Girl Shock

Not one of Chase's better shorts. Weak plot, and the supporting cast does a LOT of overacting, some of which seems to be left over from their silent days when actions had to speak for the lack of words. The best scenes are of Charley trying to get bit by a dog.

The plot for "Girl Shock" is very strange and a bit contrived. It seems that Charley is nervous around women and his girlfriend explains why this is the case to her father. It seems that during WWI, Charley was a pilot in Russia* and was shot down. He was rescued by a group of female communist soldiers who called themselves 'The Legion of Death'. Exactly what they did to him isn't shown, but it seems that they thought he was super-sexy and they forced themselves on him. After this, he's been incredibly shy around women.

Soon, Dr. Lorenzo, a noted psychologist arrives so that he can treat and possibly cure Charley. However, the Doctor seems pretty crazed and you wonder if perhaps HE needs help more than Charley! What's next? See the film.

This is not one of Charley Chase's better shorts. Much of it is because the whole premise is pretty dumb. Additionally, when Charley sees women, he acts in the most ridiculous manner. And, finally, the Doctor says the cure to Charley's affliction is to be bitten by a dog...which makes no sense at all! His next 'cure' is to give him a blood transfusion! All in all, a very weak outing. But don't let this film discourage you...as Chase made many wonderful shorts. This just isn't one of them.



*A seldom talked about part of history is barely mentioned in history books is the occupation of parts of Russia by the Allied forces (including Americans and Brits and many other nations) during the Russian Revolution. Ostensibly they were there to protect their country's interests (such as embassies) but they actually were used in some cases to fight against the communist forces. Ultimately, this intervention failed and the troops were pulled out around 1920.

Some veterans of the First World War got Shell Shock, but Charley Chase developed Girl Shock -- how is sort of explained in a brief flashback -- and goes into hysterics whenever a woman touches him. His fiancee, Carmen Guerrero (another big Don't Ask) will do anything to cure him, so hires Jerry Mandy, who tries a series of bigger shocks in this fine Chase comedy.

Other shocks for the second half of the first season of Chase sound comedies is the first of four Chase shorts in which the credits are spoken by the Crane twins; and the continuous pipe organ music track. Hal Roach reportedly spent a lot of money installing the organ and hiring an organist, but after this short, everyone went to the more familiar Hatley-Shields cues.

Miss Gerrero had been starring in the Spanish language versions of Chase's comedies. He tried her here as the daughter of Edgar Kennedy and Elinor Vanderveer.

Charley's productions had been harmed not only by health problems, but by Hal Roach's tendency to pull directors from his unit when his other units needed one, on the grounds that Chase could direct himself. True enough, but with James Horne behind the megaphone, he could now concentrate on the performances and make some great comedies.