Bert Wheeler and Robert Woolsey team up with Our Gang star “Spanky” McFarland in this riotous slapstick comedy. Out-of-work vaudevillians Willie (Wheeler) and Elmer (Woolsey) somehow become Spanky’s guardians and think they’ve come into a fortune when Spanky inherits a farm in Kentucky. What they don’t know is that the farm sits directly in the line of fire in a feud between the Milfords and the Wakefields. Now, as Willie falls in love with the beautiful Gloria Wakefield (Mary Carlisle) and the pair manage to arrange a truce, young Spanky reignites the war between the two families. It all adds up to “a good vehicle for the team with a great slapstick finale” (Leonard Maltin’s Movie Guide).
For thoughts on Kentucky Kernels, please check out our discussion on The Video Attic:
[youtube https://youtu.be/_oNSi9QIWEE?si=jpcNBK2gdfOBlMQP&t=740]
Video Quality
Kentucky Kernels makes its Blu-Ray debut thanks to Warner Archive with a brand new 1080p master that manages to leave you in awe from beginning to end. This transfer is derived from a 4K scan of the Original 35mm Nitrate Camera Negative which is in terrific shape. This restoration finds the label flexing their impressive skills with a presentation that is free of any damage or digital anomalies. We did not spot any significant instances or other age-related deficiencies.
The black-and-white photography is gorgeous in high definition with natural grain intact. Black levels are immensely deep with no trace of black crush or compression artifacts. This new transfer shows off a stellar amount of depth and enhanced detail within the rural locations. The highlights hold firm, allowing the contrast to impress. There is a fabulous amount of detail present with nice textures on the clothing and within the production design. Warner Archive has knocked this one out of the park.
Audio Quality
This Blu-Ray release comes with a newly restored DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio track that perfectly brings this tale to life. This narrative is driven by quick exchanges of dialogue, and all of these moments come through clearly throughout. Music is only a minor part of the narrative, but these musical elements maintain their fidelity. The environmental effects never overshadow the dialogue on this release. There does not appear to be much in the way of damage or age related wear and tear to the track outside of some minor sibilance and harsher inflections. This audio presentation is about as robust as you would hope for from a film of this age. There are optional English (SDH) subtitles available on the disc.
Special Features
- Warner Cartoon – Buddy’s Circus: A six-and-a-half minute black-and-white Looney Tunes short is provided which explores the circus and what happens when a baby gets thrown into the mix. There is a content warning before the menu of the disc about some of the dated elements in the included cartoons that is well earned here.
- Popeye Cartoon – The Dance Contest: A seven-minute black-and-white Popeye short is provided in which Popeye and Olive Oyl attend a dance contest in which Bluto forcefully takes over for Popeye.
- Popeye Cartoon – Sock-A-Bye, Baby: A six-and-a-half minute black-and-white Popeye short is provided in which our hero attempts to keep a baby from being exposed to loud sounds on the street.
Final Thoughts
Kentucky Kernels is a pretty fun outing from the underrated duo of Wheeler and Woolsey, a pairing that never got as much time in the spotlight as some more famous groups. The feature is simple and breezy, and it uses every moment effectively to bring a smile to your face. It plays within familiar comedic scenarios, but if you like clever and slapsticky old comedies, you should enjoy this one. Warner Archive has released a Blu-Ray featuring a great A/V presentation and a welcome selection of special features. If you are a vintage comedy fan, don’t miss this one. Recommended
Kentucky Kernels can be purchased directly through MovieZyng or through various other online retailers.
Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.
Disclaimer: Warner Archive has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.
Dillon is most comfortable sitting around in a theatre all day watching both big budget and independent movies.
