This Hal Roach comedy short, Big Ears, is the one hundred eighth in the "Our Gang/Little Rascals" series and the twentieth talkie. Wheezer can't stand to hear his parents constantly argue and asks if they still love him. They both assure him they do and only after he puts them back together in the same room do they promise they won't argue anymore. But when he and Petie the Pup go outside, they're back to bickering. So Wheezer, Stymie, and Dorothy discuss what divorce is before another kid tells them the truth about that. So Wheezer decides to get really sick so his parents will forget about fighting. The subject matter is pretty appalling for a comedy especially one meant to be entertaining for kids relating to their counterpoints on screen. Even Stymie's wisecracks or the various ways of making Wheezer's stomach turn fail to make me laugh this time. In fact, the only time I chuckled was when Stymie had Petie smell the Limburger cheese and when Petie's ears made a raspberry noise after hearing the parents once again declare their love for each other! Petie has the right idea! So on that note, I really can't recommend Big Ears. P.S. That was really Stymie's mother-Johnnie Mae Beard-calling out to him near the end.
Big Ears
(1931)
Big Ears was the first really awful talkie Our Gang short
23 October 2014
Warning: Spoilers