James Gubitosi Movies

A surprisingly good MGM Our Gang comedy, the one-reel Going to Press is an on-target spoof of a typical "adult" crime film. Determined to uncover the identity of the mysterious leader of a juvenile extortion racket, the Our Gang kids set up a crusading newspaper called The Greenpoint Press. The kids gratefully accept the help of a pleasant, well-spoken youngster named Dick (Darryl Hickman), little suspecting that he is the duplicitous boss of the dreaded Gas House Gang. Only after Dick's henchmen have taken Billy "Froggy" Laughlin for a "ride" (a harmless but painful one) are the kids able to expose the villain and save the day. Also appearing in this hilarious lampoon is Juanita Quigley, here better served than in the earlier Our Gang entry The New Pupil. Going to Press was originally released on March 7, 1942. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Another MGM Our Gang comedy that has next to nothing to do with Our Gang, the one-reel Helping Hands gets under way when Spanky McFarland receives a letter from his recently drafted older brother. Inspired by the letter's patriotic sentiments, Spanky and the gang organize a "home guard," prepared to do battle should the Nazis invade California. This attracts the attention of Army Major Sanford (Sam Flint), who informs the kids that they would be of even greater service to Uncle Sam by looking out for fire hazards, collecting scrap metal and paper, and encouraging their parents to buy war stamps and bonds. The humor level of this film can be gauged by the final gag, in which a group of diapered babies march down the street under the banner "Infantry." Helping Hands was originally released on September 27, 1941. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

When Our Gang member Mickey (Robert Blake) reads an article stating that one out of every four children born is Chinese, he begins to worry that his new baby brother will be Chinese as well. Spanky McFarland and the rest of the Gang put Mickey at ease by introducing him to the family of Spanky's new friend Lee Wong. Once he's learned that people are people no matter what their ethnic background, Mickey is mollified -- until he discovers that his much-anticipated "kid brother" is not only a girl, but twins to boot. Originally released on February 15, 1941, the one-reel Our Gang comedy Baby Blues might be regarded as patronizing and even offensive by contemporary viewers. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Reprimanded for his poor grades ("Gee, Dad, don't 'F' stand for 'Fabulous'?"), Carl "Alfalfa" Switzer is told that, unless he improves his academic standing, he'll never get to college. But Alfalfa laughs this off, informing his dad that he intends to sail through college on a football scholarship. Dreaming about his future gridiron triumphs, Alfie is brought down to earth when he envisions himself being disqualified from the inevitable "big game" due to his lousy grades. Awakening from this nightmare, our hero vows to put football on the back burner in favor of cracking the books. A typically heavy-handed MGM "Our Gang" entry, the one-reel morality play Time Out for Lessons was originally released on December 2, 1939. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide