The Great Film Discussion

[tboneator64]

ROAMIN' HOLIDAY (1937) - There's just a few observations that I'd like to add regarding this charming one reeler: 

- The teaching the kids "A durn good lesson" in my opinion, doesn't seem out of line, and it's handled in a non cloying "beat the kids over the head with it" manner!  Most importantly, the prime directive of comedy is never deserted, as it all too often was during the 'Our Gang' series later MGM years!  Besides, May Wallace and Otis Harlan come across as so sincere, unpretentious, and down to earth, qualities that were often in woefully short supply in the later MGM morality plays!

- I do wonder why the MGM Wardrobe Department had such a hard time fitting some of the male kids at times, when those handy Prison Uniforms, courtesy of the Jenks (OK, the Hal Roach Wardrobe Department!), fit Spanky, Alfalfa, Buckwheat and Porky so well?

- I agree the music that's unique to this short does enhance its overall quality!

Not really related to this short, but knowing now that Otis Harlan did Happy's voice in SNOW WHITE AND THE SEVEN DWARFS, which was released the same year as this one reel comedy, I can see some resemblance between Otis and the animated Happy!  Walt Disney sure benefited from his friendship with Hal Roach during his studios formative years!

As for this short, I give it a solid 8/10.

CHEERS!

[ymymeatemup]

ROAMIN' HOLIDAY (1937)

Things I like:
Buckwheat & Porky. The biggest highlight of the short involves these two little kids trying to pass off the storeowners' dog as their own. The degree of innocent guile with which they procure pastries for the oversized pooch is matched only by the elderly couple's willingness to play along in what amounts to one of the most charming scenes in series history.
Otis Harlan & May Wallace. They seem to be the entire population of Jenksville, and not only apparently have nothing better to do with their day than to indulge their young visitors, but obviously are doing well enough that giving away a large cake and various cream puffs doesn't put a dent in their budget. Both players are extremely likable, good-hearted country folk, which gives the entire film the same feeling.
Alfalfa's Brothers. This gag was repeated less effectively in later episodes, but I can imagine this very first instance as having been a good gag to 1937 audiences.

Things I don't like:
Pretty Much Nothing. For some reason, this short never stood out to me as a favorite over the years, but on this most recent viewing, I found myself enjoying it quite a lot. It's novel to see this one-reel version of the Gang in such a rural setting, though at the same time, the briefness of the episode seems to undermine its impact a bit. It makes a bit more sense to take things more slowly out in the country, and this short is typically quick-paced for the era. In other news, it appears that Darla is actually Spanky's sister, at least for one day. While the shuffling around of the kids' relationships to one another was common in earlier episodes, it was almost unheard of during this latter period, so this is pretty unusual. Also of note is the virtually constant background music from Marvin Hatley, another rarity for this era.  Perhaps even more unusual is Alfalfa's reference to his cowlick, a rare case of an onscreen character acknowledging his status with the theater audience.

Grade: A-

[ymymeatemup]

THE SMILE WINS (1928)

Things I like:
The "Your Own Back Yard" Vibe. It's obvious that the folks at Roach were trying to recapture the success of this earlier episode, focusing on a more-than-sympathetic Farina and his ostracization from the Gang, and even including an opening shot of some relevant sheet music.
The Relative Authenticity of the Black Characters. As usual, Farina and Mango are a mixture of both stereotype and genuine humanity. However, their mother and the family doctor are both portrayed as regular people, and not as the heavily stereotypical characters found in shorts like "Circus Fever" and "Shootin' Injuns." In fact, the kids' mother is their ACTUAL mother, which lends a nice element of reality to the short.
Most Everything Else. It's difficult to think of any major highlights in this short, and yet the entire thing is quite satisfying. I will note, however, the stunt work exhibited by Farina's suddenly recuperated mother, the shots of the kids on the merry-go-round (with the camera obviously going along for the ride), the impressive oil rig built by the kids, and the film's motto: "Smile all the while."

Things I don't like:
Not Much. I could mention the use of slow-motion, one of my least favorite gimmicks of the silent era, but the addition of split-screen technology makes it worthwhile in this instance.

Grade: A-

[RJH]

Robot Wrecks (1941) - The gang sees a demonstration of a robot in a department store, and decides to build their own to do chores. They assemble one, but it doesn't respond to Spanky's commands. Slicker steps in and convinces the gang to buy invisible rays. When the gang returns with the money, accomplice Boxcar has climbed into the robot, and magically moves after the invisible rays are sthingyed in from an empty box. When the robot stops mowing Froggy's lawn, the gang adds more rays, and the robot goes berserk, mowing down flowers and vegetables and then messing up the yard. Froggy's parents come home and when his father gets the story, he lifts the robot's head off to reveal Boxcar. The kids all have to clean up the yard and learn a good lesson or two.

"Wreck" is an appropriate description of this effort. It is not believable that someone above the age of five would fall for the invisible rays or not realize someone was inside the robot. In particular, 5-year-old Spanky would never fall for that. Building their own version of something adults built had been a solid plot device, but the big difference is that in the Roach era the kids were clever, and here they are so dumb it is not enjoyable at all. Darla may as well have been Janet for all she did in this. Froggy should have been mowing the lawn at the end instead of Buckwheat since it was Froggy's original chore. Searching for a highlight, I'll go with the chest holding the gang's treasury that is secured by five padlocks, and Froggy's father's cigar which goes from newly lit to a tiny stub during the course of Froggy's explanation. Those don't come close to saving this film.

[myhomeo]

To me, the most annoying part of ROBOT WRECKS was the condescending attitude of the adults in the department store. This "Oh, isn't it adorable how totally stupid they are?" approach to the Gang is, in my opinion, a major factor in the death in the series.

[tboneator64]

Robot Wrecks (1941) is one MGM 'Our Gang' entry that pretty much everyone agrees is a real pile!

I also agree with myhomeo's above analogy! MGM's increasingly modeling the 'Our Gang' shorts after their "Crime Does Not Pay" series and general Public Service entries didn't do the series any favors, either! Once Spanky finally departed, with no charismatic gang leader left, its demise was just a matter of time, really! That's my opinion, anyway!

CHEERS! 

[ymymeatemup]

ROBOT WRECKS (1941)

Things I like:
"Yes, John." Ah, thank you, Froggy's Mom, for injecting a one-second highlight into an otherwise painful viewing experience, largely marred by some of the worst acting ever by the Our Gang kids and some tremendously lame attempts at humor. I should mention, though, that I kinda like Boxcar in this one. And actually, the gag with the five locks on the chest is clever. And, of course, there's nothing wrong with the robot theme, which seems right at home for this series, but it's wasted with this effort.

Things I don't like:
"Oh Me Oh My." After a good look at the internal workings of an actual robot, the Gang mysteriously fails to achieve the same results by scooping up a pile of random radio innards and throwing them into a trash can. Luckily, Slicker, who until recently had been a con artist and practical joker, but was now a really good guy because - well, because he seems so nice today - informs the kids that what they're missing for their invention is "rays," and that he knows exactly where to get some.
"Oh My Oh Me." Slicker returns with a box full of rays, and the kids learn that the way to tell the difference between a box full of rays and a totally empty box is to have Slicker on hand so he can tell you it's a box full of rays. That's called "science," kids. Now, of course, we the audience know that Boxcar is inside the humanoid trash can, but we can hardly expect the Gang to realize this without Slicker's guidance, so when the robot (or "rowboat" as it's confusingly referred to in this film) starts doing their chores for them, well it's so convincing that even I find myself forgetting all about Boxcar and just marvelling at the wonders of modern technology.

Grade: D-

[RJH]

Rover's Big Chance (1942) - The gang is losing badly in their baseball gang when they decide to replace their inept second baseman named Fatty by their dog, Rover. Rover makes two good plays, and catches the eye of a casting director who's car got a flat tire next to the game. Impressed, he invites Rover for a screen test the next day for a part in a new moving picture. When Rover doesn't bark on command, the gang acts out the parts in the scene in an effort to get Rover to cooperate, but the dog falls asleep. The films ends with an encounter with a ventriloquist, with Froggy throwing his voice to Rover to get back at the ventriloquist for doing likewise earlier.

This is just awful. The gang picking on Fatty for making six errors is deplorable, and in particular, Spanky as the leader is perhaps the most unlikeable he ever was in the series. The unnamed center fielder gets no blame even though he also missed the ground ball but when it was barely moving, and the ball didn't travel far enough for the batter to circle the bases. The scene at the studio is just as humorless. There are weak attempts at humor with the ventriloquist and the gang not realizing that shooting a scene does not mean shooting the dog, and Froggy eating a dog biscuit. It looks like someone may have tried to redo "Playin' Hookey" with a dog trying out for a movie, and failed miserably. The silent was very entertaining with the kids romping through the sets causing mayhem, but in "Rover's Big Chance" there's none of that, or anything else interesting.

The Spanking Age (1928) - Mary Ann and Wheezer live with their rotten stepmother and stepsister Jean, and their father who's hoping his patent becomes profitable. Mary Ann and Wheezer get in trouble for knocking a cake off a high shelf, and this starts a sequence where the stepmother spanks Mary Ann, who kicks Wheezer, who kicks the dog, who kicks the cat. This sequence is repeated about three more times for various infractions. When the stepmother and Jean go to a nice party, Mary Ann decides to throw her own party and invite the gang. She tries to bake a cake, but Wheezer breaks lots of eggs in the attempt and some incorrect ingredients get added. When the gang arrives, they find that the food is not very tasty, and Joe and Farina try to convince each other to eat live shrimp. Then the father comes home with presents for his children, having gotten money for his patent. Mary Ann and Wheezer put on their nice new clothes while the stepmother and Jean return and get a cop to chase the gang away. Now rich enough, the father takes Mary Ann, Wheezer, and Pete away to a better life, at least after the kids recover from backing into a cactus.

This is an unusual entry in the series. All the adults are seen only from about the waist down, so we never see their faces. There is less humor in this due to the subject matter, which is a bit like Cinderella. It also doesn't feel like an "Our Gang" comedy for a long time as most of the gang doesn't appear for over fifteen minutes. The gang's departure at the end, with them being shooed away by the cop with their mouths seemingly glued shut while Mary Ann and Wheezer depart in their new fine clothes, seems flat. Mary Ann and Wheezer do a fine job in their roles, and Jean is convincing as the obnoxious rich girl. The father is quite a poor excuse for a father, at least until the end, for letting his wife treat his children so poorly. Why on earth would he marry and stay with Jean's mother? Mary Ann baking the cake goes as well as expected. It wasn't a good idea to leave machine oil next to the salad oil and then tell Wheezer to oil up the salad. It feels that this film shares parts with others that did certain scenes better, like the mean stepmother story line in "Dogs is Dogs" or the cakes in "Birthday Blues" and "Ten Years Old." The outstanding gag is at the beginning, where Mary Ann and Wheezer use a pulley system to ride a swing-like contraption up to the high shelf, with Pete pulling on the rope to raise or lower the kids. Too bad Pete loses his grip when he sees or hears the stepmother coming, and the chain of spanking/kicking begins. I don't care for Wheezer kicking Pete and Pete kicking the cat; the animals don't deserve it, and I find the repetition overdone and that it detracts from the film. Still a solid entry, with the unique feature of the low-angle camera shots showing the perspective of the children.

[ymymeatemup]

ROVER'S BIG CHANCE (1942)

Things I like:
The Dog Biscuits. Just when you thought there was nothing funny about this short, Froggy helps himself to a crunchy dog treat. Unfortunately, Edward Cahn had already established the limit of one highlight per episode, and MGM wasn't about to let newcomer Herbert Glazer indulge himself in any unnecessary quality. That being said, I do enjoy watching Rover play baseball, and while the results aren't particularly funny, it's at least novel to introduce a ventriloquist into the mix.

Things I don't like:
Froggy On The Mound. You know, I could swear as I'm watching the baseball leave Froggy's hand that it's going to strike the ground two feet in front of him - but then we see the batter and the ball goes right over the plate!
Storytime. I don't know if anybody else noticed this, but as the director is describing the scripted scene to the kids, they're actually interested in what he's saying. I know it's hard to tell because of the subtlety of their performances, but if you look really closely you can just make out their enthusiasm.
"Bach, Rover, Bach!" Any professional dog trainer will tell you that merely shouting an order at a dog will not result in "Toccata and Fugue in D Minor." Unless, of course, the dog already knows that tune.
"Ssssh! Crackle Crackle Ssssh! Crackle Crackle." Omigosh! Where did that child-size pillar of fire come from? Oh wait - it's Janet! Wow, Janet, you sure had us fooled that time!
The Non-Tragic Ballgame. Everytime I watch this episode, I keep expecting Mickey to get hit by a car, and I always feel kinda let down when it doesn't happen.

Grade: D-

[tboneator64]

BOUNCING BABIES (1929) - I'm adding my two bits regarding this short for two reasons: 

1. Am I the only member on here that's somehow failing to catch one of the Plaster Of Paris Pancakes connecting with Wheezer's Mom's head? I ask this because, after having read someone mention this in another Thread. Then after having just viewed this short on the Cabin Fever DVD, and NOT seeing any such footage (What I DID see was Wheezer shoving the pancake down the seat of his pants, where his mom hurts her hand when she begins to spank him!), I read in ymymeatemup's review "the Plaster of Paris pancake connecting to Dora Dean's head is bizarrely comical."

Have I gone nuts, or what?!!?

Anyway, now for my second reason for posting here:

2. In a different thread, I posted about Joe Cobb and Harry Spear's last 'Our Gang' appearances as regulars being less than memorable, in that their faces can't be seen, as they are donning scary masks. However, in my viewing this evening, I noticed that Harry's face is very briefly visible, though it is very much a blink and you'll miss it, proposition!  Frankly, I wish there was an option to upload my screenshots from my PC available here, as I find going through the uploading via the third party online photo galleries method a huge PITA, which for some unknown reason, usually doesn't work for me, anyway!  It might be password related, but I'm not at all sure?

There is one other question I have relating to this short, that may be lost to history, but I wish to ask anyway.  What is the deal with the cardboard box full of Light Bulbs? I get that these were likely meant for replacing burnt out Streetlights, but would these actually be left out on Culver City Street corners in 1929 (Or at any time, for that matter!), or was this strictly a convenient comedic plot device?

The short itself, I give a 5/10.  


CHEERS! 

P.S.  What kind of parent lets their baby play with real Hammers (As depicted in this short), anyway?

[mtw12055]

Apr 19, 2016 0:17:37 GMT -5 tboneator64 said:

BOUNCING BABIES (1929) - I'm adding my two bits regarding this short for two reasons: 

1. Am I the only member on here that's somehow failing to catch one of the Plaster Of Paris Pancakes connecting with Wheezer's Mom's head? I ask this because, after having read someone mention this in another Thread. Then after having just viewed this short on the Cabin Fever DVD, and NOT seeing any such footage (What I DID see was Wheezer shoving the pancake down the seat of his pants, where his mom hurts her hand when she begins to spank him!), I read in ymymeatemup's review "the Plaster of Paris pancake connecting to Dora Dean's head is bizarrely comical."

Have I gone nuts, or what?!!?

Anyway, now for my second reason for posting here:

2. In a different thread, I posted about Joe Cobb and Harry Spear's last 'Our Gang' appearances as regulars being less than memorable, in that their faces can't be seen, as they are donning scary masks. However, in my viewing this evening, I noticed that Harry's face is very briefly visible, though it is very much a blink and you'll miss it, proposition!  Frankly, I wish there was an option to upload my screenshots from my PC available here, as I find going through the uploading via the third party online photo galleries method a huge PITA, which for some unknown reason, usually doesn't work for me, anyway!  It might be password related, but I'm not at all sure?

There is one other question I have relating to this short, that may be lost to history, but I wish to ask anyway.  What is the deal with the cardboard box full of Light Bulbs? I get that these were likely meant for replacing burnt out Streetlights, but would these actually be left out on Culver City Street corners in 1929 (Or at any time, for that matter!), or was this strictly a convenient comedic plot device?

The short itself, I give a 5/10.  


CHEERS! 

P.S.  What kind of parent lets their baby play with real Hammers (As depicted in this short), anyway?

The scene occurs when Wheezer tosses one of the pancakes out of the window. Dora can be seen standing outside of the house when she gets hit.

I don't know why Maltin and Bann said Joe was in this short, but I doubt that he's the kid in the ghost costume. Maybe Joe was mentioned in publicity material or something?

[tboneator64]

Apr 19, 2016 2:50:51 GMT -5 mtw12055 said:

Apr 19, 2016 0:17:37 GMT -5 tboneator64 said:

BOUNCING BABIES (1929) - I'm adding my two bits regarding this short for two reasons: 

1. Am I the only member on here that's somehow failing to catch one of the Plaster Of Paris Pancakes connecting with Wheezer's Mom's head? I ask this because, after having read someone mention this in another Thread. Then after having just viewed this short on the Cabin Fever DVD, and NOT seeing any such footage (What I DID see was Wheezer shoving the pancake down the seat of his pants, where his mom hurts her hand when she begins to spank him!), I read in ymymeatemup's review "the Plaster of Paris pancake connecting to Dora Dean's head is bizarrely comical."

Have I gone nuts, or what?!!?

Anyway, now for my second reason for posting here:

2. In a different thread, I posted about Joe Cobb and Harry Spear's last 'Our Gang' appearances as regulars being less than memorable, in that their faces can't be seen, as they are donning scary masks. However, in my viewing this evening, I noticed that Harry's face is very briefly visible, though it is very much a blink and you'll miss it, proposition!  Frankly, I wish there was an option to upload my screenshots from my PC available here, as I find going through the uploading via the third party online photo galleries method a huge PITA, which for some unknown reason, usually doesn't work for me, anyway!  It might be password related, but I'm not at all sure?

There is one other question I have relating to this short, that may be lost to history, but I wish to ask anyway.  What is the deal with the cardboard box full of Light Bulbs? I get that these were likely meant for replacing burnt out Streetlights, but would these actually be left out on Culver City Street corners in 1929 (Or at any time, for that matter!), or was this strictly a convenient comedic plot device?

The short itself, I give a 5/10.  


CHEERS! 

P.S.  What kind of parent lets their baby play with real Hammers (As depicted in this short), anyway?

The scene occurs when Wheezer tosses one of the pancakes out of the window. Dora can be seen standing outside of the house when she gets hit.

I don't know why Maltin and Bann said Joe was in this short, but I doubt that he's the kid in the ghost costume. Maybe Joe was mentioned in publicity material or something?

Thanks for your valued post, Joe!  I'll have to check that scene with Wheezer and his pancakes again.  By your clarification regarding when Dora gets conked in the cranium* with one of these, I very likely dozed off at the wrong time, as I only recall the main part of that scene!  Based on Dora Dean's IMDB** listed limited filmography, she was likely a failed early sound era experiment, if that makes any sense!  If you believe her IMDB listing, I will state that she looked quite good for a 55 year old, and her legs certainly weren't unattractive!  The things you notice as an adult viewing these, that tend to be overlooked in childhood! 

You do raise a very good point, regarding Joe Cobb in that scene in which he and Chubby and Harry scare Wheezer!  How can we tell that it's actually him, and not a double, since unlike Harry Spear, Joe's face is never visible?  In my opinion, the slowed down distorted voiceover was overused and actually all but ruined the gag for me! 

CHEERS! 

* Dora Deans gets her cranium conked by Wheezer's tossed "pancake" at around the 9 minute and 15 second mark.  The screenshots that I captured reveal that Dora was excellent in not flinching at all, only reacting after the plaster of paris disc split into pieces away from her!  It's not easy to not prematurely react to something that's about to be thrown, and better actors have been known to struggle with this!

** Having attempted further online referencing has led to the discovery that BOUNCING BABIES Dora Dean's IMDB bio has been intermixed with another Dora Dean, a Black Vaudeville performer who, along with her husband, Charles Johnson, originated the Cake Walk!

Here's a few details about her (Evidently, Pinterest does work for me on this platform, and I wasn't even trying!):  

There is an original casting ad with our BOUNCING BABIES Dora Dean currently for sale on Amazon.  Along with her 'Our Gang' appearance, this lists a future release "Three Flights Up" (For which, Dora eventually did not receive screen credit, according to IMDb, at least!), the title of which was later changed to "Dancing Sweeties":  www.amazon.com/1930-Bouncing-Babies-Three-Flights/dp/B005DGJ2ZU

[RJH]

Okay, Froggy's eating the dog biscuit was the highlight of "Rover's Big Chance" and keeps that films from being completely worthless.

Rushin' Ballet (1937) - Buckwheat and Porky's game of marbles is interrupted by Butch and Woim, who steal their marbles and smear tomatoes in their faces. The youngsters seek help from the Sekret Revengers. Alfalfa is not too helpful, getting intimidated by the bullies when he confronts them. Spanky's idea is throw tomatoes at them, and in the ensuing chase Spanky and Alfalfa take refuge in a dancing school. They don girls' ballet outfits to avoid detection, but are forced onto the dance stage and make a mockery of the performance. Meanwhile, Butch and Woim force two boys to give up their dancing outfits, and manage to get on stage with Alfalfa, who is afraid to face the dance teacher. Soon the bullies are roughing up Alfalfa in the guise of the dance performance, knocking him to the ground, stomping on him, swinging him back and forth and dropping him, and finally Butch swings Alfalfa around and throws him to the side of the stage, much to the audience's delight and the dance instructor's horror. However, Alfalfa managed to get the bag of marbles back, and Buckwheat and Porky hit Butch and Woim with more tomatoes as they're taking bows, and they stride off triumphantly.

This film is quite enjoyable throughout. It is fast paced, with no wasted time. It starts with Buckwheat's trick marble shot, and is peppered throughout with great lines, most by Alfalfa, like "The bigger they come, the harder we fall" and "There's nobody down here except us dummies." It is a break from continuity in that none of the four gang members recognize the bullies at the outset, just as in the earlier "Glove Taps." If Darla is in this she isn't recognizable. These are minor considerations, and one instead remembers Alfalfa's great facial expressions during the dance with his nemeses, especially during the climax with the camera and Alfalfa rotating together to show Alfalfa's look of terror as the background spins around.

[RJH]

School's Out (1930) - Jackie Cooper is so obsessed with Miss Crabtree that he suggests school stay in session all summer, but the rest of the gang doesn't go for it. However, some stranger comes and asks about her, and the gang fears he has come to marry their teacher and take her away forever. The gang tells wild unflattering stories about her, and follow him when he leaves, waiting for Miss Crabtree to return from lunch. He goes swimming, and the gang hides his clothes. Upon returning to school, there is the famous scene with the ridiculous answers to many history questions. After Bonedust is fingered as the culprit who provided the goofy answers, Crabtree asks if anyone has seen her brother Jack, the gang gulps and tearfully confesses what they did. Miss Crabtree then bawls herself, upset that her class would do that to her, but her crying turns to laughter when she sees Jack arrive in a dress.

A pretty solid episode. The gang members try to outdo each in the description of Miss Crabtree, saying she has false teeth, a wooden leg, multiple husbands and 21 kids. Jack Crabtree doesn't know what to make of this. I like the smaller kids in this, Wheezer, Stymie, and Dorothy eating the desserts from the older kids' lunches, and coming back in the end wearing Jack's clothes. The history lesson is among the most memorable scenes in the series. What I don't like is the treatment of Farina, making him wear that outfit that looks like a dress again (as in Teacher's Pet), overdoing it thinking about watermelons, and being singled out by Miss Crabtree by being asked a second question and threatening severe punishment for another silly answer. Also Miss Crabtree kissing Jackie while driving is so wrong, as is Jack Crabtree trying to put his arm around Mary Ann. I like Mary Ann fighting back in that scene. There is one more odd thing - out of the thousands of history questions that might be asked, how is it that the one Miss Crabtree asks are in Bonedust's jokebook, and also among the few that he wrote down on the pages he sold the gang?

Spook-Spoofing (1928) - The gang, led by Joe, is playing tricks on Farina, who is superstitious and carries a charm to ward off evil spirits. When Jay R. the undertaker's son arrives, Joe hatches a plot where Harry picks a fight with Farina and induces Farina to rub his charm on him, and Harry plays dead. The gang convinces Farina he must bury Harry in the graveyard, or Harry will haunt him. Farina drags Harry to the cemetery, but the corpse has to walk part of the way when the wagon breaks, and repeatedly tells Farina he's cold and clammy. At the cemetery, the gang scares Farina with ghosts, skeletons, and a witch, but when there's a total eclipse the gang themselves get scared. A bolt of lightning breaks the bottom of the grave Farina is digging and opens to an underground mausoleum. Most of the gang falls in for more frights. Eventually the eclipse ends, the gang climbs out, and runs away terrified.

The gang's constant picking on Farina puts this among the worst of the silent era. Searching for positives, Jay R. does a nice job as the apprentice undertaker. The performances are generally okay; it's the story line that isn't. It's ridiculous that Farina doesn't realize Harry isn't really dead when Harry talks and walks after the wagon's back axle breaks, and when Farina has to chase Harry trying to deposit him in the grave. Also Jackie is way too old not to figure out how to unhook his pants when they get caught on a bush in the cemetery. My favorite part is Farina hitting his "friends" on the head with the shovel knocking them back down in the mausoleum when they're climbing a ladder; the rest of the gang deserves it. Wheezer and Mildred tag along and do very little. Bobby Dean appears in the beginning, first getting blasted the powder from Joe's new gun, the only person other than Farina to get hit by the powder, and Joe's shifts the position of a plug allowing Bobby, Jackie, and Harry to blast Farina from different angles. Much of the print is dark because of the eclipse, and makes a lot of the cemetery scene hard to see. Perhaps that is just as well.

[ymymeatemup]

THE SPANKING AGE (1928)

Things I like:
The Door-To-Door Salesmen. In a short filled with mildly amusing humor, it's quite a breath of fresh air when the salesmen come to the door, especially the guy in the kilt. Wheezer's cute reaction and subsequent plucking of leg hairs is just the kind of offbeat idea this episode needs.
Mary Ann's Face. I speak mainly of that moment when she reacts to the limburger. If this doesn't top her facial reactions in "Love Business," it sure gets close. Also of note are the glowering looks exchanged between Mary and Jean.
The Gimmick. Four episodes later, it would be extreme closeups in "Wiggle Your Ears," but for this short, it was an entire film shot from a child's point of view, with the adults' faces constantly out of camera range. It's the kind of novelty that could only have been done once without wearing out its welcome, but it nevertheless helped to keep the series fresh.

Things I don't like:
The Pedestrian Gags. The main problem with this short is that it spends an awful lot of time on fairly routine activities, and sprinkles them with largely routine gags. Some of them are unique - particularly the sand crab that inexplicably wanders into the kitchen - but most are the usual garden-variety material one would expect while watching the Our Gang kids try to prepare a meal.  Overall, though, the plight of Mary and Wheezer does tug at the heart strings enough to win me over.

Grade: B-