Crazy Feet

I saw this on the DVD "Hal Roach the Talkies Volume Four 1929. Although there are six talkies, only four have soundtracks with the other two lost.

I thought this was by far the best of the six with Charlie Chase coming to Thelma Todd's rescue when her alcoholic dance-partner tries to steal her money. Most of the film is Charlie becoming Thelma's dance partner and doing some very funny dances.

Its amazing how Thelma makes every comedian she worked with better, including Groucho Marx, Harry Langdon and Buster Keaton. Todd looks gorgeous in a short leopard skin outfit.

Chase is a sometimes good and sometimes so-so comedian, but with Thelma, he is at his best. This excellent short is a good reason for buying the whole video.

"Crazy Feet" is NOT one of Charley Chase's better comedy shorts. Too often instead of providing good laughs, they just have Charley prance about...as if THAT alone is funny...which it isn't.

The story begins with a boyfriend and girlfriend arguing and the boyfriend gets a bit physical. Nice guy Charley sees this and tries to help...only to get socked in the beezer repeatedly. Later, the lady tries to make it up to him by getting him a job as a dancer...which makes little sense as Charley isn't a dancer. Many of the laughs are supposed to come by having Charley dance with some obviously gay male dancers (this was the Pre-Code and such things weren't uncommon). Later, he dances with the lady and laughs ensue...or don't.

Just seeing Charley dancing about isn't funny since he cannot dance and there are just no laughs. A big misfire and I have no idea why this one is rated as hghly as it is.

Well, let's get the bad news out of the way first: this very early Charley Chase short -- co-starring Thelma Todd! --is missing its soundtrack.

Now for the good news: it doesn't need it! This is essentially a silent movie, and the gags are well-constructed, as you would expect in any Charley Chase movie. Thelma Todd is, as always, wonderful opposite Charley and you can see her almost breaking up a few times. She is also, much to my astonishment, a very good ballet dancer and the main gag of the short -- Charley being flown around stage like Peter Pan -- is strong enough to make the movie, even without the usual Chase touches.

So if the opportunity arises to see this Chase subject, even without its soundtrack, don't miss it -- or just about any Charley Chase short subject. And keep an eye out for those old Vitaphone disks.