Mush and Milk (1933)

MUSH AND MILK is a likable Our Gang short, with unremarkable plot ingredients but a general air of energy and efficiency in terms of the comedy and plotting. The story begins with the gang members attempting to make themselves something to eat, leading to some amusing barn-themed gangs with the highlight being Pete the Pup enjoying some very fresh milk.The latter part of the story involves an old timer's pension coming through which leads to him kind-heartedly treating the kids to a day at an amusement park. This latter section features some old-time actors and a fun little cameo for Laurel & Hardy fans: James Finlayson as a banker.

"Mush and Milk" is an 18-minute live action short film from 1933, so this one is already way over 80 years old. It features all the child actors from the 1930s known as "Our Gang" or "The Little Rascals" who were among the biggest stars during the early years of sound film back then in the United States. Of course, it is a black-and-white movie. I have seen some of these films from the same series and I am not very impressed at all. Story-wise, it was a pretty weak film and the desperate attempt to rush in a touching story (as it happens so often with "Our Gang") did not work out at all. The director is Robert F. McGowan and he worked on many of these Rascals short films. The star here is probably George 'Spanky' McFarland and that's fine as he is probably the only somewhat funny approach. The music is nothing special this time, a song performed by one of the Rascals is even very painful to listen to, maybe intended that way. All in all, it's just not a rewarding watch at all. Spanky's changing face expressions when the dog drinks the milk felt rather bizarre and not funny and same can be said about most other segments here. I give it a thumbs-down. Not recommended.

This is a pretty poor Our Gang film--plus it marks the last appearances by Wheezer and Dickie Moore. Wheezer's career pretty much disappeared after this, though Dickie went on to one of the more popular child actors of the mid-1930s. So why do I say this one is poor? Well, aside from the ending, it just isn't very funny and the setup is pretty bad as well.The film begins in a boarding school. However, it's run by an ugly old hag who beats and starves the kids!! It's all WAY overdone--especially giving the nasty old lady a giant whip! Talk about lacking subtlety. There is one bright spot in the place--an old retired captain who loves the kids and vows to one day take them away from this rat hole. What follows is a lengthy school scene where the Captain teaches the kids absolutely nothing of value and it's littered with really, really lame jokes. At the end, however, the old guy strikes it rich and treats all the kids to a wonderful meal...or so he thinks.Overall, pretty bad and worth skipping unless you are a die-hard fan.

Mush and Milk was one of numerous school-oriented Our Gand comedies. This particular episode had, as its setting, Bleak Hill Boarding School, which bore sign saying it offered LOWEST RATES and "MOTHER'S CARE(?)" I wonder if the Dickens novel Bleak House furnished inspiration. The "MOTHER's CARE(?) logo proved what a dump this boarding school was, with Louise Emmons portraying the disagreeable old crone who headed the school, a dasmal dame if ever there were one. "Dasmal dame" is a woman who plays DOMINEERING MOTHER. Cap was sharp contrast; he was kind and understanding; Gus Leonard was just the actor for that sort of role. (He did stellar job later in "Lucky Corner" as Scotty Becket's grandpa.) Gus did not mind the silly answers that the kids gave in class, and surely appreciated Spanky's getting up to answer the phone, when James Finlayson, as Mr. Brown of First National Bank, told Cap that his back pension had arrived, something that he had long waited for (but which the crone who ran the school SCORNED). Cap's receiving this wonderful news, and his treating the kids to day at amusement park, calls to mind recent developments in MY life, to wit, improvement in living standard after settlement of Mom's estate, in form of larger apartment, new car, etc. Surely, Mush and Milk was heartwarming, especially with Cap's confidence that things would turn out all right, something that the Little Rascals came to believe.