Silent Movie \"Charley\'s Aunt\" 1925. Magic Lantern Glass Slide. Sydney Chaplin.
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Silent Movie \"Charley\'s Aunt\" 1925. Magic Lantern Glass Slide. Sydney Chaplin.:
$30.00
\"Charley\'s Aunt\" 1925 magic lantern glass slide. Sydney Chaplin. Ethel Shannon. James E. Page. Directed by Scott Sidney.
This is the second \"Charley\'s Aunt\" film. The first was released in 1915 and starred Oliver Hardy. Later productions include the first talkie \"Charley\'s Aunt\" 1930 with Charles Ruggles and the 1941 version with Jack Benny. British, German, and Russian variations have also been filmed over the years.
Sydney Chaplin talked director Scott Sidney out of retirement to work on this movie.Movie Review The New York Times February 9, 1925THE SCREEN; A Vonderful Farce.By MORDAUNT HALL.Published: February 9, 1925
\"Freshened up cleverly, without detracting a whit from its original wholesome appeal, the picturized version of Brandon Thomas\'s old stage farce, \"Charley\'s Aunt,\" was presented yesterday at the Colony, where in the afternoon the audience shook and shrieked with laughter at the uproariously funny situations arising out of a young nobleman\'s impersonating the elderly and wealthy aunt of one of his college friends. It is a splendid piece of work, the modern touches serving as oil for any creaking joints the old play might have had. The producers deserve great praise for having filmed this farce without the inclusion of a single coarse note.
Mr. Thomas\'s footlights version was first played in the West End of London in October, 1892, and a year later it was making New Yorkers roar with merriment at the old Standard Theatre. It is certainly a vehicle which has stood the test of time, as it is noteworthy that the film rights cost £20,000, which is a remarkable sum to be paid for any farce, especially one written so long ago.
Sydney Chaplin figures in the title rôle made famous in London by William Penley and in this country by Etienne Girardot. Mr. Chaplin, who is a brother of the illustrious Charles, has already won his spurs as a screen comedian in several productions, but be excels anything that he has done by his portrayal of Charley\'s \"Aunt.\" Occasionally one might imagine that he is a little boisterous, but it should be remembered that he is, after all, supposed to be a college wag taking full advantage of the impersonation forced upon him by his two college chums, who must have a chaperon at luncheon for their sweethearts, the true aunt having disappointed them.
The fun starts when Mr. Chaplin appears as the aunt, his trousers concealed by a voluminous black silk skirt, trimmed with cream lace, a wig of several curls and a Victorian lace gap. It is exceedingly comic when the occasionally gay old lady delights in kissing \"her\" friends\' sweethearts, but the frolic comes when the \"Aunt,\" known as the fabulously wealthy widow of a Brazilian, is pursued by two elderly admirers, Sir Francis Chesney (Phillips Smaller) and Mr. Spettigue (James E. Page). Sir Francis is ??? rsistent for a while, but he eventually surrenders in favor of Spettigue, who employs vegetables and flowers in the terms of endearment ??? pours into the \"Aunt\'s\" ears.
Again and again the \"Aunt\" informs the young people and the two respectable white-haired flirts that she hails from Brazil \"where the nuts come from.\" Asked whether she has any children, she at first replies in the negative and later says: \"Oh, just a few, nothing to speak of.\"
Even a cynical stoic would have to give way when the \"Aunt\" feels the need of stimulating drink. First \"she\" pours out the whisky, but the elderly Spettigue appears suddenly and fancies the whisky is for him. \"She\" makes a second attempt and Sir Francis takes the glass from \"her.\" The third attempt is also a disappointment, as although the \"Aunt\" has concealed the glass in the pocket of her skirts, the boisterous display of affection on the part of Spettigue causes it to spill, and the consequent actions of the \"Aunt\" made the Colony echo with loud peals of laughter.
Mr. Thomas certainly made this farce a finished piece of work when he introduced the real aunt. Donna Lucia d\'Alvardorez (Eulalie Jensen), who talks to the \"funny old lady,\" informing \"her\" that she knew her husband intimately. Soon after this, when one might imagine the fun would simmer down, the mirth gains new impetus by the \"Aunt\" losing her skirts. With a screen at one time and a convenient portière at another, the humor is continued, the \"Aunt\" occasionally showing \"herself\" alone and to \"her\" college chums in the ridiculous make-up of half Victorian lady and half college undergraduate.
Mr. Chaplin is brilliantly supported by other members of the cast, especially by Mr. Page, who played the rôle of Spettigue for many years on the stage, and also by Mr. Smalley.
Scott Sidney, the director, and F. McGrew Willis are to be congratulated on their respective work in this production. There are periods when one chuckles, and then the action is so ably timed that it causes one to explode with hilarious laughter. Mr. Sidney appears to have omitted just one trifling detail, and that is the welcoming of the real aunt by the nephew and his friend. Possibly this may be excused on the ground that both these young gentlemen were stunned by the boisterous antics of the impersonator.
This film will make the whole country roar with laughter and renew the fame of the old farce.\"
Silent Movie \"Charley\'s Aunt\" 1925. Magic Lantern Glass Slide. Sydney Chaplin.:
$30.00