As with many of Charley Chase's films, they are hit or miss due to the wild ideas and the Chase characteristic of trying anything for laughs. However, this film is a miss due to some bizarre bits that not only fall flat but fail to make any sense whatsoever. Charley is a married man with a wife and daughter; everything in life seems to go wrong for him. Hence the title: Isn't Life Terrible? The point (another reviewer made) regarding the reference to the earlier D.W.Griffith film is well taken. Charley somehow wins a fountain pen selling contest and wins a cruise for his family. His luck in winning is ironic in light of the film's title as well as the footage of him actually trying to sell pens. That's a very young Fay Wray in only her sixth film as the woman he tries selling a pen to. Charley and his wife somehow manage to leave their own daughter ashore and mistakenly take an African-American girl aboard instead! Talk about bizarre! It appeared as a set-up for some unwelcome racial humor that never came. Instead, the girl charmed the pants off the audience. Once aboard the ship, the film improves significantly as we are treated to numerous sight gags depicting the bad luck that has befallen Charley and company. Lon Poff as the ship's carpenter and a mustache-less Oliver Hardy (as Charley's lazy brother-in-law) lend able support, but it's not quite enough. The film ends in bizarre fashion also. ** of 4 stars.
Review of Isn't Life Terrible?
