Madame Sans Jane

Series: Glenn Tryon

Director: James W. Horne

Producer: Hal Roach

Titles: H.M. Walker

Photography:

Editor:

Stars: Glenn Tryon, Fay Wray, James Finlayson, Lucien Littlefield

Company: Pathé Exchange

Released: 13 September 1925

Length: 2 reels

Production No.: G-10

Filming dates: March 24 - April 16, 1925

Rating: 3/10

Madame Sans Jane

Available on DVD:

Glenn Tryon and Fay Wray in Madame Sans Jane (1925)

Glenn Tryon is the boyfriend of a girl (Fay Wray) whom her father is not keen on. After walking her home and coming inside Glenn gives her a kiss goodnight which is seen by her father (James Finlayson) who is sitting in the dark. When she tells her boyfriend to be quiet because her father will hear them Glenn calls him a pelican. Her father appears and Glenn makes a quick exit. The father tells his daughter that he will end their relationship by sending her off to Europe. So he places an advert in the newspaper asking for a woman to accompany his daughter on a summer tour of Europe which Glenn answers.
Dressed as a cigar-smoking woman Glenn arrives at the house to apply for the position. Fay recognises him and encourages her father to employ 'her'. The father reads through the woman's references and is so pleased he dismisses another applicant (I think this is Villie Latimer) whom he just told had got the job. The new woman embraces the daughter with a full kiss on the lips which looks rather odd to all those present before the father hands over two tickets for a boat which sails that afternoon for Europe. He accompanies the two women to the docks before dropping the bombshell that he is going to be joining them on the ship. A steward (Lucien Littlefield) is on hand to witness Glenn's knickers falling down after he trips on a suitcase in a gangway and follows him into his stateroom where he offers him a cigar, knowing full well he is in fact a man in drag. The father gets ready for the evening, believing he may be in with a chance with the new woman who is escorting his daughter.

The father enters his daughter's stateroom and discovers a pair of men's trousers, which Glenn has just discarded before leaving the room. Glenn then re-enters, in his women's clothing and uses the trousers as an excuse for a masquerade to be held later. Later Glenn, still dressed as a woman, dances with the ship's captain and tells him there is a couple on board who wish to be married so he instructs her to come to his cabin later that evening. The father picks up a random passenger and starts dancing with her near to where the captain is dancing with his daughter's escort. The two men get into a spat when they each accuse the other of bumping into each other.
After Glenn manages to tell his girlfriend to meet him later to get married he is pursued back to his room by the father. The father just doesn't give up and tries desperately to engage with the woman whilst his daughter awaits patiently in the captain's room for Glenn to arrive so that they can be married. The father tries to get it on with the woman, who resists him as best she can. The sound of their commotion brings about a large crowd of people outside their room until the captain comes along to investigate. He breaks up the assault and warns the father he could be facing 50 years in jail. Glenn takes off his wig, revealing his true identity. The father faints and the captain leaves the room in disgust, holding the wig.

Lucien Littlefield, Glenn Tryon, [?], Fay Wray and James Finlayson in Madame Sans Jane (1925)

Favourite bit
Seeing Glenn Tryon dressed as a woman kissing Fay Wray - right under her father's nose was quite something!

Trivia
• Copyrighted June 13, 1925.
• Also listed for August 9, 1925.
• It's disturbing how realisticly convincing Glenn Tryon is as a woman!
• Some spellings of the title refer to it as MADAM Sans Jane, in particular the lobby cards. Until I see the original title card I won't be able to determine which is correct.

My opinion
• An utterly boring film though it has some eye-opening scenes! The sight of the two women kissing on the lips (although one of them is Glenn Tryon in drag), then we have James Finlayson trying to get off with the woman who is really a man, and Glenn actually grabbing a hold of Fin's arse in the process. The film is crap, make no mistake about it and way too long.

	Glenn Tryon The young man / Female escort
	Fay Wray The girl
	James Finlayson The girl's father
	Lucien Littlefield Ship steward
	Ed Porter Captain
	Villie Latimer Mrs. Buggs
	Chet Brandenburg Taxi driver
	Charlie Hall Second ship steward
	Jules Mendel Butler