not crumbled apart late, it would have clearly been one of the team's best.