Too Many Cooks

Arriving in the country, New York businessman Bert Wheeler (as Albert "Al" Bennett) and his pretty fiancée Dorothy Lee (as Alice Cook) are driven, by stuttering coach driver Roscoe Ates (as Wilson), to the lot where Mr. Wheeler plans to build their "dream house." On another visit, to see the foundation, Wheeler and Ms. Lee disagree on a small room. He wants a den, but she favors a sewing room. Wheeler wonders, "A whole room just to sew in?" After an endless arrival of Lee's relatives, the suggestions get out of hand...

Wheeler's uncle and boss Robert McWade (as George) decides he wants to live with the couple, who may not be getting married after all...

Bert Wheeler and Robert Woolsey were very popular when they split up to make separate feature films in mid-1931. Something was missing and the duo re-teamed to enjoy even greater box-office popularity. "Too Many Cooks" is an update of Frank Craven's 1914 stage production. This version seems too ordinary and predictable, although the dialogue and look are modern enough. One strength is having the house become more of a "character" in the comedy; alas, filmmakers don't get enough mileage out of this opportunity.

**** Too Many Cooks (7/18/31) William Seiter ~ Bert Wheeler, Dorothy Lee, Robert McWade, Roscoe Ates