First in War (1932) User Reviews

Thanks goodness for CINEVENT Film Festival for playing it in 2013.

[Larry41OnEbay-2 · 6/10 · 25 May 2013]

Thanks goodness for CINEVENT Film Festival for playing it in 2013.

SPOILERS: In this entry in the Charley Chase series, Charley starts out trying to sell a song he has written and the music publisher hates it. As he's getting thrown out of the office he bumps into Luis Alberini playing a South American revolutionary looking for a new national anthem for the little country of Nicarania (sung to the tune of "Fight On, Pennsylvania," he calls it "Fight On, Nicarania"). Unfortunately, Charley's song lands him in hot water when he gets accidentally mixed up in a revolution breaking out there.

Charley later gets involved with a quartet of soldiers who love to sing in barber shop harmony, a flustered Billy Gilbert as an officer, a flirty group of Hispanic women who like to party, Charley helps a prisoner escape if he promises to return to his cell later, a firing squad, and a revolution.

More silly than clever, recommended for fans only.

Back in Uniform

[boblipton · 6/10 · 17 July 2015]

This Charley Chase short is a semi-sequel to his 1930 short HIGH Cs. Again, Charley is in uniform and dealing with Carlton Griffin and three other soldiers in a barbershop quartet and hijinks.

This time, instead of World War One France, they're trying to capture Luis Alberni, a Latin American revolutionary for whom Chase has written a national anthem. It's not tightly plotted compared to other Chase two-reelers; the musical interludes, comic double takes and brawls take up too much time. Still, with a supporting cast including Billy Gilbert and Jimmy Adams, it's sure to please fans of this highly inventive comedy actor/director.