Fifty Million Husbands (1930) User Reviews

While none of this made a lot of sense, it was enjoyable.

[planktonrules · 6/10 · 23 January 2011]

This is a rather strange Charley Chase comedy. It begins with Charley at home alone when his wife phones to say she's staying at her mother's. Then just before Charley can get into the book he's picked to read, there's a knock on the door. A man tells him that this used to be his apartment years ago--during happier times. Now he and his wife are divorcing and he just wants to see the place one more time. However, the guy seems like a bit of a nut, as he starts rearranging the furniture and being annoying. Just then, there's another knock--the weird man's wife shows up to see the place one last time as well! Now, when Charley's wife arrives home unexpectedly, he has a hard time explaining things. Then, when everything gets loud, a cop (Edgar Kennedy) shows up and they all pretend there's nothing going on and it's a quiet little get together. Then, out of the blue, the lady announces to her lawyer (who just showed up) that the divorce is off--thanks to Charley. The lawyer does not take this news very well!

This short is a bit surreal--sort of like a stream of consciousness comedy. Things just happen and continue occurring with little obvious reason...in fact none of it makes any sense. But, despite this, it is mildly amusing and fans of Chase will no doubt have a good time watching. It's certainly one of his lesser comedies, but not bad either.

Funny But Chaotic Chase Short

[boblipton · 7/10 · 30 January 2018]

Christine Maple is out tending her ill mother, so husband Charley Chase intends to spend the evening home reading. There's a knock at the door, and in comes Tiny Sandford, who begins to rearrange his furniture, followed by soon-to-be-ex-wife Ruth Hiatt, who begins breaking bric-a-brac. By the time Miss Maple comes home, ready for a divorce of her own, it's a free-for-all and officer Edgar Kennedy can't make heads nor tails of the situation.

There are lots of funny bits in this Chase short subject, but Miss Maple is not a practiced comedian; nor is there the tight story line typical of Chase's shorts that makes sense of the situations. Still, there's always Edgar Kennedy's slow burn to amuse the watcher, and an unusually large speaking part for Tiny Sandford, a Roach regular who spent much of his screen time on the Lot of Fun playing cops in bit parts, even if his roles outside might expand to Porthos in Fairbanks' THE IRON MASK.

Chase in Top Form

[Michael_Elliott · 20 January 2011]

Fifty Million Husbands (1930)

*** (out of 4)

Hilarious short has Charley Chase enjoying a quiet evening at home since his wife is away until there's a knock on the door. The previous tenant informs Chase that his wife has left him so he'd like to look around the place one final time. Soon the man starts moving the furniture around and things turn worse when his wife shows up for one final look. This Hal Roach produced short is certainly a good one to show people if they're unfamiliar with Chase's sound films. His work with Roach, MGM and Columbia resulted in highly mixed films but this one here is certainly a good one. I think what makes this one work so well is that Chase allows a lot of it to play out like a silent. The majority of the laughs from him come from his reactions to what the ex-tenants are doing. Whenever the husband starts crying it's not the tears that are funny but instead it's what Chase's reaction is that's funny. Chase's facial gestures are priceless and the way he's constantly looking at the camera gets some very big laughs. The maniac pacing by the director keeps everything going at a quick pace, which pays off as well. The non-stop laughs makes this one of the best Chase shorts out there and we also get strong supporting work from Edward Dillon, Charlie Hall, Edgar Kennedy and Ruth Hiatt. Tiny Sandford is hilarious as the husband.

This is why I never answer my door.

[mark.waltz · 4/10 · 27 November 2019]

The Charley Chase shorts are a mixed bag like others from the Hal Roach studios and some stand the test of time better than others. For Charley Chase, i can take him or leave him (unlike Chaplin who is a complete genius and more likethe Iater Chase named Chevy who I more tolerable in some films, less in others), and depending on the situation, other characters and the style of humor, laugh at some more than others. Chase is hoping to have a quiet evening at home to read since his wife is out for the evening. A knock at the door has Charlie interrupted by the old tenant, having just had a fight with his wife and wanting to see where they lived previously. He then starts to rearrange the furniture, saying it looks better how he had it, and Chase can't do anything to stop him. The man's wife comes by, followed by Chase's wife, resulting in a ton of havoc. It could be a lot funnier, but the script and direction are weak.

Some bright spots

[NellsFlickers · 5/10 · 17 August 2018]

So-so Chase short. Some bright spots, mostly Charley's frustrations dealing with the supporting cast, and loosing it on a poor soul selling magazines door-to-door. Last 10 minutes or so mainly deal with the cast running around.