Friday, July 20, 2018

One of the Smiths



Classic comedy short film (
Little RascalsHal Roach)
Year: 1931
Year in film: 1930s
Country: USA
Who in bibs: "boy" ~8
Available on DVD: yes
I own: no
Clothing occurence: very low
Rating:  3/10
Rating: ***
Comment: 8 or 9 yo but younger looking Buddy McDonald in dark blue bibs (buttons instead of braces and overlapping straps and a straw hat).
I haven't found any clips of this one, pics are from other movies. One pic (headshot) at the lordheath site.

He appeared in some few Our Gang movies but probably never in bibs except in here. Pic 1 showing him in School's Out (1930). Pic 2 showing a boy looking similar with the straw hat in Our Gang Follies of 1938 (rating 6).

Since January 2018 there's a DVD compilation containing this short film (28 minutes) called "Charley Chase: At Hal Roach The Talkies Volume One 1930-1931", digitally remastered (VCI Ent.) and including commentary. Not sure if it's worth buying (for non Charley Chase fans) and I don't know the amount of overalls scenes. But I like this boy. Obviously not available colorized and maybe still copyrighted/renewed?

Update: April 2019. I still haven't seen this movie. Maybe there are even more scenes than assumed but probably not that much if any. I read an interview. He learned to whistle. Probably some scenes at a barn dance. I currently don't buy this, still expensive. This summer there's also a Vol 2 of Charley Chase. Maybe of interest as well?

Rating 6-7 for now.

Update: I've seen the film. Previously rating 6-7 now 2-3. 2 very brief scenes.

/2020/02/02/update-one-of-the-smiths/

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