Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		4.5
Audio		4.0
Extras		1.5
Overall		3.5

Kentucky Kernels Blu-ray Movie Review

Bluegrass state of confusion.

Reviewed by Randy Miller III March 31, 2022

Starring together in 21 films during an eight-year stretch in the 1920s and 1930s, the Vaudeville comedy duo of Bert Wheeler and Robert Woolsey were a popular fixture in American cinema as the silent era came to a close. And while it's rarely ranked at or near the top of their shared filmography, George Stevens' Kentucky Kernels is still a lightweight and enjoyable comedy with a great supporting cast that's almost outshined by a very young George "Spanky" McFarland, best known for Our Gang AKA The Little Rascals. The plot is secondary -- this one's all about characters.

Anyway, the plot: after a botched suicide attempt by heartbroken Jerry Bronson (Paul Page) lands him in the care of out-of-work magicians Elmer Dugan (Woosley) and Willie Doyle (Wheeler), they convince him to adopt for a new lease on life. After arriving home with Spanky (McFarland) -- a cute li'l tyke who loves to break glass -- Jerry makes up with his former girlfriend and elopes, leaving Elmer and Willie as unlikely dads. Soon enough, good news arrives: according to a pair of lawyers, Spanky is sole heir to the Milford estate in Kentucky and the fortune that comes with it. Elmer and Willie jump at the chance to escape poverty and relocate, unaware the remaining Milfords are at war with the Wakefield family... but Willie's got his eyes on lovely Gloria Wakefield (Mary Carlisle), and the feeling is mutual.

So yeah, it's kind of a convoluted (and occasionally grim) setup for what amounts to a feather-light and charming comedy, and one that absolutely zips by at just 75 minutes. Running gags abound, from the lead pair's penchant for one-liners and trickery to Spanky's abuse of anything glass-related, with slapstick frequently filling in narrative gaps left by a "warring families" romantic drama arc that probably wasn't even new or refreshing in 1934. Luckily, Kentucky Kernels survives any major speed bumps by way of reliably good performances all around and decent visual gags, and even a rather lengthy song break near the film's mid-point feels more like a fun detour rather than a sore thumb. The film's only objective drawback is the loose frivolity of it all: it won't leave a tremendously lasting impression on brand new viewers but most of its rapid-fire jokes land well enough, dated or not, and as a whole it still stands as an innocent enough crowd pleaser that supports the duo's well-established comedic strengths fairly well. (There's also the small matter of its release year: the then-new Hays Code means that Kentucky Kernels obviously isn't as sharp-toothed and risqué as earlier Wheeler & Woolsey work, but they still manage to sneak in some good material.)

So high art it ain't, but as usual Warner Archive treats Kentucky Kernels as well as any other film in its growing library. Technical merits are superb as seen by its stunning 1080p transfer, solid lossless audio, and even a trio of era-specific cartoons that fill in for standard behind-the-scenes fare or theatrical trailers. So while it's not exactly the most essential Archive title around, this one's still pretty fun and obviously worth a look for new and established fans alike.

Kentucky Kernels Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

I've reviewed at least 100 Warner Archive releases over the years so I'm slowly running out of supportive adjectives, so let's just call this 1080p transfer "splendiferous" and be done with it. Released back in late 2020 -- which might as well be a lifetime ago, if I'm being honest -- it's as much a stunner as any recent release from the reliably purist-friendly boutique label, and sourced from a 4K scan of the original nitrate camera negative to boot. Anyone equally familiar with Warner Archive should know this translates to catnip for videophiles, as the black-and-white cinematography has once again been brilliantly captured here with sparkling detail, texture, contrast, density, and of course natural film grain. Aside from a touch of posterization here and there, it's almost impossible to pin down any real amount of artifacts or compression issues such as banding and black crush, and Warner Archive's usual round of careful cleanup means that the image remains squeaky-clean from start to finish. As evidenced by the included 24 screenshots, it's yet another top-tier disc from the studio and easily stands as the definitive home video release from a visual standpoint.

Kentucky Kernels Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Unsurprisingly, the DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio mix also passes with flying colors, serving up reasonably crisp dialogue and a supportive dynamic range that only occasionally sounds a little strained during high-volume music cues and other loud noises. Sonically, it's right in line with what might be considered a typical major-studio release from this decade, although some of the stronger accents -- including dialogue by Milford hired hand "Buckshot", played by noted actor Willie Best under the short-lived pseudonym "Sleep 'n Eat" -- might requite the use of optional subtitles.

Optional English (SDH) subtitles are included during the main feature only, but not the extras. This is pretty annoying since the DVD edition that most of them were sourced from did in fact have optional subtitles available. It's perhaps my only ongoing hang-up regarding Warner Archive releases, and one that I hope is addressed at some point.

Kentucky Kernels Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

This one-disc release ships in a standard keepcase with poster-themed cover art and no inserts of any kind. A few vintage bonus features are included, but they're more pre-show entertainment than film-specific.

• Classic Cartoons - All three black-and-white shorts included here are clearly sourced from earlier restored DVD collections but look quite good here, nicely re-encoded in AVC at 1080p with lossless 2.0 mono audio.

• Looney Tunes: Buddy's Circus (6:31) - This uncut 1934 short is OK at best in the story department, following the owner of a circus who must save a baby that wandered right into the middle of the show. It's also the reason why we're greeted with a "These cartoons were products of their time..." warning when the Blu-ray loads, as it features a couple of ethnic stereotypes as sideshow acts.
• Popeye the Sailor: "The Dance Contest" (6:54) - The first of two enjoyable black-and-white Fleischer shorts, this lively cartoon sees Wimpy judging a dance contest while shoving a near-endless supply of burgers into his gob. Popeye and Olive would love to win first place, but Bluto's got other ideas.
• Popeye the Sailor: "Sock-A-Bye, Baby" (6:22) - An even earlier black-and-white short and just the sixth Popeye cartoon ever made, this absolute classic finds Popeye babysitting Billy Boop (Betty's brother, apparently) while dealing with constant interruptions that might wake the sleeping tot. A clear influence for later cartoons like Tom and Jerry's Oscar-winning "Quiet Please!", it's got tons of clever visual gags and, as always, is beautifully animated with classic voice work by Billy Costello.

Kentucky Kernels Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

By most accounts, Kentucky Kernels was the most financially successful of the 21 comedy films starring popular duo Bert Wheeler and Robert Woolsey and, while then-new Hays Code restrictions inevitably stifle some of their trademark humor here, it's still a good time at the movies. As usual, Warner Archive's Blu-ray plays like a million bucks with very strong A/V merits; while none of the bonus features are film-specific, you can't go wrong with vintage cartoons either. It's been available for some time but still comes recommended to established fans and newcomers alike.