One of the first "moralizing" shorts...
On the whole I generally favor the two-reeler (20-minute) episodes in the Rascals series over these later one-reelers. As this later series progressed, it actually regressed through their heavy-handed, moralizing tone; the stories seemed increasingly intent on "teaching the kids a lesson". Other Gordon Douglas-directed episodes of this period of a similar ilk included "Canned Fishing". "The Awful Tooth" (directed by Nate Watt) was another.
In "Bear Facts" we have Darla's dad, a circus man, spook the kids (but particularly Alfalfa) into cowardice by dressing as a trained bear. Unfortunately, these shorts proved a harbinger of things to come, with preachy, unfunny MGM episodes, after series mentor Hal Roach sold his rights to the title Our Gang.
The present episode even has little Porky overextend his abilities by making him deliver a couple of unintelligible full-fledged lines!
In "Bear Facts" we have Darla's dad, a circus man, spook the kids (but particularly Alfalfa) into cowardice by dressing as a trained bear. Unfortunately, these shorts proved a harbinger of things to come, with preachy, unfunny MGM episodes, after series mentor Hal Roach sold his rights to the title Our Gang.
The present episode even has little Porky overextend his abilities by making him deliver a couple of unintelligible full-fledged lines!
- nnwahler
- Jun 30, 2023