Charley's Aunt (1925)

Charley Wyckham and Jack Chesney pressure fellow student Fancourt Babberly to pose as Charley's Brazilian Aunt Donna Lucia. Their purpose is to have a chaperone for their amorous visits ... See full summary »

Director:

Scott Sidney

Writers:

Joseph Farnham (titles), Brandon Thomas (play)

Stars:

Syd Chaplin, Ethel Shannon, James E. Page

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Syd Chaplin	...	Sir Fancourt Babberley (Babbs) (as Sidney Chaplin)
Ethel Shannon	...	Ela Delahay
James E. Page	...	Spettigue
Lucien Littlefield	...	Brasset - the Scout
Alec B. Francis	...	Mr. Delahay
Phillips Smalley	...	Sir Francis Chesney
Eulalie Jensen	...	Charley's Aunt
David James	...	Jack Chesney
James Harrison	...	Charley Wykeham (as Jimmy Harrison)
Mary Akin	...	Amy Spettigue
Priscilla Bonner	...	Kitty Verdun

Storyline

Charley Wyckham and Jack Chesney pressure fellow student Fancourt Babberly to pose as Charley's Brazilian Aunt Donna Lucia. Their purpose is to have a chaperone for their amorous visits with Amy and Kitty, niece and ward of crusty Stephen Spettigue. Complications begin when Fancourt, in drag, becomes the love object of old Spettigue and Sir Francis Chesney.

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Plot Keywords:

cross dressing | farce | based on play | 

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Taglines:

The Old Girl is No Ordinary Woman- "She" Wears Skirts and Trousers Both. (Print Ad-Easton Free Press, ((Easton, Penna.)) 4 June 1925)

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Genres:

Comedy

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Did You Know?

Trivia

Considered by the 'Guinness Book of Records' to be the first Anglo-American co-production.

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Connections

Version of BBC Sunday-Night Play: Charley's Aunt (1961)

User Reviews

Seen With An Audience This Film Is Very Funny!

What a difference seeing a silent comedy with a live audience and music makes! Had the opportunity to watch "Charley's Aunt" with a hundred and sixty other people with music provided on a Wurlitzer Theatre pipe organ and it was magic. I heard a number of people after the screening express themselves about having one of the most enjoyable evenings ever. One lady thought that Syd was even funnier than Charlie! You really can't judge a silent comedy until you have seen it in this manner. Syd Chaplin was wonderful as the guy impersonating Charley's Aunt, but so was the supporting cast. Most all of the visual gags worked wonderfully with the audience. This film may be found on the 3-disc DVD set of "American Slapstick V. 2", which is sold by Facets. After seeing Syd Chaplin's 1925 version I now would like to see the Jack Benny and Ray Bolger (called "Where's Charley?") sound versions. There have been six or seven film versions of "Charley's Aunt" world wide over the years, but the 1925 Syd Chaplin incarnation still holds up, especially if seen with an audience.

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

None English

Release Date:

30 April 1925 (Finland)

Also Known As:

Charleys Tante

Box Office

Gross USA:

$556,529

Company Credits

Production Co:

Christie Film Company

Technical Specs

Sound Mix:

Silent

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1