Alfalfa's Aunt

Infobox Film
name = Alfalfa's Aunt


caption =
director = George Sidney
producer = Jack Chertok
writer = Hal Law
Robert A. McGowan
narrator =
starring = Carl Switzer
George McFarland
Eugene Lee
Billie Thomas
Gary Jasgar
Leonard Landy
Marie Blake
Barbara Bedford
William Newell
music =
cinematography = Jackson Rose
editing =
distributor = Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
released = flagicon|United States January 7, 1939
runtime =
country = United States
language = English
budget = $17,972 Maltin, Leonard and Bann, Richard W. (1977, rev. 1992). "The Little Rascals: The Life and Times of Our Gang", p. 238. New York: Crown Publishing/Three Rivers Press. ISBN 0-517-58325-9]
preceded_by = "Practical Jokers"
followed_by = "Tiny Troubles"
website =
amg_id = 1:142449
imdb_id = 0031029

"Alfalfa's Aunt" is a 1939 comedy short subject, the 176th entry in the "Our Gang" ("Little Rascals") series originally created by Hal Roach. Produced by Jack Chertok for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and directed by George Sidney, the one-reel short was released to theaters in January 1939 by MGM. It is considered one of the best "Our Gang" shorts produced after Roach sold the series to MGM in mid-1938; the post-Roach era is generally considered a subpar era for "Our Gang".

Plot

Alfalfa's Aunt Penelope sends the Switzers a telegram that says that she's coming to visit. She has given up her pursuits of being a sculptress and has turned to writing murder mysteries. Just before Alfalfa's parents leave to attend a meeting that night, Penelope reads to John a page of her story, which is written in the form of a letter:

"Dear X,

"I have discovered that only my nephew stands between me and the Switzer millions! So like the others, he shall die in agony - tonight - at the stroke of nine!"

After John and Martha go out and leave Alfalfa in Penelope's care, Alfalfa stumbles upon the page that Penelope read to John. He becomes horrified, believing that his own aunt is plotting to murder him. He tells Penelope that he is going to bed and then summons the gang to help prevent him from being murdered. While dumping out poisons in the bathroom, Porky causes a sudden loud, long noise, which leads Penelope to believe that the house is being burglarized.

Eventually, Alfalfa's parents return home and the gang proudly tell the adults that they saved Alfalfa from being killed by his aunt. Angered by the insanity and misunderstandings, Penelope decides to pack up and leave immediately ("How can an author write in a madhouse like this?!"). The entire situation is explained and all the misunderstandings are cleared up. Before Alfalfa is given a chance to apologize to his Aunt Penelope, John rewards him with a dollar bill just for getting rid of her.

Cast

* Carl Switzer - Alfalfa
* George McFarland - Spanky
* Billie Thomas - Buckwheat
* Eugene/Gordon Lee - Porky
* Leonard Landy
* Gary Jasgar
* William Newell - Alfalfa's father
* Barbara Bedford - Alfalfa's mother
* Marie Blake (sister of MGM star Jeanette MacDonald) - Martha's sister and Alfaflf'a Aunt Penelope.

References

External links

* [http://www.tv.com/little-rascals/alfalfas-aunt/episode/220442/summary.html Information on TV.com]
*imdb title|title=Alfalfa's Aunt |id=0031029