Anniversary Trouble

Anniversary Trouble
Directed by Gus Meins
Produced by Hal Roach
Music by Leroy Shield
Cinematography Francis Corby
Edited by Bert Jordan
Distributed by MGM
Release dates
 January 19, 1935
Running time
 18' 58"
Country United States
Language English

Anniversary Trouble is a 1935 Our Gang short comedy film directed by Gus Meins. It was the 134th Our Gang short (46th talking episode) that was released.

Plot

Spanky's appointment as treasurer of the Ancient and Honery Order of Woodchucks occurs on the same day as his parents' wedding anniversary. Absent-minded as usual, Spanky's father (Johnny Arthur) inadvertently hands over the Woodchucks' treasury as an anniversary present for his wife (Claudia Dell).

Meanwhile, Spanky accidentally gets hold of the real anniversary money, and, mistaking it for the treasury, hides it in the cookie jar—an act witnessed by his Mom, who jumps to the wrong conclusion. She takes that money and shows it to Spanky's father who also jumps to the wrong conclusion. Spanky is looking for the money and cannot find it. Minutes later, the other Woodchucks demand the return of their "dough," since the club has broken up, but Spanky cannot accommodate them. Spanky's father calls the maid/nanny and tells her to send him to his dad's office for punishment immediately. Spanky is unable to leave because the gang is blocking the exits out of his house. Spanky then tries to sneak out by painting himself in blackface and dressing up like Buckwheat, the maid/nanny's daughter. That plan is also foiled and then Spanky's parents return home.

Spanky then finds the anniversary money and puts it in his back pocket. His father gets ready to spank Spanky and realizes he made a mistake. So his mother thinks the spanking is being carried out and can remain unaware of the mistake, Spanky's father has Spanky spank him instead and has Spanky make the groaning noises. Spanky's mother though catches them leading to a wild and wooly conclusion wherein Spanky's dad is duly punished for his faulty memory.[1]

Notes

The television broadcast version of Anniversary Trouble has been radically edited, removing the sequence in which Spanky dons blackface to disguise himself as Billy "Buckwheat" Thomas due to perceived racism against African Americans. It was only partially restored on the 2001 to 2003 showings over AMC. It was finally available unedited on VHS home video from the early 1980s until the late 1990s.

Cast

The Gang

Additional cast

References

  1. ↑ "New York Times: Anniversary Trouble". NY Times. Retrieved 2008-09-20.

External links