- Anniversary Trouble
Infobox Film
name = Anniversary Trouble
image_size =
caption =
director =Gus Meins
producer =Hal Roach
writer =
narrator =
starring =
music =
cinematography = Francis Corby
editing = Bert Jordan
distributor = MGM
released =19 January ,1935
runtime = 20 minutes
country = USA
language = English
budget =
preceded_by = "Shrimps for a Day "
followed_by = "Beginner's Luck "
website =
amg_id =
imdb_id = 0026074"Anniversary Trouble" is a 1935 (actually made in 1934 but released in 1935) "
Our Gang " shortcomedy film directed byGus Meins . It was the 134th "Our Gang " short (46th talking episode) that was released.Plot
Little Spanky McFarland's appointment as treasurer of the Ancient and Honery Order of Woodchucks occurs on the same day as his parents' wedding anniversary. Absent-minded as usual, Spanky's father (Johnny Arthur) inadvertently hands over the Woodchucks' treasury as an anniversary present for his wife (Claudia Dell). Meanwhile, Spanky accidentally gets hold of the real anniversary money, and, mistaking it for the treasury, hides it in the cookie jar -- an act witnessed by his Mom, who jumps to the wrong conclusion. She takes that money and shows it to Spanky's father who also jumps to the wrong conclusion. Spanky is looking for the money and acnnot fins it. Minutes later, the other Woodchucks demand the return of their "dough," but Spanky can't accommodate them. Spanky's father calls the maid/nanny and tells her to send him to his dad's office for punishment immediately. Spanky is unable to leave because the gang is blocking the exits out of his house. Spanky then tries to sneak out by painting himself brown (known as
blackface ) and dressing up like Buckwheat, the maid/nanny's daughter. That plan is also foiled and by then Spanky's parents return home. Spanky then finds the anniversary money and puts it in his back pocket. His father upon getting ready to spank Spanky realized he made a mistake. So his mother thinks the spanking is being carried out and can remain unaware of the mistake, Spanky's father has Spanky spank him instead and has Spanky make the groaning noises. Spanky's mother though catches them leading to a wild and wooly conclusion wherein Spanky's dad is duly punished for his faulty memory. cite web |url=http://movies.nytimes.com/movie/225677/Anniversary-Trouble/overview |title=New York Times: Anniversary Trouble |accessdate=2008-09-20|work=NY Times]This episode included in the present "Little Rascals" TV package has been radically edited, removing the sequence in which Spanky dons blackface to disguise himself as Billy "Buckwheat" Thomas due to percieved racism against African Americans. It was only partially retsored on the 2001 to 2003 showings over
AMC . This episode was available unedited on VHS Home video from the early 1980's until the late 1990's and will be available on DVD in its original form as of October 28, 2008.Cast
*
George McFarland - Spanky
*Billie Thomas - Buckwheat
* Matthew Beard - Stymie
*Scotty Beckett
*Alvin Buckelew
*Marianne Edwards
*Tommy McFarland
*Joe Strauch Jr.
*Harry Harvey Jr.
*Tony Kales
*Leonard Kibrick
*Sidney Kibrick
*Mildred Kornman
*John Collum
*Cecelia Murray
*Donald Proffitt
*Merrill Strong
*Jerry Tucker
*Pete The Pup - Petie
*Johnny Arthur - Spanky's father
*Claudia Dell - Spanky's mother
*Hattie McDaniel - Mandy, the maidee also
*
Our Gang filmography References
External links
*imdb title|id=0026074|title=Anniversary Trouble
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