Three Smart Boys (1937) User Reviews

Three Smart Boys is still a funny Our Gang comedy despite what some may consider racially stereotypical moments

[tavm · 7/10 · 25 December 2014]

This Hal Roach comedy, Three Smart Boys, is the one hundred fifty-fourth entry in the "Our Gang/Little Rascals" series and the sixty-sixth talkie. Miss Lawrence wants school closed for a week in order to attend her sister's wedding but the superintendent won't approve so Spanky, Alfalfa, and Buckwheat pretend to be sick to put up an epidemic front. Waldo, however, overhears that the super changed her mind and writes a note to Porky to tell the gang. Not before Buckwheat ends up being "treated" by a veterinarian and a monkey is also in his care...All right, maybe there's something of a racist element in what I just described but the way it's filmed, I honesty just think it's just a case of mistaken identity the way Spanky and Alfalfa treat the monkey they mistake for Buckwheat, that's all. So I found most of the situation pretty funny for what it was. So on that note, Three Smart Boys is worth a look. P.S. This was Rosina Lawrence's last appearance as the teacher in the Our Gang series. I'll mention what happened to her after I review her last Hal Roach picture.

Those reviewers dismissing this as "Racist Twaddle" . . .

[pixrox1 · 8/10 · 5 May 2018]

. . . should get a life. Comments hating on THREE SMART BOYS are toeing a line of Political Correctness that could eventually topple FORREST GUMP's namesake from his myriad of Southern pedestals. While it's true that 21st Century soccer fans are frequently expelled from stadiums for the sort of behavior "Spanky" and "Alfalfa" exhibit toward "Buckwheat" during THREE SMART BOYS, you would not tear up the Declaration of Independence, raze Monticello, bull-doze his oval memorial, and kick him off our nickels just because Thomas J. President #3 was technically a serial abuser out of A HANDMAID'S TALE by Today's standards. Similarly, Spanky and Alfalfa should NOT be pilloried for making an honest mistake prompted by the misbegotten morals of their day. As Shakespeare used to say, "Racism is in the eye of the beholder." Fortunately, Buckwheat meets with a seemlier Fate during THREE SMART BOYS than that of The Bard's OTHELLO character, so ALL'S WELL THAT ENDS WELL.

Foolin' The Doctor With The Little Rascals

[Ron Oliver · 10/10 · 28 April 2000]

An OUR GANG Comedy Short.

Spanky, Buckwheat & Alfalfa are THREE SMART BOYS. If they can get a doctor to agree they've caught an epidemic, the school will have to be closed. So, with bloated bellies & speckled faces they head for the nearest medical man - who happens to be a veterinarian with a wacky sense of humor...

A funny little film - short & to the point. Highlight: Buckwheat & the monkey. That's Rosina Lawrence as the teacher.

Running out of ideas?

[planktonrules · 3/10 · 26 January 2012]

Alfalfa and Spanky hear that their teacher wants the day off but also hear the school superintendent tell her that aside from an epidemic, she cannot have the day off. What the boys don't hear is a moment later--when the superintendent has a change of heart and lets her have the day off anyway. But, the boys decide they're going to help their teacher and decide to pretend to have a disease--though it's VERY obvious that they are faking when they go to see the doctor. He decides to have fun at their expense and pretends to be ready to give them 'treatment'--the real scary and painful kind--including, perhaps, an operation! Now here's where it gets really, really silly (and not even close to politically correct). Spanky and Alfalfa hear the doctor saying something about some 'monkey serum'--and when a research monkey steals Buckwheat's sweater and puts it on, the boys think their friend has been turned into a monkey. So, they try to take him home--but it's a bad monkey and begins running amok.

Aside from being borderline offensive, the plot is really stupid--even for an Our Gang film. It sure looks as if the writers had run out of ideas with this one and were desperate for cheap laughs---but they forgot to include laughs.