mark.waltz Umpteen film versions of the classic farce have been filmed, and this one (along with the rarely seen musical version) ranks as the most famous. Jack Benny is about as British as I am, but he delightfully parodies the eccentricities of his fellow Oxford residents, mincing deliciously when he is forced to dress up as Whistler's Mother to be a chaperon for his roommates and their lady friends. Pretending to be one of their aunts, he is unprepared for the real aunt's arrival, she being totally amused by his identity theft and the fact that the faker couldn't be any more different than she is. She's the lovely Kay Francis, and he looks like something that would turn a cucumber into a pickle without the use of vinegar.It's surprising to see Richard Haydn in a straight romantic role considering his comic character parts in films like "Sitting Pretty" and "The Sound of Music". Joined by the handsome James Ellison, they are excellent comic agitators to Benny's blackmailed female impersonator. Anne Baxter and Arleen Whelan are appropriately giddy young girls mostly utilized as window dressing, but oh, what a view... Francis turns a small role (approximately 20 minutes on screen) into a nice return to "A" films after being neglected in her last years at Warner Brothers and reminds how charming she was in light hearted roles. Eccentric portrayals by Edmund Gwenn (hysterically chasing Benny), Reginald Owen and Laird Cregar (having to get blitzed to romance Benny's female character) are excellently bumbling and filled with droll humor.I should mention the British version made around the same time called "Charley's Big-Hearted Aunt" with Arthur Askey which is not as well known in the States but very funny in a different way with some twists not used in the other versions.

blanche-2 Jack Benny is "Charley's Aunt," in this 1941 film version of the famous play, one of several film re-creations that exist. Benny plays Fancourt Babberly, a somewhat older student at a British university in the late 1800s who, through a series of complications, winds up playing Donna Lucia of Brazil, the aunt of another student, Charley, because Charley and his friend Jack need a chaperone in order to have the dates they've planned. The late-arriving aunt is actually portrayed by the lovely Kay Francis, and wait until you catch the look on her face when she sees what's been impersonating her. As ridiculous looking as Fancourt looks in his drag attire, he manages to win the hearts of both the ward of one of the young women and the father of Jack Chesney, who pursue him relentlessly. Fancourt, meanwhile, finds the real Donna Lucia quite a strudel.There's nothing like a man in drag for laughs, and when the man is Jack Benny, watch out! Benny, famous for his long takes, is delightful here, and what makes him even funnier is that every once in a while, he says one word or another with a British pronunciation in the middle of a sentence where he's using his typical American accent. It had to be on purpose.The DVD of the film has a short publicity reel shown in theaters called "Three of a Kind," which has Benny in the 20th Century Fox commissary trying to explain his role to Tyrone Power and Randolph Scott as a bellhop asks his approval on a girdle, a dress and shoes. It's very good.Jack Benny was a wonderful actor and comedian with a great, dry, sometimes exasperated delivery. He made audiences laugh for years. Thanks to the existence of his radio shows and movies, he's still doing it.

carver I have also looked for a video of this for years and found it recently at the Forgotten Films web site. (Unfortunately, as of 2008 they seem to have gone out of business) The quality of the print is only fair. It is recorded at EP speed, but clear enough to enjoy the fun. Benny is very droll and Kay Francis looks like she's having a lot of fun. Edmund Gwenn turns in an almost madcap performance as well. Also look for Anne Baxter playing the ingénue. I think this is funnier than the Charlie Ruggles version, though the latter comes pretty close. I recommend the video only with the caveat mentioned above - at least it's a way to view the film. It's about time Fox Movie Channel or TCM finally aired this little stage gem on television, and whoever has the rights to it cleans it up and makes it available .

greenboy54 I loved the movie, but like the subscribee above, I haven't seen it in 20 years or so. It's not available on video in any country and I've checked every specialty video line--- no-one has it. The good news is that I'm told someone saw a copy on ebay this week. It's not there now, but if there's one out there, there must be more. Check ebay through October. It's Jack's film best after "To Be or Not to Be" in my opinion and better than "Horn" or "George Washington SleptHere" (3rd place?) Anyway, If I find one, I'll cheer