in his review in "the new york times", mordaunt hall described the film as "a cheery absurdity" and added, "insane as are the doings in this concoction, they succeed in being really funny. it is the sort of thing admirably suited to mr. fields' peculiar genius." "time" magazine observed, "part parody of "tugboat annie", part pure farce, "tillie and gus" is one of the pleasanter chapters in the long and happy career of w. c. fields's famed unlighted cigar."