Film buffs know William Beaudine from the cheapie schlock that he directed in the sound era and television, but he was quite a talented director in the 1920s. PENROD AND SAM (1923) was the first of three versions of Booth Tarkington's novel; the other two being filmed with sound in the 1930s. Hal Roach's Our Gang series had started a year before this series, and this film has a similar feel. Eugene "Pineapple" Jackson from this film later made it into the Roach gang.
The child actors in this film are all perfect, with Ben Alexander (later of DRAGNET) as Penrod. Buddy Messenger plays the mean bully Rodney Bitts, and his sister Gertrude plays the only girl that is friends with the kids. Except for their tattered clothing which shows that the two African-American kids are poorer than the others, the two black kids are presented as just regular kids and are not stereotyped at all. Rockliffe Fellowes and Gladys Brockwell were stars in the teens. Here they play two loving parents who don't always understand Penrod. Mary Philbin has a small part as Penrod's sister, and Gareth Hughes is her embarrassed boyfriend. Both would go on to much bigger roles. Cameo the dog is an important character in this film, and she has the most heart-breaking scene. (She would repeat her role in the remake.)
Penrod and Sam are two best friends who have their own clubhouse on the vacant lot next to Penrod's house. They get into all kinds of trouble getting back at the local bully Rodney Bitts (Buddy Messinger). They also tease prissy Georgie Bassett (Newton Hall) because his mother dresses him in coordinating outfits and because Georgie doesn't like to get dirty. Rodney's mean father insists that his son be let into the gang, while Georgie's mother pleads that he be let in also. The kids create an awful initiation for Georgie, but the parents stop it before he is treated too badly. (And note that after this Georgie does become a member of the gang.)
The bully Rodney won't be nice to anybody in the gang and cannot be accepted into it. His rich father (William V. Mong) buys the lot next door from Penrod's father. Penrod realizes that Buddy and his father have taken his dog and his clubhouse from him. He and his friends must act to reclaim their clubhouse and their fun. While there are sentimental scenes in the film, there is plenty of comedy and the film holds up perfectly nearly a hundred years later.
The child actors in this film are all perfect, with Ben Alexander (later of DRAGNET) as Penrod. Buddy Messenger plays the mean bully Rodney Bitts, and his sister Gertrude plays the only girl that is friends with the kids. Except for their tattered clothing which shows that the two African-American kids are poorer than the others, the two black kids are presented as just regular kids and are not stereotyped at all. Rockliffe Fellowes and Gladys Brockwell were stars in the teens. Here they play two loving parents who don't always understand Penrod. Mary Philbin has a small part as Penrod's sister, and Gareth Hughes is her embarrassed boyfriend. Both would go on to much bigger roles. Cameo the dog is an important character in this film, and she has the most heart-breaking scene. (She would repeat her role in the remake.)
Penrod and Sam are two best friends who have their own clubhouse on the vacant lot next to Penrod's house. They get into all kinds of trouble getting back at the local bully Rodney Bitts (Buddy Messinger). They also tease prissy Georgie Bassett (Newton Hall) because his mother dresses him in coordinating outfits and because Georgie doesn't like to get dirty. Rodney's mean father insists that his son be let into the gang, while Georgie's mother pleads that he be let in also. The kids create an awful initiation for Georgie, but the parents stop it before he is treated too badly. (And note that after this Georgie does become a member of the gang.)
The bully Rodney won't be nice to anybody in the gang and cannot be accepted into it. His rich father (William V. Mong) buys the lot next door from Penrod's father. Penrod realizes that Buddy and his father have taken his dog and his clubhouse from him. He and his friends must act to reclaim their clubhouse and their fun. While there are sentimental scenes in the film, there is plenty of comedy and the film holds up perfectly nearly a hundred years later.