Readin' and Writin'

"Readin' and Writin'" was the last of the Robert McGowan directed Little Rascals school-oriented flicks in which June Marlowe portrayed their pretty teacher, Miss Crabtree. Some of the kids, like Breezy, Stymie, Wheezer, and Dorothy De Borba were going for the first time. Breezy's dasmal-dame mother nagged him about wanting him to be President! (Was she so sure that he'd get elected?) Breezy wanted to be a streetcar conductor instead, saying "Boy do they pick up the nickels!"(in 1931, a trolley-car ride WAS often five cents!) It was clear that Breezy WANTED to be expelled from school! That explains the myriad misdeeds that he committed, coaching Dororthy to tell Miss Crabtree she was deaf and Wheezer and Stymie to address Miss Crabtree as "Crabby", gluing her books shut, tacks on seats, blowing the car horn, throwing something at Sherwood and worst of all, bringing Dinah the Mule into the classroom! Breezy ADMITTED that he did that to get expelled; Miss Crabtree gave him very fitting punishment, to memorize the sappy poem about picking daffodils, that Sherwood had recited; Brisbane refused so was expelled, and "Crabby" said he'll never become President. (He could hardly become a streetcar conductor either!) At first he was overjoyed, but then his conscience caught up to him, spookily warning him to learn that poem, that there was no one to play with as all the children were in school, that there was no place for him to go, as he couldn't go home. (What would Mom say?) Breezy tried fishing, but the voice came eerily, LEARN THAT POEM. Then he called to order the Secret Order of the Winking Eye, by himself; again, the mysterious voice called LEARN THAT POEM. THAT led him to apologize to Miss Crabtree and recite the poem, in tears, the kids laughing at him. This was the punishment that was best for him; turning a child over one's knee, and spanking him so hard as to be unable to sit for days, is NOT the best punishment in the whole wide world (as used to be thought). MissCrabtree made the punishment fit the crime, appropriate as he had DELIBERATELY misbehaved with INTENT to get expelled. This proved that Breezy was NOT really a BAD BOY, just rebelling against misparenting by Mom. He called Sherwood a sissy, though there really IS no such thing as a sissy! Apple-polisher was what Spud really was; he recited that sappy poem to please Teacher. I admit that this poem of Sherwood's was really sappy, but there are worse poems. All in all, a very fine

This charming Our Gang short follows Breezy as he attempts to get expelled from school. After he does get expelled, he has a change of heart and comes back to Miss Crabtree teary-eyed. This film features some great moments from Wheezer and Stymie, a hilarious poem recital by Sherman, and an ending that made me cry when I was kid. My only complaint is that the ending with the skunk is way too abrupt.

An OUR GANG Comedy Short.

It's the first day at school for young members of the Gang - and it will be Brisbane's last day there, if he can do anything about it. Wanting to begin the exciting life of a streetcar conductor, he has lots of tricks up his sleeve to get Miss Crabtree to expel him. There won't be much READIN' AND WRITIN' going on when she finds out what's in store for her...

Some good moments in this film, especially from young Stymie & Wheezer. Little Marmalade, played by Stymie's real kid sister Carlena, is cute. This was to be pretty June Marlowe's exit from the movie business. She had appeared as Miss Crabtree in 5 LITTLE RASCALS films.

My calling this 'mindless fun' isn't really a criticism--it's just pointing out that this particular short doesn't have an especially deep story but it is quite silly and enjoyable.

The first day of school has come and most of the kids seem excited to go to school--most except for Breezy. He sees no need for school and his father accidentally gives the boy the idea that he could get expelled if he's really bad--and Breezy plans to be just awful. But instead of being bad in an obvious way, he does a lot of things to drive the teacher crazy and get the other kids in trouble. And, when he thinks he's gotten what he wants, he isn't so sure if he really wanted that after all.

Cute and inconsequential--this one has more laughs and less story than usual. However, the very end made me wonder if perhaps Pete the Pup needed an ophthalmologist!

Breezy Brisbane, real name Kendall McComas, gives an excellent performace. Breezy is a wise guy (smart ellecky) and is constantly nagged by his mother (Lyle Tayo) becuase she wants him to be president. But he wants to be a streetcar conductor becuase "Boy, do they pick up the nickels!". Breezy wants to be kicked out so he TRIES to get expelled. After doing several things the teacher Miss Crabtree (played by June Marlowe) tells Breezy that he has one last chance, but he was to recite Sherwood's silly poem in front of the class, but Breezy replies, "I wouldn't recite this junk in front of a group of calf!" so Miss Crabtree expells him. When Breezy thinks he has triumph, he realizes that he can't doing anything now that hes kicked out. He can't go home, theres no kids to play with. So with much regret and lots of tears he decides to recite the poem in front of the class, only to get laughed and teased at.

This a excellent short, one of the best of the Rascals shorts ever made. It's ironic that the blacksmith that Breezy passes by says that wise guys like him never amount to anything. Well, in 1982 i think Breezy killed himself. Sad. He only appeared in ten shorts of the 1932-33 season, he is one of my favorite Rascals, after Scotty Beckett and Spanky McFarland.