Birthday Blues

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Birthday Blues
Birthday blues.JPEG
Directed by Robert F. McGowan
Produced byRobert F. McGowan
Hal Roach
Starring Dickie Moore
George McFarland
Matthew Beard
Dorothy DeBorba
Kendall McComas
Pete the Pup
CinematographyArt Lloyd
Edited byRichard C. Currier
Music by Leroy Shield
Marvin Hatley
Distributed by MGM
Release date
  • November 12, 1932 (1932-11-12)
Running time
19' 09" [1]
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

Birthday Blues is a 1932 Our Gang short comedy film directed by Robert F. McGowan. It was the 118th Our Gang short to be released. [2]

Contents

Plot

When their pennypinching father refuses to buy a birthday gift for their long-suffering mother, brothers Dickie and Spanky decide to purchase a gift for Mom on their own. Unfortunately, the "late 1922 model" dress they have selected is beyond their price range (a daunting $1.98); thus, acting upon the advice of Stymie, Dickie and Spanky decide to bake a cake with hidden prizes, then auction off the cake at ten cents a slice.

The party turns out to be a mess and Spanky's and Dickie's father returns to find it. He throws the gang and other kids out of the house and then gives Dickie a severe spanking. When Dad finds out that Dickie is using the money to buy Mom a dress, he abruptly changes his attitude. [3] However, Dad feels the dress that Dickie bought is too fancy for Mom to wear to church on Sunday morning, but Mom proudly wears the one Dickie and Spanky picked out, to the crowd's amusement.

Cast

The Gang

Additional cast

Notes

The film was edited by about 5 minutes from the Little Rascals syndicated television package in 1971 due to perceived racism toward African Americans. The episode was fully reinstated on AMC from 2001 to 2003.

See also

Related Research Articles

The Our Gang personnel page is a listing of the significant cast and crew from the Our Gang short subjects film series, originally created and produced by Hal Roach which ran in movie theaters from 1922 to 1944.

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References

  1. theluckycorner.com/
  2. Maltin, Leonard; Bann, Richard W. (1977). Our Gang: The Life and Times of the Little Rascals. Crown Publishers. pp. 146–148. ISBN   978-0-517-52675-0 . Retrieved March 3, 2024.
  3. Hal Erickson (2011). "New York Times: Birthday Blues". Movies & TV Dept. The New York Times . Archived from the original on May 20, 2011. Retrieved September 19, 2008.