High Society - 1924

Country: United States

Director: Robert F. McGowan

Writers: Hal Roach, H.M. Walker (titles), Frank Capra (uncredited)

Stars: Charles A. Bachman, Joe Cobb, Jackie Condon

Release Date: 24 August 1924 (USA)

Production Co: Hal Roach Studios

Runtime: 25:08

Sound Mix: Silent

Color: Black and White

Plot Keywords: Children | Our Gang | Actor Shares First Name With Character

Genres: Family | Comedy | Short

This Hal Roach comedy short, High Society, is the thirtieth in the "Our Gang/Little Rascals" series. In this one, Mickey Daniels is Mickey Kelly, a poor boy who lives with his Uncle Pat. While they're broke, they're also very happy playing music and eating corned beef. Since Pat hasn't legally adopted Mickey however, Aunt Kate does so and takes him to her mansion where he clashes with her son Percy (Jackie Condon). The butler tries to make a perfect gentleman of Mickey to the point of wearing a raincoat to get him to take a bath but to no avail. When the aunt temporary leaves the house, Mickey invites his uncle and friends to come. That's when the fun really begins...From a story by Frank Capra, High Society gives us a favorite "Our Gang" theme-the clash between the have and have nots with the have nots winning! Among the gags here: Joe contrives an ingenious way to steal from the fruit stand-get a long funnel and a drainpipe and while making small talk with the owner, put the food in the funnel with Farina, Andy, and Sonny getting the results, the cop who chases them to Pat's house telling him he's going to teach them a lesson by threatening to send them to the penitentiary, Mickey's friends having a ball slipping and sliding on liquid soap on the kitchen floor, and Farina unknowingly feeding alcohol to the parrot and fish with disastrous results. The puppy love romance between Mickey and Mary is one of the sweetest scenes in this short and Pat Kelly as the uncle is a great fun-loving adult for the gang.