Little Rascals (1994)

Film based on a long-running cartoon strip that ran in American newspapers, following the amusing or sickly exploits of precocious kids. There are very few adults in the film, and the kids themselves provide quaint adult views on life.

Two of the characters are trying to escape from bullies and they run into a ballet academy that's just about to give a performance. I bet you're ahead of me. Obviously the only way to escape is to dress in girls' ballet costumes -- apparently wigs and spare costumes are lying around -- and brazen it out. The two bullies are physically attracted to the new girls, despite their tender years.

Here the bullies have burst in to the room where the other boys are, but the transformation is such that they don't recognise them.

Some juvenile flirting now takes place. They keep their composure and walk down the corridor; the bullies are bewitched and follow them.

This can't go on, so our boys turn toward a closed door and bid farewell to their oppressors.

They go into the room, but to their horror there are hordes of similarly dressed little girls and a teacher.

I thought it was interesting how easy it is to tell which are the boys ... this is one of them, Alfalfa ...

... and this is his friend ...

... and which are the real girls, even at this age.

The girls are assembled for a stage performance of scenes from The Nutcracker and our boys (centre) know that they don't like the sound of that.

An enjoyable, if undemanding, film.

HF February 2001

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