Mokey

Mokie(Robert Blake - yes the "Barreta" guy) is an 8 year old kid who just can't seem to stay out of trouble. Mokey seem to want to foreshadow Robert Blake's later adult life as a troubled little kid who's Mom has died and new stepmom (Donna Reed) can't control him no matter how hard she tries. "Mokey" is an interlude between Blake's "Our Gang" appearances and also includes "Little Rascals" co-star "Buckwheat". It has some interesting scenes with Buckwheat and his friends which is unusual for its time. Mokey's Mom must ultimately decide how important this new marriage and her new step son are.

Mokey as played by Bobby Blake way before he was Barretta is a young boy who hasn't quite adjusted to losing his mother when father Dan Dailey brings home a new bride in Donna Reed. Though they never exactly say what Dailey did for a living, it's plain to see he's a traveling man and his son needs a mom at home.

Donna Reed is not yet the All American mom that she played in It's A Wonderful Life and later on television in The Donna Reed Show. Mary Bailey and Donna Stone would have known exactly what to do with young master Blake. But here she's a decent woman in a bit over her head in trying to bond with her husband's son.

Though the location is not specified, we can make certain assumptions that it is the rural South that the story is set. Before Reed enters the picture, we see that Blake has been raised by a lot of the black help that Dailey has hired and they haven't done a bad job of it either. He's friends with the family of Etta McDaniel the maid. She's the younger sister of Hattie McDaniel and gives the best performance in the film.

Another standout is that of young Bobby Stebbins who plays a slightly older kid of some white trash parents who represents all kinds of bad temptation to Blake.

Mokey came from MGM's B picture unit and doesn't have a whole lot of production values. Still it's not a bad family film with some slight resemblance to Harper Lee's To Kill A Mockingbird.

A must see movie for classic movies fans, as well as fans of Debbie Reynolds, Robert "Bobby" Blake, Dan Dailey, or Sam McDaniel. Debbie Reynolds give an A+ performance. A rare treat to see Robert Blake, best known in my generation for his lead role in the "Baretta" television series, or as the movie star accused of murder, as a cute kid. I would give it a ten, if it weren't for the Negro stereotypes, that were a bit overdone, even for 1942, complete with the usual antics of Buckwheat. I'm sure this movie would have an overall higher rating, if it weren't for those stereotypes. But, if you keep an open mind, it is a real treat. Thanks to MGM for another great movie! By the way, Etta McDaniel also appears in this movie.

Mokey (MGM, 1942) Upon watching this movie many years ago, after viewing the trailer, I thought it was going to be a nice sweet family drama. However, I was very disappointed with the overall film. First of all, this movie from the same studio that produced such excellent family dramas as "Boystown", "Journey for Maragaret", and "Our Vines Have Tender Grapes". Not only were the production values excellent, but so were the scripts, and the actors starring in these films. I do not blame young Robert Blake, because he was only about 8 or 9 in this film, but the studio itself. If they were trying to make a star out of him, this was not the film. He could have benefited from a better script and cast. I do believe that given with the right direction, better cast, and even a good script, this film could have been right up there with the aforementioned films. Lastly, the racial overtones of the film were ridiculous, I understand it was made during a racist period of America, but that could have been left out of the script and the film altogether.

This was a fun movie to watch. A good role for 21 year old Donna Reed in a movie sandwiched between her roles in an Andy Hardy and a Dr Kildare film. A very good view of how the "system" handled juvenile delinquency in those times. I didn't know the movie existed till I was channel surfing on Wed 3/16/05 and came across it. The movie played on TCM from 3:30 to 5:00 CST. At the same time on Court TV there was the live broadcast of the verdict in Robert Blakes trial for the murder of his wife. The verdict being read at 4:30 CST. Coincidence?? Maybe, but I doubt it. Sure was fun scooting back and forth between the Channels though.

Take care.

• Dan O'Merderwun