Cape May Chautauqua: Humor in Film

CAPE MAY — This upcoming weekend, Cape May Forum will host its inaugural “Chautauqua at the Shore,” following the tradition of bringing together internationally renowned speakers and a variety of arts and cultural events under one theme. The focus of this year’s event: “Humor: Can It Save the World?”
The forum will take place from Oct. 8 through 11 this year, and it will feature more than 30 events and a host of core lectures on the topic of humor. The Cape May Film Festival is contributing plenty of excellent programs to the mix—and we’re going way beyond just “funny films.”
A film retrospective entitled “Humor in the Armed Services” will be presented by local film enthusiast/expert Dottie Knapp. “If humor can save the world, those in our armed forces who actually do the saving give us a humorous look at their lives through the movies,” says Dottie, whose presentation takes place Sat., Oct. 9, at 2 p.m. at the Wildwood Naval Air Station.
Also running continuously at the station will be a series of Bob Hope classics presented by station director Dr. Joe Salvatore.
“The Wrong Box” is a comedy starring Michael Caine, Peter Sellers, and Dudley Moore. In Victorian England, a fortune now depends on which of two brothers can outlive the other. Virtuous maidens…cunning cousins…dastardly deeds, bodies in barrels…and boxes and boxes of boxes.
This program (part of MAC’s Victorian Week) will run Sun., Oct. 10, 8:15 pm at the Episcopal Church of the Advent, Washington and Franklin Streets.
“Opposable Chums” may well be the very first nature documentary comedy. “Competitive bird watching” may sound like an oxymoron, but it makes perfect sense to the participants of The World Series of Birding, who convene for one day each spring to see which team can identify the most bird species in 24 hours within the New Jersey state borders.
The event is equal parts scavenger hunt, science expedition, and endurance test. This program is Sun., Oct. 10, 7 p.m., also at Episcopal Church of the Advent.
What weekend focusing on humor would be complete without paying tribute to Mark Twain? The Errol Flynn 1937 classic “The Prince and the Pauper” will screen in celebration of the 175th anniversary of Mark Twain’s birth—preceded by staged readings of Twain’s classics by East Lynne Theater Company. This program is Mon., Oct. 11, 6:30 pm at First Presbyterian Church. 500 Hughes Street.
For a complete list of Forum events, visit www.capemayforum.org.
“Operation Petticoat,” starring the late Tony Curtis and Cary Grant will be part of a film retrospective “Humor in the Armed Services” presented by local film expert/enthusiast Dottie Knapp as part of the Cape May Chautauqua this weekend.