Peach-O-Reno (1931)

Director:

William A. Seiter

Writers:

Tim Whelan (written by)
Ralph Spence (adaptation) ...

Release Date:

25 December 1931 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy

Plot:

After a quarrell at their 25th wedding aniversery, Joe and Aggie Bruno decide to divorce each other...

Plot Keywords:

Bar | Attempted Murder | Argument | Co Respondent | Craps

Cast

Bert Wheeler	...	Wattles
Robert Woolsey	...	Julius Swift
Dorothy Lee	...	Prudence Bruno
Zelma O'Neal	...	Pansy Bruno
Joseph Cawthorn	...	Joe Bruno
Cora Witherspoon	...	Aggie Bruno
Sam Hardy	...	Judge Jackson
Mitchell Harris	...	Ace Crosby
Arthur Hoyt	...	Secretary
Josephine Whittell	...	The Vamp

Runtime:

63 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Photophone System)

Certification:

USA:TV-G (TV rating) | USA:Passed (National Board of Review)

Company:

RKO Radio Pictures

Trivia:

Stanley Fields and Kitty Kelly were in a pre-production new item as cast members, but they were not seen in the movie.

Soundtrack:

From Niagara Falls to Reno

Busting A Marriage With Mr. Wheeler & Mr. Woolsey

A pair of shady Nevada lawyers become involved in the uproarious divorce proceedings of a strident PEACH-O-RENO.

Comics Bert Wheeler & Robert Woolsey, who starred in a string of popular comedies from 1929 to 1937, return with a funny look at the peculiar goings on--divorces & casinos--in the Nevada city of Reno. The Boys (Wheeler is the little fellow with curly hair; Woolsey is the skinny guy with cigar and glasses) toss out one wisecrack after another in this Pre-Code concoction. The film's hilarity reaches its zenith (or nadir, depending on the viewer's sensibilities) during Wheeler's extended drag sequence, which includes an uproarious dance number with Woolsey. Disguised as a very merry widow, Wheeler challenges Charles Ruggles in CHARLEY'S AUNT (1930) as the best female impersonator of the early talkies.

Young Dorothy Lee, Wheeler's very frequent cinematic love interest, is Kewpie Doll cute as always, but she's really given very little to do until quite late in the film when she perches on a grand piano for her requisite song with Bert. Getting better lines is Zelma O'Neal as Lee's blunt talking sister.

The girls' divorce-seeking parents are nicely played by Joseph Cawthorn & Cora Witherspoon. Other performances of note are given by Arthur Hoyt as the Boys' nervous Nellie secretary; Mitchell Harris as a gun-happy gambler intent on plugging Wheeler; and Sam Hardy as the conniving judge who presides over the chaotic courtroom scene which ends the film.

Movie mavens will recognize corpulent Harry Holman in an uncredited role as Witherspoon's outmaneuvered divorce lawyer.