Dogs Is Dogs

DOGS IS DOGS is a terrific comedy, and a bit on the sentimental side. It truly reflects the Depression era as Wheezer and Dorothy are forced to live with their evil stepmother or face life on the streets, as most of their other pals seem to be doing. To make matters worse their stepmom wants to get rid of Pete the dog, because its their dog --and he's suspected of killing a neighbor's chickens.

What a mess these kids are in and Wheezer gets the brunt of the punishment. Additionally, Stymie is fun to watch as the kid with a plan to save the day. The acting is spot on; they do a remarkable job with their roles and are quite convincing in some dramatic scenes. Billy Gilbert plays Mr. Brown, a hot headed neighbor (with a big mouth!) who is out to shoot Pete. Long time Hal Roach character actress Lyle Tayo to the rescue as Wheezer and Dorothy's "real" aunt (and who has a nice car).

The ending is the best one ever, Hal Roach style. Billy getting splattered with eggs is a blast.

Note, the scene where Wheezer gets a whoopin' from his stepmom (Blanche Payson) was cut out for years due to the brutality. Later restored around 2001 remastered prints, but still tough to watch.

Payson, before turning to acting, was a cop in San Francisco and REALLY looked the part!

Written by HM Walker, who wrote the classic silent film, SAFETY LAST for Harold Lloyd. And yes, Stymie, always has the best lines.

What us kids grew up on back in the day, and still watching. Amen. Look for the Little Rascals/Our Gang dvd box set of short films. Thank you to METV for bringing these oldies back to life for new fans.