Something Simple

Taken to a hospital, after suffering a dizzy spell, Charley is told by a 'nut', posing as a doctor, that he suffers from 'Tetra-Ethyl", and the only remedy is to sit down, relax, clear the mind and recite a nursery rhyme. The fake doctor gives Charley a package to deliver to Mr. Henderson, the "Supreme Crown of the Knights of the Brown Derby." At the hotel, hosting a convention of "Brown Derbies," Charley suffers a dizzy spell and the only place he can find to sit down is in Mr. Henderson's lap, where he recites "Mary Had a Little Lamb." Mr. Henderson, it is revealed, also suffers from "Tetra-Ethyl." Seized by an attack, Henderson sits down and tries to recite "Who Killed Cock Robin," but forgets the lines, which Charley and Henderson's daughter, Betty, sing in a song together. That, coming at the end of the second reel,is all it takes for Charley and Betty to decide to get married.

Directed by Charley Chase, Walter Weems, Something Simple leans on a strong ensemble — Charley Chase, Betty Mack, Dell Henderson — to carry a story that balances spectacle with character.

The film landed with audiences for its craft and performances, and remains one of the most talked-about comedy titles of 1934.