Charley Chase was as big as Babe Ruth in 1927. For that year, Chase made 14 comedy two-reelers (that ran around 20 minutes) for Hal Roach which means his fans were treated to a new misadventure every month plus two bonus ones. His main comic persona was a guy whose self-confidence always got the best of him. He also played a husband who screwed up royally. This was a time when Hal Roach’s studio was a comedy factory that weirdness ruled. Chase had that unique ability to be both the buffoon and the straight man on the screen. Charley Chase: At Hal Roach: The Late Silents 1927 catches him at his prime.
The boxset opens with a film that came out at the end of 1926 but was probably still playing theaters at the start of the year. “There Ain’t No Santa Claus” has Chase short of cash for Christmas since he decided to pay the rent instead. He’s gonna provide a holiday for his family including his wife Eugenia Gilbert. There’s a great scene where he’s riding a bike while carrying packages, a Christmas tree and a live turkey. Things get worse for Chase when his Santa sack gets swapped with his neighbor’s that’s filled with less desirable gifts. This gets followed up with “Many Scrappy Returns” when his marriage with Eugenia Gilbert and her husband Charley appears bumpy. Although not as rough as their dinner guests’ marriage. There’s a cute physical gag when he attempts to save the dishes from the other husband’s rage.
Also on the boxset is “Are Brunettes Safe?,” “A One-Mama man,” Forgotten Sweeties,” “Bigger and Better Blondes,” “Fluttering Hearts,” “What Women Did For Me,” “The Sting of Stings,” The Lighter That Failed,” “Now I’ll Tell One,” “The Way of All Pants, “Us” and “Assistant Wives.” “Never the Dames Shall Meet” has only three minutes of the two-reeler. It’s the part where Charley shows up at the dock to pick up a friend’s sister. Except he gets the wrong women. There are stills of missing scenes to give a sense of the craziness including a woman in a hamper while another showers and Charley is between them.
Charley Chase should be as well-known as his silent era contemporaries such as Buster Keaton and Harold Lloyd. Those two comics were able to keep and preserve their cinematic legacy so that later generations can appreciate them. Chase’s finest work had vanished from the vaults. The camera negatives are gone. It’s up to private collectors to reclaim his work and present it for a new generation of fans. That’s how this collection came together. Charley Chase: At Hal Roach: The Late Silents 1927 brings out the great comic moments that made Chase so hot that year. Grab this Chase collection now so you can enjoy his Christmas short during the holiday season.
The Video is 1.33:1 full frame. Seeing how the film elements from Hal Roach’s studio are missing, the shorts are made up of elements from various release prints from collections and collectors. The quality varies as the restoration work does its best to give us as much of the two-reelers as possible. The good part is you’ll see why Chase was such a busy star in 1927. The Audio is LPCM 2.0 Stereo. Why do you need audio for a silent film? Because Andrew Earle Simpson does an excellent job on the piano to create a score for each title. There are no subtitles since there’s title cards in the films.
Audio Commentaries are supplied for all the films by Richard M. Roberts. He explains why the boxset starts with a film from the end of 1926. He also won’t put up with people who don’t think Charley Chase is funny.
Call of the Cuckoo (3:45) is an excerpt of the film with Laurel and Hardy. Chase had a small part of an inmate at an asylum learning how to be a radio announcer.
The Merry Widower (18:02) has Chase supporting Ethel Clayton and Jimmie Finalyson in this 2-reeler. Stan Laurel worked on it too. It’s about apartment buildings with a view of the other apartment wing of the building. This leads to a bit of affair between neighbors with a view.
Smile, Buttercup, Smile (10:35) is a remake of Chase’s “Now I’ll Tell One.” This stars Toots and Casper. King Features didn’t mind borrowing a good premise.
Photo Gallery (12:01) has lobby cards, posters, press photos, trade ads,
Kit Parker Films and MVD Visual present Charley Chase: At Hal Roach: The Late Silents 1927. Directed by James Parrott. Starring Charley Chase, Lupe Velez, Jean Arthur, Eugene Pallette, Anita Garvin, Charley Hall, Noah Young, Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy. Boxset contents: 15 shorts on 2 Blu-ray discs. Release Date: November 26, 2024.
