Life Hesitates at 40

Genre: Comedy
Released: 1935
Directed by: Charley Chase, Harold Law
Starring: Charley Chase, Joyce Compton, Jimmy Findlayson
Alfalfa portrays: Small boy who is having an ice cream at a carnival.
Alfalfa's screen time: 38 seconds
Lines of dialogue spoken by Alfalfa: 0

Charley Chase plays a man who has an odd affliction (or ability, depending on your point of view) of having time stand still before his eyes at critical junctures. While at a carnival, he gets an ice cream cone and winds up winning a toy gun at the counter while waiting to be served. Alfalfa is already at the counter, silently enjoying an ice cream. After Chase walks off, happy with his unexpected prize, Alfalfa dismissively waves him away as if to say "G'wan, get outta here".



The stop-action technique utilized by Chase and his co-director Hal Law was fairly radical for the era. This was one of three Chase films Alfalfa would appear in, the other two being "Southern Exposure" and "Kelly the Second". Alfalfa has no dialogue in "Life Hesitates at 40".



Jimmy "Mush and Milk" Findlayson appears as the doctor who diagnoses Chase's unusual condition.

Back to "Alfalfaddendum" main page

Home   •   Episode Commentary   •   An Alfalfa Appreciation
    Alfalfaddendum   •   Alfalfa's Greatest Hits
The Froggy Files   •   Alfography   •   Alfalfa Nation  •  Censored!!
Rascology   •  Dear Alfalfa   •   Alfalfalinks
News/Updates  •   Contact Us

Back to top