You Said a Hatful!

Charley Chase made quite a few short comedies in the 1920s-30s. He also directed himself and others during his time with Hal Roach Studios. While never as popular as Laurel & Hardy at Roach, his films were among the better ones the studio made. Sadly, he left Roach in the late 1930s and his films for other studios were mostly disappoinments. While "You Said a Hatful!" is a good Roach outing, it's not among his very best.

In this story, Charley's boss wants to buy the T, T & T Railroad and wants to hurry with his secretary, Charley, to Kansas City to finalize the deal. But, in an odd twist, he wants Charley to pretend to be the boss and the boss will pretend to be the secretary. Why? Because the boss is worried someone will try to stop him from arriving on time to buy the railroad...and if they do attack anyone, it will be Charley and not him!

The plan doesn't go at all as the boss expected. First, his daughter shows up and decides to go with them...which irritates her rich daddy, as he doesn't want her hanging out with Charley. Second, dumb Charley got them tickets for the WRONG destination.... Omaha instead of Kansas City! A third problem develops as well...but you'll have to watch the film to see what that is.

While the film isn't brilliant, it is fun and has a few good moments.

The father, a stuffy blow-hard type wants to jump on some information about a railroad line soon to go on sale. Afraid his competitors would stop at nothing, including murder to keep him from buying the line he forces Charley to trade places with him before leaving to make the deal. Charley is supposed to get the train tickets and rent a professional man's wardrobe, suit, shoes and dress hat so he can pretend to be the businessman. The businessman then pretends to be the lowly secretary. Easily confused Charley gets tickets to the wrong city and rents a new suit that includes a magician's top hat! Charley does not realize but when he nervously taps his `magician's' hat flowers, bubbles and playing cards appear. To those around him he appears crazy. Finally on the train all kinds of problems and comedy ensues and in the end Charley gets the girl and a raise! This is a fine example of the typical Chase early sound films with tons of cute bits, snappy dialogue, slap-stick physical comedy and it's all well worth your time.