Crazy Like a Fox (1926)

Director:

Leo McCarey

Writer:

H.M. Walker (titles)

Release Date:

22 August 1926 (USA)

Genre:

Short | Comedy

Plot:

Two rich capitalists want to marry their children, but they don't like the idea at all. She tries to run away...

Plot Keywords:

Doctor | Parents | Fall Into Water | Politician | Hat

Cast

Charley Chase	...	Wilson, the Groom
William V. Mong	...	George, the Bride's Father
Martha Sleeper	...	The Bride
Milla Davenport	...	Mother
William Blaisdell	...	Gov. Harrison
Max Asher	...	Butler
Al Hallett	...	Mr. Gloom, the valet

Runtime:

USA:25 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Silent

Certification:

Netherlands:AL (DVD rating) | Germany:o.Al. | UK:U

Filming Locations:

Hal Roach Studios - 8822 Washington Blvd., Culver City, California, USA

Company:

Hal Roach Studios

Not politically correct, but who cares? A brilliant short!

This hilarious Charley Chase two-reeler is probably, alongside Safety Last, or The General, among the best of American silent comedies; forget the fact that it's only 25 minutes long, it is constantly brilliant, from the sheer simplicity of the construction(Charley decides to pass as an extreme mental patient to escape a marriage arrangement until he realizes the bride is the woman of his dreams)to the clarity of the gags involved, notwithstanding the contribution of Chase as an actor, who is of course so dignified, so dapper at the beginning that he falls deep into his pretense of madness, and seems to really enjoy the trip all along. Add to this the wonderful, brilliant and lovely Martha Sleeper, who was always Chase's equal in the films they made together, the presence of Oliver Hardy in an interesting departure from his usually 'heavy' roles, the impeccable direction by Leo McCarey, and you have a little masterpiece of invention that stands repeated viewings, like most of, say, Laurel and Hardy's masterpieces of the late twenties.