Anniversary Trouble

An OUR GANG Comedy Short.

Spanky's Pop has ANNIVERSARY TROUBLE. Having first forgotten that important date, he now thinks Spanky has taken the money left for his wife. Spanky has problems of his own: the Gang wants the money back he was to guard as treasurer of their Ancient and Honery Order of Wood Chucks Club, Inc. Only Spanky's quick thinking is going to solve these problems...

Some funny moments in this little film. Highlight: Spanky disguised as Buckwheat. That's marvelous Hattie McDaniel as Mandy the Maid; Johnny Arthur appears as Spanky's Dad.

This Our Gang short starts with a meeting of the Wood Chucks in their clubhouse. Their president, Stymie, has just appointed Spanky to be the treasurer--and the kids threaten him within an inch of his life if he loses their money.

The scene soon switches to Spanky's house. Spanky's dad has once again forgotten his wife's anniversary and it's up to the maid (Hattie McDaniel) to inform him of this. The forgetful clod also screws up because he later finds the funds for the Wood Chucks and automatically assumes Spanky stole the money. In the end, he gets his! This is an odd short in that I could easily see people getting offended with Spanky putting on black-face and pretending to be Buckwheat! Yet, on the other hand, Stymie is the club president and the shorts were always integrated. I see it more as a case of unconscious racism--not intended but certainly influenced by changing tastes. Still, it's a dandy short--filled with laughs and quite charming.

This film introduced the famous wave, called the High Sign or Hi Sign, where the hand is placed under the chin with the palm down. Since the Little Rascals worked in close proximity to Laurel and Hardy, at the Hal Roach Studios, the High Sign might be related to Oliver Hardy's famous necktie wave.