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The Sap Takes a Wrap (1939) - Charley Chase

(1/1)

Paul Pain:
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0031896/



Ouch ouch ouch... this one starts with a bang, ends with one, and is just cheesy Columbia crap in between.  The good marks of a Charley Chase script abound... but the bad ones of Columbia also are present.

I like the opening scenes a lot.  It establishes a somewhat credible plot.  However, it's just ridiculous the way Charley trips over the phone wires, rearranges things so that the wires aren't in the way, and then trips again to open the box.  He then makes things worse by lying to his girlfriend and her parents.  LAME!

The joke with the drunk named Maloney works out very nicely in a way that's typical of Charley Chase and atypical of Columbia, but the scenes in the nightclub rely way too much on Columbia style.  Charley is not in his element in this one, although many bits themselves are funny.

Since Charley paid the $285 bill for the coat, doesn't that mean it actually is his?  I overthink things...

It's standard Columbia flavor, but not standard Charley Chase flavor.

6/10 [poke] [poke] [poke] [poke] [poke] [poke]

Umbrella Sam:
Well, that was...strange. I’ll give it credit in that I do like some gags, mainly when Chase trips over the phone wires and most of the gags with Mahoney. Unfortunately, the misunderstandings just get way too complicated, and I honestly feel bad for Charley considering none of them get resolved. Honestly, I was surprised to find this was directed by Del Lord because this really seems like something that would have been directed by Jules White. One of the Astor Girls even kind of barks like Curly at one point near the end. I guess the cast is alright; most of them do their fair share of slapstick and they do it well. Gloria Blondell isn’t as good as Ann Doran, but she does at least throw a few punches near the end (incidentally, Gloria was also the voice of Daisy Duck). Ethel Clayton kind of plays the standard mother-in-law you’d see in these kinds of comedies; nothing really unique about her performance. Again, the only real stand out is George Cleveland as Mahoney, and even then, I’m not fond of the unresolved ending with him just hitting Chase over the head.

It certainly could have been worse, but this does feel a bit too wild for a proper Chase comedy.

5 out of 10

metaldams:
Meh.  Not much to say about this one.  Chase just being a liar the whole time with his young girl and their parents and a whole bunch of confusion over a fur coat.  I just find the humor lacking in this.  Seems way too convoluted for a two reeler.  The last few minutes at least have a bit of energy and it’s always nice seeing Marjorie Deanne but other than that - meh.  One of the weaker ones so far.

I did not know Gloria Blondell was the voice of Daisy Duck - but I do know she was Joan Blondell’s little sister.

Dr. Mabuse:
Too much Columbia — not enough Charley Chase. Reminiscent of the worst Buster Keaton/Jules White efforts, "The Sap Takes a Wrap" is too shrill for its own good.

5/10

Paul Pain:

--- Quote from: Dr. Mabuse on August 26, 2020, 11:40:09 AM ---Too much Columbia — not enough Charley Chase. Reminiscent of the worst Buster Keaton/Jules White efforts, "The Sap Takes a Wrap" is too shrill for its own good.

5/10

--- End quote ---

This has so far been my favorite review of this short.

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