ROBOT WRECKS (1941)
Short
Article 3276 by Dave Sindelar
Viewing Date: 6-8-2010
Posting Date: 8-3-2010
Directed by Edward L. Cahn
Featuring Billy ‘Froggy’ Laughlin, George ‘Spanky’ McFarland, Billie ‘Buckwheat’ Thomas
Country: USA
What it is: Our Gang short

The kids in Our Gang, inspired by a robot at a department store, decide to build one themselves to do their chores from them. This opens them up to being bilked out of the club dues by another kid who sells them ‘invisible rays’ to make the robot work.

The trouble with cute kids series is that kids grow older and become less cute. It’s been five years since I’ve seen Spanky and Buckwheat in SPOOKY HOOKY, and here they are again, only not quite as cute. The humor seems more dependent on special effects tricks (such as fast motion) than in the previous ones I’ve seen, and though it’s short enough not to wear out its welcome, it’s the weakest of the Little Rascals/Our Gang comedies I’ve seen. The robots are fun, though.