Never The Dames Shall Meet

Series: Charley Chase

Director: James Parrott

Producer: Hal Roach

Titles: H.M. Walker

Photography: Len Powers

Editor: Richard C. Currier

Stars: Charley Chase, Edna Marion, Viola Richard, Anita Garvin

Company: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer

Released: 24 December 1927

Length: 2 reels

Production No.: S-5

Filming dates: October 5-13, 1927

Rating: 7/10

Never The Dames Shall Meet

Charley and his wife Edna are talking in the back of the car. She has a toothache so Charley tenderly kisses her on the cheek. They arrive at the docks to meet Edna's sister Anita. Edna points her out on the ship as the lady with the white fur, but Charley mistakes the sister for another woman (Viola Richard) who is similarly dressed. Viola, who has recently won a beauty contest, reads a letter which informs her that she will be met at the dock by the son of the writer of the letter. Charley walks in Viola's direction but then bumps into Anita by accident, spilling the contents of her luggage all over the floor. Charley apologises and begins to pick up the clothes and some powder that has been spilled. Anita takes a swing at him but misses.
Charley carries on his way, seeing Viola coming off the ship but as he heads in her direction he once again bumps into poor Anita, resulting again in her spilled suitcase. She lays into him again and this time he puts on her hat before he realises the hat is not his and hands it back. He then rummages around in her suitcase until he finds his own hat before putting it back on. Anita is still not happy but this time Charley kicks her suitcase into the sea. Charley sees Viola waiting on the dock and goes over to her before they both get into a waiting taxi and drive off, but not before they bump Anita to the floor! Anita later meets up with her sister Edna and tells her Charley did not come to meet her at the dock; whilst Charley has brought Viola back to his house and tells her she will be living there for the next fortnight. Upstairs Viola prepares for a bath as Charley helps her undress. It's at this point Viola tells him that she has no sister and there must be some mistake with him thinking she is somebody else?

Charley comes downstairs to find Edna who introduces her sister - Anita. When Charley realises she is the same woman from the dock he tries to quickly leave. Anita reminds Charley of how she has lost her suitcase and then announces she is tired and wants a bath. Knowing that Viola is already in the bath Charley tries to stall Anita by dancing to a record he puts on. Charley manages to get to the bathroom to warn Viola to quickly leave if she values her life! Viola gets out of the bath and straight into washing basket. Anita then gets into the same bath water without anybody seeing. Charley manages to pull the washing basket out into the street but he sits on it (with Viola still inside) when he meets a cop.
Edna and Anita get into her car as Charley continues down the street pulling the box. He tells Viola to stay still and ventures to collect clothes along the way for her. Charley picks up clothes, shoes after he sees a man turn his back. Charley puts the shoes in the box and then picks up a hat, a dress and some boots which he puts in the box. Charley comes to a man with a grip which he opens and pulls out a bottle. He then puts the bottle back. The cop lets Edna's car go by which then stops as Edna and Anita get out. The lid of the box lifts and lowers again and we assume Viola gets out. Charley declares that he was trying to save money on the laundry by delivering it himself. Edna embraces Charley and Anita declares that this was "the first time in my life I was ever wrong". Viola makes her escape in the background as Charley finally shakes hands with Anita. The film ends as a man pulls another box into the set and exits through a door as Anita raves.

Charley Chase and Viola Richard in Never The Dames Shall Meet (1927)

Anita Garvin in Never The Dames Shall Meet (1927)

Favourite bit
The cab reversing into Anita Garvin, who up until this point had been most irritating!

Trivia
• Copyrighted December 24, 1927.
• Survives only in a fragmented state. Footage from the film appears on the compilation "Laurel And Hardy's Laughing Twenties" (1965).
• Edna and Anita are sisters in the film.
• It's obvious that Anita Garvin was not invited to her sister's wedding because she and Charley do not recognise each other when they meet.
• The cab that Charley Chase and Viola Richard get into is a Red & White taxi, number 229.
• Anita Garvin gets into the bath and shares the same water that was vacated by Viola Richard.