| Choo-Choo! | |
|---|---|
| Directed by | Robert F. McGowan |
| Produced by | Robert F. McGowan Hal Roach |
| Written by | Hal Roach H. M. Walker |
| Music by | Leroy Shield |
| Cinematography | Art Lloyd |
| Editing by | Richard C. Currier |
| Distributed by | MGM |
| Release date(s) | March 7, 1932 |
| Running time | 20' 26"[1] |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
Choo-Choo! is a 1932 Our Gang short comedy film directed by Robert F. McGowan.[2] It was the 114th (26th talking episode) Our Gang short that was released.
Contents |
Exchanging clothes with a group of mischievous orphans, the Our gang ends up on a train headed for Chicago. Pressed into service as the kids' supervisor, effeminate Travelers Aid attendant Mr. Henderson (Del Henderson) suffers torment, especially when he tries to prevent three-year old Spanky from socking the nose of every adult in sight.
Things come to a head when the kids manage to get hold of some fireworks, at the same time accidentally releasing a menagerie of circus animals from the baggage car. At the end of the episode, Mr. Henderson is told he has the wrong children and must bring them back on a train to California.
Choo-Choo! is a remake of the 1923 Our Gang film A Pleasant Journey. Also, a couple minutes worth of scenes were edited out of the 1971 television prints that were deemed to be in bad taste (where Del Henderson and Dorothy's mother smack one another). This was also the first Our Gang episode since adding background music in to have a substantial part of the film (the entire scenes that take place on the train) with no music and more dialogue.
Spanky received a special mention in the opening credits of Choo-Choo!, indicating the kind of amazing audience response the infant had won since joining the series.