Film & Shorts Discussions > Random Comedy Reviews
Mighty Like a Moose (1926) - Charley Chase
metaldams:
Nice to finally getting around to reviewing a Charley Chase short. The guy was a fixture in two reelers comedies from the mid teens all the way to his death in 1940, though things really picked up when he moved into a two reel series for Hal Roach in the mid twenties. He went on to have a series at Columbia later in his life and even directed six Stooge shorts himself, but right now the film of focus is 1926’s MIGHTY LIKE A MOOSE, perhaps his most famous two reeler. Chase, like Harold Lloyd, was believable enough to play straight, romantic roles yet could turn on the meter for the absurd in the blink of an eye. MIGHTY LIKE A MOOSE is a fine example of this.
The basic plot is Chase has buck teeth and his wife, played by Vivian Oakland, has a big nose. Both of them, on the same day, get plastic surgery to correct these things without letting the other know. Both go out and run into each other, not recognizing their own spouse due to the alterations. They both go into a minor little fling with each other and are trying to hide from each other at the same time due to the unusual circumstance. I’ll get this out of the way - in order to enjoy MIGHTY LIKE A MOOSE, you have to suspend your disbelief. Alterations aside, as much as these two converse with each other, you’d think they’d start to catch on this is their spouse after a while. Voice, speech pattern, personality, body shape, body movement, size - these two people are intimate with each other as a married couple, you’d think there’d be enough clues to catch on who they really are after a while. This has to be a silent film, as if this were a talkie, more of the realistic things we’d hear would be that much more obvious.
All that said, forget my bitching in the paragraph above and try to accept this very unreal premise, because what we do get is a very creative and entertaining fantasy world. Both Chase and Oakland play the perfect combination of shy and sly when flirting with each other and we get some wonderful scenes. The two avoiding each other in their own homes as they try to get ready to go out to see - each other - is quite creative. It reminds me of the way Buster Keaton and Kathryn McGuire creatively avoid each of, though by accident in their case, in THE NAVIGATOR. In the case of MIGHTY LIKE A MOOSE, they run into each other only from the back, never noticing each other’s presence at the same time and never seeing the new alterations.
The party scene is great as we establish both spouses were never too serious about cheating - just dipping their toes in the water - and we get that great shot of Chase and his unwanted dance partner’s feet and lower legs. Just by showing their legs, it is conveyed they find each other, Chase is momentarily flustered but gives in and dances anyway. Great pantomime and great film making.
The coup de grace is Chase finding out it was really his wife he was out with before she finds out it was her husband she was out with. He saved a set of false buck teeth to identify his old self and uses this a disguise. He brilliantly goes back and forth between his old self and the man she thought she was seeing by removing his teeth. He gives her a scare and even stages a fight in the other room through a doorway - the boot gag being my favorite. The way Chase changes his mannerisms acting as the angry buck tooth husband and the man she thought she was seeing is brilliant as are the energy and body movements he gives out running around all over the place. She eventually catches on seeing a picture in a newspaper lying around of before and after surgery pictures of her husband and Ms. Oakland’s amused looks as Chase stages this elaborate fight with himself is a highlight. The whole staging a fight with yourself pretending there are two people premise was inspired by Max Linder in BE MY WIFE.
A very funny and pleasantly absurd Charley Chase short. A man whose films are becoming more and more available and worth seeking out.
Paul Pain:
Charley Chase, whose Columbia films will soon be in the review queue, is just fantastic. Yes, this requires much suspension of disbelief, but what a great result. The coordination between he and Vivien Oakland is absolutely supreme throughout this, and it's definitely a good short to introduce newbies to his work.
The dance scenes were great, and the piano mover trick was a most worthy gag for their escape. That ending fight scene is just comedic gold and couldn't have been better crafted around Charley's talents. Vivien's reactions are just as good, and it's hard to decide whether she loves or hates the charlatan, though I think it's mixed.
Charley Chase was definitely one of the best all-around actors of the Golden Age of Comedy. It's a shame he died so young with so much still able to be accomplished because he adjusted so well to changing technology.
10/10 [poke] [poke] [poke] [poke] [poke] [poke] [poke] [poke] [poke] [poke]
metaldams:
--- Quote from: Paul Pain on May 09, 2020, 09:05:17 PM ---Charley Chase, whose Columbia films will soon be in the review queue, is just fantastic. Yes, this requires much suspension of disbelief, but what a great result. The coordination between he and Vivien Oakland is absolutely supreme throughout this, and it's definitely a good short to introduce newbies to his work.
The dance scenes were great, and the piano mover trick was a most worthy gag for their escape. That ending fight scene is just comedic gold and couldn't have been better crafted around Charley's talents. Vivien's reactions are just as good, and it's hard to decide whether she loves or hates the charlatan, though I think it's mixed.
Charley Chase was definitely one of the best all-around actors of the Golden Age of Comedy. It's a shame he died so young with so much still able to be accomplished because he adjusted so well to changing technology.
10/10 [poke] [poke] [poke] [poke] [poke] [poke] [poke] [poke] [poke] [poke]
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You’re correct about Chase adjusting well to sound. When the silent comedians transitioned over, Chase’s smooth transition rarely gets mentioned. Look forward to whatever Columbia shorts of his you review.
Umbrella Sam:
While it is true that there has to be a suspension of belief in order to enjoy this...well, it’s one that’s well worth it. This was a really fun short. The situation is unique and while a lot of gags are based around that, Chase does manage to throw in a few different gags as well, most notably the ones involving Chase and Oakland trying to get out of the party with the musicians. For me, the highlight is Chase’s pretend fight. It’s really well coordinated, especially when Chase does things like keeping one part of the “husband’s” robe on his arm and pretending to beat himself up with it. It seems like something that was really well thought out, and the end result was worth it. Looking forward to checking out more Chase silents (so far, I’m really only familiar with the sound shorts).
10 out of 10
metaldams:
--- Quote from: Umbrella Sam on May 11, 2020, 12:09:52 PM ---While it is true that there has to be a suspension of belief in order to enjoy this...well, it’s one that’s well worth it. This was a really fun short. The situation is unique and while a lot of gags are based around that, Chase does manage to throw in a few different gags as well, most notably the ones involving Chase and Oakland trying to get out of the party with the musicians. For me, the highlight is Chase’s pretend fight. It’s really well coordinated, especially when Chase does things like keeping one part of the “husband’s” robe on his arm and pretending to beat himself up with it. It seems like something that was really well thought out, and the end result was worth it. Looking forward to checking out more Chase silents (so far, I’m really only familiar with the sound shorts).
10 out of 10
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I’m the opposite. I saw a bunch of Chase silents first before seeing his talkies as for years they were more readily available. MIGHTY LIKE A MOOSE is the first Chase short I ever saw and I saw it on the Slapstick Encyclopedia set which I bought a very long time ago. This short is actually on the National Film Registry.
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