Love In Armor
	11 March 1915 Keystone Film Company/Mutual Film silent short 1-reel

Director: Nick Cogley  Producer: Mack Sennett

AVAILABLE ON DVD

Charley (Chase) has arrived to see his girlfriend (Mae Busch) but has to sneak in around the side to avoid detection from her mother (Billie Bennett).  Amongst the flirting maid and the clumsy butler at the house, the couple sneak out to a park (Hollenbeck Park, to be precise).  The girlfriend's father (Frank Opperman) follows them and breaks up their romance when she gets her dress caught on a bush. A well-dressed gentleman seated nearby (Fritz Schade) sees an opportunity to exploit the young lady and hires two goons to stage a fake robbery whereby they attack the girl and he rescues her from their clutches.  The incident is witnessed by the girl's parents, who rush over to help.  The gentleman introduces himself as the Baron Von Hossenfeffer and the parents seem impressed by him and his title. The Baron takes and kisses the daughter's hand, and although she appears at first to enjoy the token, she removes her hand abruptly from his.  Back at the house, preparations are being made for the girl to receive the Baron, who has been invited over for a party.  Charley has managed to sneak into the house and dons a suit of armour in order to disguise himself.

The two crooks from the park show up at the house and stick a cactus up the Baron's arse as he is making his move on the young lady.  The cactus is then removed, thrown around and ends up stuck to the father's undercarriage, before he rips it off and launches it towards his daughter who ends up wearing it briefly. The two crooks enter the house unnoticed and are assaulted by Charley in his full-length armoured costume.  They leave, and the girlfriend throws a little strop at the thought of having to be paired up with the Baron who is despertately sniffing around her.  She walks over and stands next to the armoured statue, before realising Charley is hiding inside it (see image right). The girl uses this to her advantage when her parents set up the party table next to Charley.  Every time the Baron gets too close, Charley swipes him from behind.  Charley then helps himself to a valuable necklace which has been given to the girl (seen at the beginning of the film) and he plants it in the Baron's jacket pocket when nobody is looking. Naturally with the necklace gone and with nobody else in the room, the Baron is the prime suspect and is frisked by the father and the necklace is recovered.  A chase involving just about everybody starts up and Charley gets to keep his girl.

Favourite bit In the brief 13 minutes of the film, it's very difficult to single out any particular scene worthy of "favourite bit".  But even so, seeing Chase and Busch together on-screen together is always a lovely thing to witness, so I have gone for the final scene where they kiss, turn towards the the camera whilst holding the kiss, then turn away again.

Facts •Filmed between February 7-23, 1915. •Film historian Brent Walker provides an (optional) informative audio commentary track on the "Becoming Charley Chase" DVD. •The IMDb states the film was directed by Nick Cogley, Francis J. Grandon, Frank Griffin and Mack Sennett. •Mae Busch was 23, Charley Chase was 21 at the time of filming.  This was their first of 3 films together (4 if you include "Sons Of The Desert" in 1933).  "Settled At The Seaside" and "The Rent Jumpers" were the other two. •The scenes in the park were shot in Hollenbeck Park, Los Angeles.  Laurel & Hardy fans will remember this as the location used for their Men O' War shoot in 1929. Did you notice? •The film is set around Mae Busch's character's birthday - hence the necklace being offered as a gift to her. •When William Hauber is tossed onto the park bench, it would appear that he breaks it. •There is a scene at the house where Mae Busch is sitting with the maid and putting on her shoe.  When Mae leans forward you can briefly catch a glimpse of her cleavage (at around 5:30 into the film).  See bottom of this page for screenshot. •In a close-up shot of Mae Busch (when she is standing next to Charley in the armour), it would seem she has some pretty bad teeth.  If you look even closer you can see her mouth the line, "oh Charley!" •At the end of the film when the father lifts up Charley's helmet, the flap falls down and he has to lift it up a second time.  This looks like a genuine accident.

	Charley Chase Suitor
	Mae Busch Sweetheart
	Fritz Schade Baron Von Hossenfeffer
	Frank Opperman Sweetheart's father
	Billie Bennett Sweetheart's mother
	William Hauber First crook
	Bert Hunn Second crook
	Billie Brockwell Indignant party guest
	Ollie Carlyle Maid
	Grover Ligon Cop

Mae Busch shows a little bit of cleavage in Love In Armor (1915).

Acknowledgements: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0005656/ (IMDb.com) "Smile When The Raindrops Fall" by Brian Anthony & Andy Edmonds (book) Brent Walker (commentary track information) This page was last updated on: 27 May 2015