A guide to visiting charleys aunt utah shakespeare festival. Im charleys aunt from brazil, where the nuts come from. His enthusiasm makes the film more than the sum of its parts. Fancourt must pose as the elderly aunt of his roommate charley wyckeham so that charley and his friend jack chesney will. He first falls for charleys aunts money, but then makes another discovery.
Now haywards douglas morrisson theatre gets into the act with its commissioned world premiere of charleys aunt 66, a new version of brandon thomas stillpopular 1892 farce. An oxford undergraduate student and charleys friend, jack is in love with kitty verdun. Familyfriendly charleys aunt blends slapstick comedy and. Matthew horne and jane asher in charleys aunt at menier chocolate factory. Halliwell hobbes and charles ruggles in charleys aunt 1930 charles ruggles in. In 1934 a german version charleys aunt was released. Charley wyckham and jack chesney pressure fellow student fancourt babberly to pose as.
The jack benny film from the early forties is better known, but this production is just fine. Watch charley s aunt full movie in hd visit movie 634 in 1890, two students at oxford force their rascally friend and fellow. Seating chart for the opening night performance of middle. His portrayal of charleys aunt contrasts well with everyone else who play it. Producer, author, and theater and film director joshua logan 19081988 was at the height of his theatrical career in 1956 when his production middle of the night, starring edward g. Utawarerumono complete series film product information. Ah well, we wont be too hard on that particular aunt, given she. Benny, predating jack lemmons work in some like it hot, is a marvel as the english earl posing as an oxford classmates aunt. In 1890, two students at oxford force their rascally friend and fellow student to pose as an aunt from brazil. It was produced by former doyly carte opera company actor w. Charleys aunt the shakespeare theatre of new jersey. This version of the popular comedy based on brandon thomass play features comedian jack benny as the lead. Things get even more silly as babbs is soon being hounded by suitors interested in the aunts considerable fortune. Brandon thomass giddy farce demolished all box office records, clocking up 1,466 performances between 1892 and 1896.
The film isnt a comic masterwork but its a fun way to spend an hour and a half. Charleys aunt was officially commissioned by the local hunt in bury st. The films sets were designed by art director franz schroedter. While jack as a british college student only kinda works, jack is still a stitch.
He already had directed the broadway hits charleys aunt. Like niagara falls, charleys aunt stands the test of time. Jack and charley, undergraduates at oxford, have each fallen in love. Charleys aunt is a 1956 west german comedy film directed by hans quest and starring heinz ruhmann, hertha feiler and claus biederstaedt. This comedy will grace our stage for the first time in our 56year history. Otto dernburg is forced by circumstances to dress up as a middleaged woman. Kay francis gets to play the best character, the real charleys. Sir francourt babbs babberly gets drafted by his old school chums charley and jack to pose as charleys aunt, a rich widow, to chaperon a meeting between the boys and their sweethearts, amy and kitty. The plays story was popular in germany and austria, with at least four different film versions being released. The 1941 version of charleys aunt would be notable if only because its one of the rare films in which jack benny is playing a real character, rather than a mere extension of his welldeveloped and recognizable personality.
Charleys aunt altrincham garrickaltrincham garrick. It remained one of bennys personal favourites among his own films. The first starred sydney chaplin in 1925 and the second released in 1930 featured charlie. The complications of the plot include the arrival of the real aunt and the attempts of an elderly fortune hunter to woo the bogus aunt. I suppose like most people, i first saw charleys aunt, brandon thomas centurieslong theatrical chestnut, back in high school. Perhaps the best known film version was released in 1941, directed by archie mayo and starring jack benny in the principal role. Charley s aunt is a farce in three acts written by brandon thomas. The opening title card of this film reads, twentieth centuryfox presents jack benny in charleys aunt brandon thomas immortal comedy.
It was the third filmed version of the stage farce of the same name by brandon thomas. Charleys rich aunt, donna lucia, is visiting from brazil and the timing couldnt be better. His film career is not thought of highly, but some of that is due to jacks own attitude towards his films. Since that time, charleys aunt has been revived many times, been produced as a motion picture, both silent and with sound, aired in an original television production, and even adapted into a musical.
Jack chesneys father, colonel chesney is visiting his son at oxford. The joke is pushed much further in the film, but it still helps sustain ian talbots pleasurable revival of this old. The story centres on lord fancourt babberley, an undergraduate whose friends jack and charley persuade him to impersonate the latters aunt. Penley, a friend of thomas, who appeared in the principal role of lord. With heinz ruhmann, hertha feiler, claus biederstaedt, walter giller. Arthur askey took the leading role in a 1940 british film charleys bighearted aunt that developed themes from the original play. It was made at the spandau and tempelhof studios in berlin. Jack benny playing with enthusiasm and romping merrily and crazily along the route, takes fullest advantage of laugh opportunities. A comedic favorite to this day with colleges and high schools, the early crossdressing farce first produced in 1892 broke all theatrical records wherever it played, and has become a recognized worldwide classic through countless stage revivals. The dean is a keen egyptologist and desperate to secure funding for. Charleys bighearted aunt film british comedy guide. In 1890, two students at oxford force their rascally friend and fellow student to pose as an aunt from brazilwhere the nuts come from.
Threatened with being sent down expelled from their college at oxford after the latest in a series of highspirited hijinks and miscellaneous delinquency, friends arthur, stinker and albert hit upon a seemingly ingenious ruse. It was an adaptation of the play charleys aunt by brandon thomas. More unabashed hilarity with this hit from the late 19th century. This was the third of many screen adaptations of charleys aunt, the beloved 19thcentury stage farce. Both chaplin and laurel occasionally dressed as women in their films. It is based on the british writer brandon thomass 1892 play charleys aunt.
Donna lucia, the aunt, is late, and their friend, lord fancourt babberley babbs. His radio show is filled with jokes about his film career. Sight unseen, i eagerly awaited the release of charleys aunt on disc. With theo lingen, hans moser, georg thomalla, oskar sima. Robbers break into a bank strongroom in a combination of rififi and charleys aunt. Find movie and film cast and crew information for charleys aunt 1915 on allmovie. Our fall farce, charleys aunta hilarious farce written by brandon thomas and directed by ed knights. Charleys aunt is a 1941 american historical comedy film directed by archie mayo. The films sets were designed by the art directors hans kuhnert and peter schlewski.
Charleys aunt by archie mayo archie mayo, jack benny. But we may be glad that heinz ruhmann was given the opportunity to play the aunt as it he and both paul horbiger and hans leibelt who make the film worth. Charleys aunt is a 1930 american comedy film directed by al christie and starring charles ruggles, june collyer and hugh williams. The play was first performed at the theatre royal, bury st edmunds in february 1892. Blending slapstick comedy and lighthearted romance, charleys aunt. Charlie chaplin and stan laurel brought the tradition from the english music halls when they came to america with fred karnos comedy troupe in 1910. Charley s aunt is a 1941 american historical comedy film directed by archie mayo. An oxford undergraduate student, charley is in love with amy spettigue.
It marked the film debut of williams, who then returned to britain and became a major star. Arthur askeys professional nickname was bighearted arthur, which was added to the title to distinguish it from jack benny s version, for its limited american release. Charleys aunt is a farce in three acts written by brandon thomas. In its day, charleys aunt was the original west end blockbuster.
Li chas aunt was adapted as a chinese film of the same name in 2018 the film poster. Staring arleen whelan, morton lowry, laird cregar and edmund gwenn. With jack benny, kay francis, james ellison, anne baxter. Crossdressing in film has followed a long history of female impersonation on english stage, and made its appearance in the early days of the silent films. If youre going to drag an aunt into the business, we may as well wait till they all come back from scotland. After a seventeenyear vacation, charleys aunt is returning to the utah shakespeare festival. Watch playhouse 90 season 1, episode 26 charleys aunt. Charleys aunt on dvd 024543440642 from 20th century fox. Coming attractions for you 2020s most anticipated movies. Doubtfire to tootsie to uncle miltie, theres nothing more. A talkie film version starring charles ruggles was released in 1930 and is one of the earliest sound comedies. Charleys aunt 1961 the complaisant lover mary rhodes tv film 1961 the pursuers vi daniel hugh kelly 916 words view diff exact match in snippet view article find links to article. Charleys tante is a 1956 west german comedy film directed by hans quest and starring heinz ruhmann, hertha feiler and claus. Charleys tante is a 1934 german comedy film directed by robert a.
Forthcoming shows 1960 1959 1958 1957 1956 1955 1954 1953. Tv film 1961 bbc sundaynight play donna lucia dalvadorez episode. But without a chaperone, they cant meet their girls, amy and kitty. It broke all historic records for plays of any kind, with an original london run of 1,466 performances. Her presence as a chaperone will allow him and his friend jack to ask their respective true loves, amy and kitty, for their hands in marriage. With charles grodin, vincent gardenia, anne francis, joyce bulifant. Charleys aunt by brandon thomas june 19 through oct 26 from mrs. Its high time to unleash this utterly delightful british farce, complete with improbable disguise, young lovers, and an unflappable butler. Oh, the trademarks are still there, but theyre employed in the service of a character and a story and without the selfreferentiality that so often. It is an adaptation of the british play charleys aunt by brandon thomas. Charleys aunt the winnipesaukee playhousemeredith nh. While in town otto visits his kid brother, ralf, who is best friends with charley. The film is one of many to be made based on the victorian farce charleys aunt.