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6.2/10
Senior Film Conservator
A definitive 6.2/10 rating for a film that redefined the boundaries of cult cinema. A Peach of a Pair remains a cornerstone of transgressive art.
If you're a completist looking for every frame Shemp Howard ever touched, sure. Everyone else? You might find it a bit grating.
It’s loud, frantic, and doesn't exactly aim for the stars. If you hate slapstick where people just scream at each other for ten minutes, skip it. Seriously.
The whole thing feels like a stage play that got lost on its way to a real set. Shemp is doing his usual thing—that high-pitched, panicked whining that makes you wonder if he’s actually having a breakdown or just acting.
Daphne Pollard plays off him with this sharp, pinched energy. They aren't exactly a match made in heaven, but they keep the rhythm moving. Even if that rhythm is just a series of loud thuds.
There is this one scene where a platter goes flying. You can practically see the wires or the poor stagehand holding his breath in the background. It isn't a masterpiece of editing, let me tell you. It feels more like The Musicale in its disjointed, low-stakes vibe.
Watching this made me think of the general madness in Hey, Rube! but without the carnival backdrop. It’s just people yelling in a room until the credits roll. Sometimes that’s enough, I guess. Other times it just makes you want to turn the volume down.
Is it great? No. Is it funny? If you like your comedy messy, then maybe a little. It doesn't have the polish of, say, The Hitch Hiker, but that’s like comparing a sandwich to a five-course meal. 🥪
Don't look for hidden meaning. There isn't any. It’s just Shemp being Shemp for a few minutes. That’s the whole deal. 🤷♂️