This film begins at Charley's office, the Salt Lake City Insurance Company. Everyone is talking about their vacations and when it is Charley's turn, he makes it clear that his vacation was, well, less than delightful. He remarks: "I wanted to go to Michigan, but my mother- in-law wanted to go to California and--mother knows best!" With this, Charley begins telling his friends about his vacation, the camera dissolving to the beginning of the trip.
Charley, his wife (Rosina Lawrence), and his mother-in-law are in the car, with Charley driving. Charley's mother-in-law makes it clear that she wants to go to California instead of Michigan. Charley starts arguing with her and his wife says, "now Charley, mother knows best". So they are going to California. On the way, Charley's mother-in-law suggests that they should pick up hitchhikers, but Charley disagrees. His mother-in-law then spots a pair of hitchhikers on the road and says, "why don't you pick them up? They have kind faces." The hitchhikers are none other than Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy, thumbing in different directions! Charley remarks, "they look like a couple of horse thieves to me!" and he mimics Stan Laurel's smile and hair scratching mannerism.
After that nice cameo, Charley drives on until he spots what looks like an accident on the road. This "accident" is really the work of a group of crooks who make it look like they just had an accident. Charley stops to help, despite his mother-in-law's warning. The criminals take Charley's suit and also Mrs. Chase's clothes, leaving both in rags. The criminals also take the car, and the three take the criminals' old car. They drive on.
It seems that all is well when Charley keeps driving until he stops. He is out of gas. The three decide to ask two people they see on a hill for some gas, and the people let them. Charley tells the people that the gas they have isn't enough, so the husband says to take some out of the car. Charley then sees that a rock is in the way of the gas tank of these people's car, so he moves the rock. Slowly, the car moves toward the edge of the big hill, towards the cliff. The car goes over this cliff and falls upside down on the ground some ten feet below. The people are furious and the three run away to their car.
The police are trying to prevent the movement of
vagrants crossing the Californian State Line and when Charley and family get
there in rags, they are told to head back, the police thinking that the family
are vagrants. The three turn back and spend the evening at a hobo gathering.
Charley and his wife sing a song and dance number in exchange for food. The next
day they continue driving, but 200 miles from home, the car breaks down. They
hitchhike. Nobody stops for them (well, nobody besides a fertilizer truck) so
they pretend to have an auto accident. The police come and since they know this
trick, they arrest the family. When Charley finishes telling his vacation story,
the new boss arrives. The new boss is none other than the man whose car Charley
accidently pushed over the cliff. Realizing this, Charley says, "He doesn't
recognize me!". Charley is then asked to step into the new boss's office...he is
sent back through the door.
Although one of the most popular Charley Chase shorts, On The Wrong Trek is a pretty average film. One can almost be positive that its popularity comes from Laurel & Hardy's cameo appearance. It is a "comedy of frustration" and after a while it can become frustrating to the viewer.
The film contains the memorable song "Let's Make It a Big Day" sang by Chase
and Rosina Lawrence, followed by a pleasant dance number.
On the Wrong Trek, made in 1936, is Chase's last short subject for Roach, with the possible exception of Neighborhood House, though that film was cut down from feature length. Some believe that Laurel & Hardy's guest appearance in On the Wrong Trek is their way of saying goodbye to an old friend and colleague (their appearance does make this film currently one of the easier Chase talkies to get ahold of). 1936 was not a great year for Chase as most of his comedies that year were weak and overall quite disappointing. This film, however, sticks out from the bunch as a result of its high production values (it looks pretty slick for a Chase talkie) and its pleasant dance scene. In a sense, after the release of this film, Charley Chase was never the same again.
"On the Wrong Trek" (1936) directed by Charles Parrott and Harold Law. With Charley Chase, Rosina Lawrence, Bonita Weber, Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy. Produced by Hal Roach.
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