Tell 'Em Nothing

Most folks today have very little knowledge of the the silent comedians, though if they do recall any of them, it might be Laurel & Hardy or Chaplin. As for Charley Chase, he is all but forgotten but by devoted fans of these great old comedies...and it's a shame, as he could be terrifically entertaining. If you don't believe this, try watching "Tell 'em Nothing" (available for free download from archive.org).

In this story, Charley is a divorce lawyer who has married a very jealous woman. His wife constantly thinks Charley is making time with his female clients...and in this rare instance, Charley accidentally gives her ammunition. Then, throughout the film, he is trying desperately to keep the wife happy and avoid trouble...though a female client of his and her jealous husband do NOT make it easy!

This film is pretty typical for Chase...and is quite enjoyable and clever. While not the man's best, it's close and is well worth your time.

Charlie is playing his usual character here, the middle-class husband who gets in trouble with his wife. In this case, he's a divorce lawyer who innocently gets dragged into another couple's scheme to obtain a divorce by producing photos of the wife in a compromising situation with "another man" - Charlie, of course. Spouses show up unexpectedly at the least convenient moment, doors slam, women are hidden under beds, the wrong person is always listening when anything compromising is said, and general hilarity ensues. It's quite implausible, but also very amusing. The quality of the gags and direction is pretty strong, and Chase gives his typically funny performance.