WHERE'S CHARLEY
US, 1952, 97 minutes, Colour.
Ray Bolger, Allyn Ann Mc Lerie, Margaretta Scott, Howard Marion Crawford.
Directed by David Butler.
Where’s Charley is a musical version of the old British play, Charley’s Aunt (“I’m Charley’s aunt from Brazil, where the nuts come from”).
A musical version of the play was done by veteran entrepreneur George Abbott as well as Frank Loesser, writer of such musicals as Guys and Dolls.
This is an entertaining variation on the Charley’s Aunt story, although Ray Bolger is much older than Charley and is not always persuasive as an Oxford undergraduate. Charming support comes from Allyn Ann Mc Lerie who appeared in a number of films but never made it to top billing. She appeared with Doris Day at this time in Calamity Jane.
The film is farce, Charley impersonating his aunt, Dona Lucia, from Brazil and trying to persuade everybody that he is the genuine article. This leads, of course, to a number of farcical situations and romantic complications between Charley and Amy. The film is a reminder of Bolger’s qualities as a comedian as well as singer and dancer, of the athletic style. He made his impact with The Wizard of Oz as the Scarecrow, appeared occasionally in musicals like The Harvey Girls and April in Paris. For a dramatic role in his older age, he is worth seeing in an American television version of John Osborne’s The Entertainer as the father of Jack Lemmon.
1. The film as a satisfying blend of twentieth century musical styles and nineteenth century farce? How well did they combine, which dominated?
2. Comment on the Hollywood treatment via musical styles of the British farce. The songs and their fifties style, the dance with the emphasis on Ray Bolger and his style?
3. How satisfactorily were the British farcical elements presented in an American treatment?
4. The opening, the comments and setting the tone about the end of the nineteenth century, how well were these aspects illustrated? Giving an ironic flavour to the rest of the film?
5. The constant appeal of the humour of mistaken identities, consequent situations, impersonation, especially a man impersonating a woman? How enjoyable were these aspects here?
6. Charley as the conventional hero? Ray Bolger's particular style and type, the innocent young man, the would-be hero his sense of humour, his quick-thinking, exasperation, love for Amy? How well did he handle being Charley's Aunt?
7. Amy as the conventional and sweet heroine, the conventions of her character, an expressed in her songs, the Brazil musical number?
8. The contrast with Jack and Kitty as conventional sweethearts? Their contribution to the musical aspects of the film?
9. Comment on the comedy of Mr Pettigrew, the satire on the grasping old man and his comeuppance?
10. The conventions of Sir Francis and Lucy? What did they add to the film, in plot complications, the resolution?
11. The humour of Charley as Dona Lucia, the way that he had to impersonate her, the man and his characteristics impersonating the woman with hers, humorous lines, ambiguities, the hurried and continual changes, his exasperation? A device for the plot, a good joke?
12. The quality of this kind of entertainment, response to the jokes, the tradition of romantic conventions?
