Free Wheeling

There are those who complain about the supposed racism of the Our Gang/Little Rascals films. This one dispels a lot of that.

This is where rich kid Dickie is hampered by his overprotective mother, who despises Stymie, who she refers to as "That colored boy" and a "street urchin," but the two bond nonetheless and without spoiling it, let's just say that Stymie's actions in this film changes the snooty mother's mind.

Not only is this a nice and somewhat subtle message about friendship across lines of race and class, but the film is good and funny to boot. The gang's makeshift cab, their encounter with the drunken mule, Spanky playing with the monkey, the wild taxi chase, and the gag with the midgets and the car (you have to see this, although it's in pretty good taste). While there is no racism here, this is certainly RASCALism at its best!

Another of my personal favorites.Free Wheelin' makes you laugh.Stymie is the voices on the taxi-cab radio,as well as the floating power!Spanky shakes down an organ grinder's monkey for cab fare,and Dickie's stiff neck gets cured!All thanks to a wild down hill ride that provides plenty of excitement!Stymie and Spanky are exceptionally good in this one,as they often were.

This Hal Roach comedy short, Free Wheeling, is the one hundred seventeenth in the "Our Gang/Little Rascals" series and the twenty-ninth talkie. This is also the first short to only have "Our Gang" as the series title with no "Hal Roach presents His Rascals" heading. It would remain this way for the rest of the series' theatrical run. (On television, however, the Hal Roach-produced talkie entries will be renamed "The Little Rascals" since only M-G-M owns the "Our Gang" title.) Dickie has been wearing a neck brace since, well, forever. The latest doctor says take it off and let him play with the rest of the gang but his over protective mother won't hear of it. When Stymie comes into Dickie's room, he lets him pay for a ride in the gang's mule-pushed taxi. He's not the only passenger on it, however-little Spanky and Jacquie also come along for the ride...This was another funny Our Gang comedy which climaxes with quite a thrilling ride though it's not too convincing since an obvious rear projection screen is used for the climax. No matter as there's enough humorous lines and scenes to keep one entertained throughout. So on that note, Free Wheeling is recommended.

An OUR GANG Comedy Short. Rich kid Dickie has a stiff neck and his mother insists on treating him like an invalid. After his pal Stymie hears the doctor say that Dickie needs to get out & have some excitement in his life, Stymie takes him for a ride in the Gang's new taxi, which is operated by mule power. But the ornery critter breaks loose - leaving the vehicle without breaks. With a steep hill & dangerous curves ahead, it looks like little Dickie is in for plenty of excitement - now that they're FREE WHEELING.

This is a funny little film with a couple of very cute moments: Dickie & his nurse tricking each other into taking castor oil and Spanky's encounter with a monkey. The taxi itself is quite ingenious and should delight gadget-minded viewers.

"Free Wheeling" is one of the best Little Rascals films. It's loaded with the sight gags and exaggerated sound effects that make films from Hal Roach Studios so funny. A whole variety of hilarious things happen in "Free Wheeling," from a mule that gets drunk to a traffic cop jumping 12 feet in the air. A must see for any Little Rascals fan!