Series: Charley Chase

Director: Leo McCarey
Producer: Hal Roach
Titles: H.M. Walker
Photography: Len Powers
Editor: Richard C. Currier

Stars: Charley Chase, Katherine Grant, Olive Borden
Company: Pathé Exchange
Released: 15 March 1925
Length: 1 reel
Production No.: D-80
Filming dates: November 19-22, 1924;
added scenes December 5, 1924

Rating: 7/10


Should Husbands Be Watched?

Available on DVD:

Charley Chase is Jimmy Jump, a joyful husband on his way home to his floor-scrubbing wife (Katherine Grant), whom he informs that she never needs to work again because he has just received a salary increase. So they hire a maid (Olive Borden). The maid sets the table for them and does everything expected of a maid, including putting Jimmy's jacket on for him, leaving his wife to put her own on for herself. There is a small gong on the table which they reluctantly ring for attention. Jimmy asks for the sugar, which the maid sprinkles all over his salad before bringing in more food and basically pampering him and ignoring the wife. At the end of the day the maid leaves and Jimmy and his wife seem to be relieved. Moments later, however, the maid comes rushing back into the house and jumps straight into Jimmy's arms and asking for him to save her from burglars outside.
Jimmy grabs his gun and shoots at a guy in the road who is robbing a man, but the robber sees Jimmy and rushes into his house to confront him. The robber tells Jimmy that by him firing his gun it helped him out and therefore wants to split the money with him 50/50. Jimmy hits the guy and throws him out of the house. The maid then asks for Jimmy to drive her home on account of her being afraid; a proposal which isn't met with a lot of enthusiasm by his wife! In the car, the maid is very touchy-feely with Jimmy as Jimmy's wife hides in the back seat. The maid invites Jimmy into her house with some very seductive flirting but he rejects her and drives away, but with his wife choosing to walk along side the car. Jimmy is stopped by a cop for kerb-crawling but he explains that the woman is his wife. When the cop asks the woman to prove that Jimmy is her husband she obliges by punching Jimmy in the face. The cop is satisfied and leaves!

Favourite bit
When the maid shows Jimmy what he would be missing by not taking advantage of her 'offer'! Whoah!

Trivia
Copyrighted February 13, 1925.
Also listed for March 14, 1925.
When we first see the maid, she offers a very brief glimpse of her cleavage as she bends forward. Screenshot here.
At least one source lists Al Hallett as being in the film. He is not.
My opinion
Interesting film, with a simple story: beautiful maid comes to work for a couple, flirts with the husband, gets rejected and despite the husband doing the right thing he still ends up getting punched in the face by his wife. Short, sweet and to the point.

Charley Chase
Jamison Jump
Katherine Grant
Mrs. Jump
Olive Borden
New maid
Jack Gavin
Robbery victim
Mickey Bennett
Boy

UNIDENTIFIED CAST

CREDITS (click image to enlarge) INTERTITLES (click image to enlarge)

SHOT ON LOCATION
(click any image to enlarge)

Acknowledgements:
Smile When The Raindrops Fall by Brian Anthony (book)

This page was last updated on: 29 January 2022