IT CAME FROM THE BOTTOM SHELF!

The boutique video label ClassicFlix has undertaken an ambitious multi-volume project to scan and restore all of the sound-era Our Gang comedies produced at Hal Roach Studios between 1929 and 1938. For most kids who grew up in the Sixties and Seventies, these theatrical short subjects are better remembered as The Little Rascals (the name that they were packaged under on television). I previously reviewed the first three volumes in this chronological series, each of which contained eleven talkies, covering 1929-1933 (Review links: Volume 1, Volume 2, Volume 3). Those Blu-rays were highly recommended for their historical importance and for the excellence of the restoration work performed on the decomposing, surviving elements. The films in Volume 1 were produced right after the advent of sound, with cast and crew that was much more comfortable working silently, so the quality of the films and the acting of the kids improves tremendously as you move up through the volumes. By 1933, where Volume 4 begins, the Our Gang unit was a well-oiled comedy machine.

A warning for sensitive viewers — ClassicFlix has chosen to release these films uncut, including a handful of shorts that were dropped from the TV syndication package, due to the depiction of negative racial stereotypes. It should be noted that while some of the films contain problematic material, by portraying an integrated group of friends, the Our Gang shorts were more progressive than most of the films being produced at the same time. In the films, no one ever questions the fact that black and white kids hang out together and treat each other equally. This forward-thinking aspect of the shorts can be attributed to producer and studio head, Hal Roach. Roach didn’t care what color an actor was. He only cared if they were funny. Still, be aware that the films are products of their time, and occasionally contain cringe-worthy moments.

Before we dip into the content of the new Blu-ray collection, I think I should state (as I did in my previous reviews) that even as a kid, I was never much of a fan of The Little Rascals. While classic comedy of the 1930s and 40s has always been my cinema sweet spot, I much prefer stage-tested talents, such as W.C. Fields, Abbott & Costello, The Marx Brothers, and The Three Stooges, to the Our Gang kids. Seeing little kids trying to tell jokes and perform physical slapstick is undeniably cute, but I also find it a little painful to watch. It smacks too much of amateur theatricals for my taste.

At the same time, I had a really good time revisiting these films of my youth, and I think that this is an essential Blu-ray set for collectors of classic film comedy. I am thrilled that these fragile films are being lovingly restored. ClassicFlix has done a miraculous job of preservation, clean-up, and digital mastering. The shorts look crisp, clean, and better than ever presented on television and previous video releases. You can find more thoughts on the video quality in the “Video” section below.

Here are capsule reviews of the twelve shorts included in Volume 4:

The Kid From Borneo (1933, Dir: Robert F. McGowan/Wr: No Credit Listed)

Spanky, Dickie, and Dorothy are siblings who have never met their black sheep Uncle George. When the uncle comes into town with a touring side show, the gang goes to meet him, but they mistake “The Wild Man From Borneo” attraction for their uncle. While the “Wild Man’ is harmless, he has a sweet tooth, and he interjects, “YUM YUM! EAT ‘EM UP!” upon seeing Stymie’s candy. The kids assume Uncle George is a cannibal, which leads to chases and shenanigans. This short is problematic to discuss. On one hand, it is undeniably racist, and it was one of the shorts that was either heavily edited or pulled entirely from television airings (depending on the station). At the same time, it is one of the funniest shorts in this collection. Spanky is hilarious trying to make small talk with the ‘Wild Man,’ and there are some truly outlandish slapstick gags. I wouldn’t show this short to the ‘youngins’ until they are old enough to understand the historic context, but at least the film does not feel mean-spirited in its racism (as was the case with a couple of the shorts in prior volumes).

Mush and Milk (1933, Dir: Robert F. McGowan/Wr: No Credit Listed)

The kids are holed up at the Bleak Hill Boarding School, and bleak it is!  The kids have to endure nights without heat, a grotesque-looking taskmaster of a landlady, and mush for every meal. The only light in the darkness is their beloved teacher, Old Cap (Gus Leonard), who promises to take the kids away from the place when his back pension comes in. This short is a mixed bag, but it has two memorable highlights. Spanky gets to go one-on-one with frequent Laurel & Hardy antagonist Jimmy Finlayson. Better yet, Tommy Bond has perhaps his greatest showcase in an Our Gang short, when he gets up in front of the class to sing the age-inappropriate torch song “Just Friends (Lovers No More).” It is indescribably hilarious. This was the last Our Gang short for Dickie Moore, Bobby ‘Wheezer’ Hutchins, and Dorothy ‘Echo’ DeBorba.

Bedtime Worries (1933, Dir: Robert F. McGowan/Wr: No Credit Listed)

The next two shorts feature the vaudeville duo of Emerson Treacy and Gay Seabrook as Spanky’s parents, and they are the weakest links in both shorts. Treacy’s “easily exasperated” schtick is tiresome and Seabrook’s “dizzy housewife” act is mostly annoying. It’s a shame that Oliver Hardy couldn’t have moonlighted as Spanky’s papa, because I could see him making the material work. This short is basically a variation on “The Boy Who Cried Wolf.” Spanky’s father decides that it is time for his son to sleep on his own. Spanky is easily spooked, and he calls out to his parents over barking dogs, shadows, and car lights. By the time Spanky encounters a real threat (a burglar claiming to be “Santy Claus”), the parents can no longer be bothered.

Wild Poses (1933, Dir: Robert F. McGowan/Wr: No Credit Listed)

While Treacy and Seabrook are back, this is a better comedy overall. Spanky’s parents intend to have the child’s picture taken by portrait photographer Otto Phocus (celebrated character actor Franklin Pangborn), but Spanky is “a’scared to be shot.” As with the last film, the rest of the gang appear briefly, but they are sidelined for the majority of the running time. The story mainly consists of a battle of wills between the prissy photographer and the strong-willed Spanky. Being that both Pangborn and McFarland are strong comic presences, their one-on-one battle is enough to carry the film. After directing the majority of the Our Gang comedies for 12 years, Robert F. McGowan decided to leave the series after this short. This film is also notable for a 20-second cameo by Hal Roach’s biggest comedy team. Guess who?

Hi’-Neighbor (1934, Dir: Gus Meins/Wr: No Credit Listed)

Gus Meins takes over the directorial reins, and you can feel the difference almost immediately. The shorts feel a bit tighter and slicker. Personally, I prefer the scrappier feel of the McGowan-directed shorts, but it is merely a matter of taste. In addition to the change in director, Wally Albright was added to the gang to replace Dickie Moore as the “older brother” lead for the group, and Scotty Beckett was brought in as another little tyke to team with Spanky. The rest of the kids all look a little older, as four months had passed since the filming of Wild Poses. The short consists of a typical story of the idle rich versus the industrious poor. When Wally’s girl Jane (Jacqueline Taylor) is enamored by the snotty, new neighbor’s store-bought fire engine, Wally claims that he has a fire engine big enough for the whole gang to ride in. Of course, the gang have to cobble together the unwieldy vehicle. The rich kid calls the gang’s fire engine “junk” and challenges them to race down an extremely steep hill, leading to expected destruction (and the unfortunate decision to use distracting back-projection for much of the race).

For Pete’s Sake! (1934, Dir: Gus Meins/Wr: No Credit Listed)

The gang try to fix a doll for a sick little girl, but bully Leonard (Leonard Kibrick) ends up destroying it. When Leonard refuses to replace the broken doll, the kids try to earn enough money to buy a new doll. Pete comes into the story, because the store owner (William Wagner), who also happens to be Leonard’s father, offers to trade a new doll for the gang’s dog. This is a middling Our Gang short, but it is notable for the first (uncredited) appearance of Billy ‘Buckwheat’ Thomas, who plays an unnamed little boy. It is also the first time we see Spanky wearing his iconic beanie.

The First Round-up (1934, Dir: Gus Meins/Wr: No Credit Listed)

In this one, the older kids in the gang decide to camp out for the night at Cherry Creek. While Spanky and Scotty aren’t invited, they show up at the campsite anyway. The two younger kids turn out to be more able and resilient campers than the older kids. It appears that Gus Meins was trying to turn Scotty and Spanky into a Laurel & Hardy two-act within the larger group, and Spanky gets to shoot some Oliver Hardy-like disapproving looks at the camera. It should also be noted that while Billy ‘Buckwheat’ Thomas has a minor part in this short, actress Willie Mae Taylor plays Stymie’s younger sister Buckwheat. I never found the lack of continuity between Our Gang shorts confusing as a kid, but I did find it sloppy.

Honky-Donkey (1934, Dir: Gus Meins/Wr: No Credit Listed)

This is an enjoyable short, but it is basically a one-joke affair. In this one, Wally is a rich kid, and his mother instructs his chauffeur (Don Barclay) to drive him straight home. Wally has a different idea. He asks the driver to head for some alleys, the dirtier the better. He runs across the gang playing on a makeshift merry-go-round, powered by their pet donkey, Algebra. When the kids are run off the alley lot by the owner, Wally invites the gang and Algebra back to his home. What follows are a lot of slapstick gags involving the chauffer’s struggles with the donkey. Algrebra starts to run after anyone who sneezes, and he sits down whenever he hears a bell.

Mike Fright (1934, Dir: Gus Meins/Wr: No Credit Listed)

The gang enters an amateur talent contest as The International Silver String Submarine Band. While the ISSSB wait their turn at the microphone, they inadvertently interfere with the host of the radio program and with Leonard Kibrick’s trumpet solo. This is my favorite short in the set. While it’s directed by Gus Meins, it has a bit of the scrappiness of the early McGowan shorts. The various amateur acts give the short a lot of variety, and I really enjoyed the running gag involving a radio engineer and bursting sound tubes.

Washee Ironee (1934, Dir: James Parrott/Wr: No Credit Listed)

This is the only Our Gang short helmed by James Parrott, the brother of Charley Chase and one of Hal Roach’s top directors. While Parrott often worked with Laurel & Hardy, Charley Chase, and other Roach stars, his single Our Gang outing feels strangely like a Three Stooges short (at least to me). Wally is again a rich kid. His mother wants him to give a violin recital at her bridge party, but Wally would rather play football with the other kids. When he muddies his clothes, it’s all hands on deck to wash and dry the outfit. Spanky is given the role of the coach of the team in this short, and from this point forward in the series, McFarland is clearly the leader of the gang. It should be noted that there is a little casual racism in the treatment of an Asian character (and in the title of the short).

Mama’s Little Pirate (1935, Dir: Gus Meins/Wr: No Credit Listed)

This is the most imaginative short in the set. A newspaper story about the discovery of a pirate treasure captures Spanky’s imagination. He organizes the rest of the gang to go on a treasure hunt of the local caves. However, Spanky’s mother sends Spanky to his room when he tries to borrow his father’s flashlight without permission. Despite being grounded, Spanky decides to run off to the caves anyway, and what follows is pure fantasy. In this short, Billie Thomas inherits the role of Stymie’s sister Buckwheat. It wouldn’t be until Thomas got a bit older that Buckwheat would become a boy.

Shrimps for a Day (1935, Dir: Gus Meins/Wr: No Credit Listed)

This is not only the weirdest short in the set. It’s one of the strangest shorts ever to come out of Hal Roach’s “Lot of Fun.” In this one, the kids are orphans in the Happy Home Orphanage, and they have a outing to the home of wealthy Mr. Wade (Wilfred Lucas) for a luncheon. When Mr. Crutch (Clarence Wilson), the evil manager of the orphanage, rounds up the kids to take them back to the home, he has two extra kids, because Mr. Wade’s daughter and her boyfriend have been transformed into children by making a wish on a magic lamp. The small fry versions of the rich adults (played by little people Olive and George Brasno) see the wretched conditions of the orphanage first hand and decide to do something about it. This is one of the only times that supernatural elements were used in an Our Gang short (outside of a dream sequence).

The Little Rascals: The ClassicFlix Restorations, Volume 4 is another strong collection of short comedies. I especially enjoyed the Laurel & Hardy-like dynamic between Spanky and newcomer Scotty Beckett. While, I’m not the prime audience for this collection, I found it a lot more enjoyable than I was expecting, and Rascals fans should be even more enthused with the Blu-ray. This is an incredibly important restoration project, and the Volume 4 Blu-ray maintains the high bar set by the earlier volumes. This collection is very highly recommended.

USA/B&W-218m./Dir: Various (see above)/Wr: Various (see above)/Cast: George ‘Spanky’ McFarland, Scotty Beckett, Matthew ‘Stymie’ Beard, Dickie Moore, Wally Albright, Bobby ‘Wheezer’ Hutchins, Dorothy DeBorba, Tommy Bond, Billie ‘Buckwheat’ Thomas, Jerry Tucker, Marcia Mae Jones, Edith Fellows, James Finlayson, Emerson Treacy, Gay Seabrook, Franklin Pangborn, Marianne Edwards, Leonard Kibrick, John ‘Uh huh’ Collum, Jacqueline Taylor

For Fans of: If you grew up with the familiar Little Rascals TV airings, you already know if you’ll like these short comedies. If you’re new to Our Gang, Volume 4 is actually a better place to start than Volume 1, as it features a stronger cast lineup and better produced films.

Video: The Little Rascals: The ClassicFlix Restorations Volume 4 was released as a single Blu-ray from ClassicFlix on January 18th. Each of the twelve shorts included on the disc were newly scanned and restored from original 35mm film elements. Here’s how the restoration process is described at the beginning of the restoration comparison supplement:

Original nitrate film elements for the iconic Hal Roach “Our Gang” film series, later to be known as “The Little Rascals”, have languished in studio vaults for decades without any urgency or desire to preserve, restore and release these beloved short subjects with presentations worthy of their status in popular culture.

ClassicFlix has endeavored to right this wrong by seeking out and finding the best available film elements for each short in this collection.

The video quality is excellent throughout, and the shorts have never looked better. Some shorts display more authentic film grain than others, but considering the age of the films and the variability of the elements, it is to be expected that there will be some inconsistency in sharpness. One should also keep in mind that these were low-budget outings in the first place, and there are occasional out-of-focus shots that were simply the result of no time or money for re-shoots during filming.

The audio on the early Hal Roach shorts was not great when the films were originally released, but you will notice an improvement in recording techniques in comparison to the shorts in Volume 1. Also, the Our Gang kids were not trained actors, so they didn’t always enunciate clearly. You may want to use the optional English subtitles if you have trouble understanding any of the kids’ line readings. There is also a little age-related hiss in some scenes, but not enough to be distracting. Most vagaries in sound quality are intrinsic to the original release and are in no way a fault of the restoration.

The true value of this disc is in the quality of the restoration work, which could not have been inexpensive to perform. There are very few extras on the disc. The full bonus features are:

• Restoration Comparison – A side by side comparison of selected scenes prior to and after restoration
• A trailer for The Little Rascals: The ClassicFlix Restorations, Volume 1
• Two trailers for The Little Rascals: The ClassicFlix Restorations, Volume 2: “Lovesick” and “Stymie Shines”
• A trailer for The Little Rascals: The ClassicFlix Restorations, Volume 3
• Optional English subtitles

Streaming: Some of the early Our Gang shorts are available for digital purchase via Amazon and other streaming services, but you will not get these new restorations.

More to Explore: The earlier volumes of The Little Rascals: The ClassicFlix Restorations are also highly recommended, and I look forward to future volumes in the upcoming year. ClassicFlix and The Sprocket Vault have also released several talkie comedies from other stars of the Hal Roach Studios, including Laurel & Hardy, Thelma Todd, Charley Chase, and Harry Landgon. Many of those Blu-ray or DVD sets are linked below.

Trivia: Spanky’s “wise guy” screen persona wasn’t far from his real personality. According to the book by Leonard Maltin and Richard Bann, Spanky would groan, “Aw, nuts,” when called to the set, and would respond, “Okay, Toots,” when asked if he was ready to shoot.

For More Info: Leonard Maltin and Richard W. Bann coauthored The Little Rascals: The Life and Times of Our Gang, which is an excellent guide on the shorts and the kids who starred in them.