| Our Gang Follies of 1936 | |
|---|---|
 Title card | |
| Directed by | Gus Meins |
| Produced by | Hal Roach |
| Starring | George McFarland Billie Thomas Carl Switzer Scotty Beckett Darla Hood Eugene Lee |
| Cinematography | Art Lloyd |
| Edited by | Bert Jordan |
| Music by | Marvin Hatley LeRoy Shield Walter Donaldson Sam M. Lewis Joe Young Harry McGregor Woods Pinky Tomlin Coy Poe Jimmie Grier Ethelbert Nevin |
| Distributed by | MGM |
Release date |
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Running time | 18 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
Our Gang Follies of 1936 is a 1935Our Gangshortcomedy film directed byGus Meins. Produced byHal Roach and released to theaters byMetro-Goldwyn-Mayer, it was the140thOur Gang short to be released and the first of severalmusical entries in the series.[1]
The gang stages a big musical revue in Spanky's cellar ("6 Acts of Swell Actin," reads a sign above the cellar door). Spanky, as themaster of ceremonies, persuades the neighborhood kids through song to come to the show, which includes performances by a miniature chorus line, a trio of farm girls, a group of kids dressed as skeletons, and featured spots for Alfalfa and a new girl named Cookie.
Backstage, there is pandemonium involving Buckwheat's dealings with a mischievous little monkey, as well as Spanky's worrying over his star act, theFlory-Dory Girls, whose tardiness forces the would-be impresario to keep shuffling his acts. When the show reaches its final act with still no sign of the Flory-Dories, Spanky has the other boys dress in the Flory-Dories' costumes. Since he knows the girls' dance, Spanky figures the gang can pull off the act indrag if everyone just does what he does. Unknown to Spanky, however, the monkey that was terrorizing Buckwheat has hidden in the bustle of Spanky's costume. The monkey pulls a needle from the costume during the dance and begins stabbing Spanky in the rear, and the other boys mimic his out-of-character jolts of pain and discomfort to the audience's amusement. Spanky manages to accidentally shake his dress to the floor, and the other boys follow suit, ruining the act as the audience roars with laughter.
Cookie tries to bring down the curtain, but only succeeds in trapping the boys infront of the curtain, causing them to scramble underneath as Spanky closes out the show (with the curtain hiding his corset, garters and lace leggings) and sends the audience of kids home.
A follow-up to the popular radio/talent show basedOur Gang entriesMike Fright andBeginner's Luck,Our Gang Follies of 1936 took the concept of those two films one step further by having the kids themselves stage an elaborate revue on their own.[2]Follies of 1936 was a particular success with theater owners, leading to a long line ofOur Gang mini-musicals, among them a direct sequel,Our Gang Follies of 1938, and several other all-revue shorts, includingReunion in Rhythm,Ye Olde Minstrels, andMelodies Old and New, among others.[2]
The short marked the first appearance ofDarla Hood, who was added to theOur Gang cast whileFollies of 1936 was in production, necessitating last-minute rewrites to include her in the film.[2] Her nickname of "Cookie" was dropped after this initial short due to the opinion of Darla being a good name.[2] Darla would remain withOur Gang for six years, becoming its most famous leading lady and a featured part of many of the musical numbers in the short films.
Follies of 1936 is also the firstOur Gang short to featureCarl "Alfalfa" Switzer rendering an off-key rendition of a popular pop ballad, in this casePinky Tomlin's "The Object of My Affection".[2] Alfalfa's parodies of pop songs quickly became standard features of theOur Gang shorts, and many futureOur Gang comedies, includingThe Pinch Singer andFraming Youth, are built around the young singer's (in)ability to sell a song.[3]
Scotty Beckett, whose role as Spanky's sidekick had been marginalized with Alfalfa's introduction into the series in early 1935, made his final appearance inFollies of 1936 before departingOur Gang for a successful career as a child actor in feature films. AnotherOur Gang short featuring Beckett,The Lucky Corner, would be released four months afterFollies of 1936, although it was filmed in 1935.[4]
At least eightMeglin Kiddies made appearances as either musical number performers or as extras.[5]
Jackie Banning, Therese Bonner, Daniel Boone, Frances Bowling, Patty Brown, Moyer "Sonny" Bupp, Janet Comerford, Barbara Goodrich,Joan Gray, Paul Hilton, Phyllis Holt, Joyce Kay, Patty Kelly,Mildred Kornman, Yvonee Lohn, Priscilla Lyon, Billy Minderhout,June Preston, Phillip Marley Rock, Jimmy Somerville,Delmar Watson, Jackie White
Songwriters[6] are noted in italics.
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