The Little Rascals

The Little Rascals

          Penelope Speehris's 1994 rendition of the Our Gang TV series, little Rascals may never have been a hit with critics but both young and older viewers can find enjoyment in this zany comedy. Little Rascals centers on two mischievous and funny young boys by the name of Spanky and Alfalfa as they run a society called the He-Man Woman Haters Club. What's so funny about these tow characters and their club is that most young boys pretend to be disgusted by girls while still managing little school yard crushes. Spanky and Alfalfa are dorks but they just don’t see themselves that way. That is what is great about all kids, no matter how ridiculous or nonsensical there behavior becomes there is always a certain amount of sincerity in their actions. Both protagonists take there club duties seriously and they wanna be top dog. Watching the rascals run throughout town in an attempt to build a tree-house, salvaging a go-cart and trying to put out a fire is laughable because you see this group of little kids in an adult world. In the fire scene they line up in formation and even have uniforms ready to go. Despite their best efforts there just too young and immature, but that doesn't keep the rascals from trying their hardest. 

         There young, harmless and just wanting to be each others pals. Spanky is club president and  manages to not only hold court but seems to be the clear alpha male. Alfalfa is Spanky's friend but there is a little bit of a rivalry between the two. As a viewer I just love seeing kids act as if they are adults. If only the adult world understood the dangers of cooties and the importance of soapbox derby racing. There issues are not even problems and they seem to be having more fun than anyone else on the screen. Because of both Spanky and Alfalfa's serious demeanor and ability to run the club I believe they fit the childhood model of radically other. Researchers Carrie Hintz and Eric Tribunella describe this model by stating that children are viewed as incomplete versions of adults and express there interest in the adult world by playing or modeling behavior (24). Both characters are sincere and love being apart of the He-Man Woman Haters Club but the immature nature of there gathering signifies that they are still just young boys looking to kill time and hang tough with their friends. That’s what I love about the Little Rascals, its not only fun to watch kids play but you can also learn a lot from them when you sit down and observe the very nature of their activities. Little Rascal is a one of the few goofy movies that knows its ridiculous and still manages not to take itself to seriously. I love this film and it remains one of my childhood favorites.

Unfortunately Roger Ebert never did a formal review of this film.

In this Youtube clip here you will see the rascals attempt to put out the fire that is engulfing their clubhouse. They have uniforms and line up in formation but they just cant get the job done. This is a perfect example of the children acting in the radically  other model of childhood. https://youtu.be/IGk_T4lqTKs

Hintz, Carrie, and Eric L. Tribunella. Reading Children's Literature: A Critical Introduction. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin's, 2013. Print.