A Lad an' a Lamp
1932 Our Gang short film
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A Lad an' a Lamp is a 1932 Our Gang short comedy film directed by Robert F. McGowan. It was the 119th Our Gang short to be released.[2] The film has been criticized as containing racist humor.
Hal Roach
| A Lad an' a Lamp | |
|---|---|
| |
| Directed by | Robert F. McGowan |
| Produced by | Robert F. McGowan Hal Roach |
| Cinematography | Art Lloyd |
| Edited by | Richard C. Currier |
| Music by | Leroy Shield Marvin Hatley |
| Distributed by | Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer |
Release date |
|
Running time | 16' 51"[1] |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
Plot
Fascinated by the story of Aladdin and his magic lamp, the gang gather together with several gasoline and kerosene lamps and lanterns and a few electric lamps hoping that by rubbing them vigorously, a genie will appear. Thanks to a series of coincidences—not least of which involves a friendly stage magician—the kids become convinced that they have succeeded in invoking Aladdin. But their excitement turns to dismay when Stymie believes Spanky has transformed his kid brother Cotton into a monkey (chimpanzee).
Cast
The Gang
- Matthew Beard as Stymie
- Dorothy DeBorba as Dorothy
- Bobby Hutchins as Wheezer
- George McFarland as Spanky
- Dickie Moore as Dick
- Bobbie Beard as Cotton
- Georgie Billings as Georgie
- Dickie Jackson as Dickie
- John Collum as Uh-huh
- Bobby DeWar as Our Gang member
- Henry Hanna as Our Gang member
- Pete the Pup as himself
Additional cast
- Donald Haines as Toughie
- Harry Bernard as Officer / Store proprietor (scene deleted)
- Dick Gilbert as Officer / Dick, construction worker
- Jack Hill as Audience member / Officer
- Florence Hoskins as Cook's girlfriend
- James C. Morton as Officer
- Lillian Rich as Introductory narrator
- Philip Sleeman as The Magician
- Charley Young - Fruit vendor
- Jiggs the Chimpanzee as himself
- Harry Bowen as Audience member
- Efe Jackson as Pedestrian
- Jim Mason - Audience member
Cast notes
Bobby Hutchins returns to the fold after missing Hook and Ladder, Free Wheeling, and Birthday Blues.
Critique
Despite a sequence in which Spanky enjoys a free meal at a lunch counter, courtesy of a trained monkey, A Lad an' a Lamp has been criticized as containing racist humor that seems inappropriate when viewed in the 21st century. For this reason, A Lad an' a Lamp has been withdrawn from the "Little Rascals" television package.[3] It is currently available in its entirety on VHS and DVD.