The premise for "Ain't Love Cuckoo" as a comedy is a good one, and this plot works quite well. Columbia made this short to air with a feature film in theaters in 1946. The performers are all good, and this is a funny short in the style of goofy slapstick from Vaudeville times.
But, one wonders how audiences might have received it in June of 1946. World War II hadn't been over for a year yet, and there were many war widows and some widowers. Many parents had lost sons and daughters, siblings had lost brothers and sisters, young women had lost sweethearts, and GIs had lost buddies. So, even though no one of the four people in these two couples actually had been killed, the thought of the real losses by so many people likely dampened the humor and reception of this short film at the time.
Here are my favorite funny lines from this short.
Dora, "Does your mother have any more like you?" Georgette, "Well, I have two brothers. They're both boys." Dora, "Any sisters?" Georgette, "No, but my brothers have."
Gus, "Wake up honey, this is Gus." Georgette, "Gus is dead." Gus, "No, I'm alive. You're dead."
