Pay as You Exit
| Pay as You Exit | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Directed by | Gordon Douglas |
| Produced by | Hal Roach |
| Music by |
Leroy Shield Marvin Hatley |
| Cinematography | Walter Lundin |
| Edited by | William H. Ziegler |
| Distributed by | Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer |
Release dates | 24 October 1936 |
Running time | 10:27 |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
Pay as You Exit is a 1936 Our Gang short comedy film directed by Gordon Douglas. It was the 148th Our Gang short that was released.
Plot
Hoping to attract customers to Spanky's barnyard production of Romeo and Juliet, star performer Alfalfa proposes a "pay as you exit" policy: If the kids like the show, they'll pay the allotted one-cent admission on the way out. Alas, the show is nearly over before it starts when leading lady Darla walks out, complaining that Alfalfa has been eating onions (which, he insists, improves his splendid speaking voice). After stalling for time, Spanky hits upon a replacement for Darla: black youngster Buckwheat (who actually was supposed to be a girl a year before but morphed into a boy by this time), decked out in a glorious blonde wig. However, the ladder on Alfalfa gives way; Buckwheat saves him before he falls. When the ladder gives way again, Alfalfa tells Buckwheat to hold on tight, but the aroma of onions gets to Buckwheat, causing him to let go; Alfalfa then falls into the audience. When the audience leaves, Spanky admonishes him for his "pay as you exit" scheme. But pay they did and Alfalfa and Spanky eat onions as a toast to their success.
Notes
- Joe Cobb, an Our Gang star from the series' silent days, makes a return appearance.
- Among the "mood songs" played on the Victrola by stagehand Porky in the course of the show are LeRoy Shield's familiar background tunes "In My Canoe" and "Hide and Go Seek", as well as "Walking the Deck", a tune written for (but deleted from) the 1936 Laurel and Hardy feature Our Relations.[1]
Cast
The Gang
- Darla Hood as Darla
- Eugene Lee as Porky
- George McFarland as Spanky
- Carl Switzer as Alfalfa
- Billie Thomas as Buckwheat
Additional cast
- Joe Cobb as Leader of the audience kids
Audience extras
John Collum, Rex Downing, Jack Egger, Paul Hilton, Sidney Kibrick, Harold Switzer, Marvin Strin, Robert Winckler
See also
References
- ↑ "New York Times: Pay As You Exit". NY Times. Retrieved 2008-09-21.