Summary
“White Pants Willie” introduces us to Willie Bascom, an unpretentious auto mechanic whose life takes an unexpected turn upon meeting Philip Charters, the formidable President of International Motors, and his captivating daughter, Helen. While Charters eyes Willie’s mechanical innovations, Willie’s gaze is fixed firmly on Helen, sparking aspirations beyond his working-class station. The narrative then follows Willie’s whimsical dream of belonging to the elite world of Cold Springs, a lavish summer resort where, in his imagination, his most flamboyant attire—a pair of white pants—would be met with acceptance, not ridicule. Fate, in the form of a car repair and delivery, propels him into this very milieu. With the ingenious, if somewhat culturally problematic, assistance of Wong Lee, a Chinese laundryman pressed into service as his chauffeur, Willie arrives at Cold Springs, resplendent in his titular white trousers. Through a series of misunderstandings, he is promptly mistaken for a professional polo player, a saviour hired to tip the scales in a high-stakes match. The comedic tension arises from Willie’s utter lack of equestrian skill, setting the stage for a delightful, if predictable, masquerade.
Synopsis
Philip Charters (Henry A. Barrows), the President of International Motors, and his daughter, Helen Leila Hyams), drive up to the shop of Willie Bascom (Johnny Hines), an auto mechanic. Charters is interested in an invention by Willie, and Willie quickly becomes interested in Helen. They depart for Cold Springs, a fashionable summer resort for the rich. Wllile images that Cold Springs is such a place where a young man wearing white pants would not be jeered at. He gets a chance to find out when he has to repair a car and take it to the owner in Cold Springs. He summons Wong Lee (George Kuwa'), a Chinese laundryman to pose as his chauffeur, dons his spiffiest pair of white pants,arrives at the resort and is mistaken for a crack polo player, hired to help the resort's team beat a rival team. Willie is anything but a polo player.
