Saturday's Lesson

film no. 88

availability:

The Little Rascals Book XVIII (VHS) from Blackhawk Video: This copy is a home movie print from Blackhawk, and includes a textual introduction and a non-original end title. The inter-titles and soundtrack are original, and the picture quality is very good. The print totals 17:40, with 16:50 of it original footage, but the soundtrack lasts an additional 0:27, not counting the first playing of the opening theme, which Blackhawk played twice to compensate for the textual introduction.
Our Gang Volume #13 (VHS) from Grapevine Video and also from The Picture Palace: This copy is the Blackhawk print, but with the company name blacked out. The picture quality is fairly good. This version has appeared on numerous bootlegs.

technical details:

Production G-22.

Filmed March 5 to 11, 1929.

Copyrighted September 9, 1929, by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures Corporation. Registration no. LP665. Renewed September 13, 1956, with registration no. R176917. This copyright is currently due to expire at the end of 2024.

Released November 9, 1929. It was the 93rd film in the series to be released.

Silent two-reeler with synchronized music track and sound effects, on disc only.

Probable opening title: '"Our Gang" Comedies - Hal Roach presents His Rascals in "Saturday's Lesson".'

the crew:

Produced by Robert F. McGowan for Hal Roach: This is the way Maltin & Bann put it. The film probably credits Roach as a presenter, with a separate credit reading "A Robert McGowan Production."
Directed by Robert F. McGowan: This credit probably appears in the film, but without his middle initial.
Photographed by Art Lloyd: This credit probably appears in the film.
Edited by Richard Currier: This credit probably appears in the film.
Titles by H. M. Walker: This credit probably appears in the film.
Story by Robert F. McGowan: This credit probably doesn't appear in the film.
Released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer: Probably indicated in the opening title card.
Passed by the National Board of Review: Probably indicated in the film.
studio personnel
possible uncredited involvement

the kids:

Joe Cobb as "Joe" aka "Joseph": Featured role. He energetically chops wood after the devil man tells him to get to work.
Allen "Farina" Hoskins: Featured role. His job is beating rugs, which end up in shreds.
Mary Ann Jackson: Supporting role. She and Jean throw out their spinach, only to eat it out of the garbage.
Jean Darling: Supporting role. She fights with Harry over the spinach, and then is with Mary for the rest of the film.
Harry Spear: Supporting role. His job is cleaning the yard. There's not a lot of specific attention given to him in this film.
Bobby "Wheezer" Hutchins: Supporting role. He cleans the yard with Harry, and isn't given much of anything specific to do.

the animals:

Pete (no. 1): Supporting role. He's with the kids through much of the film, but isn't given much to do, other than attack the devil man as the film irises out.
Leo: Bit part. The MGM lion appears at the opening of the film.

the adults:

Jack O'Brien as The Devil: Featured role. He's dressed as the devil for advertising purposes, and puts a scare into the kids.
Orpha Alba as Joe's mom: Supporting role. She calls the doctor when she can't get her son to stop working.
Emma Reed as Farina's mom: Supporting role. She can't get her son to stop working, either, and gets spooked by the devil man herself.
Adele Watson as the other kids' mom: Supporting role. She has four kids and a perpetual headache.
Charley Young as "Dr. A. M. Austin": Small part. He gets a laugh out of Joe's condition.
Ham Kinsey as a pedestrian: Bit part. He accompanies a woman as the two of them are the first pedestrians startled by O'Brien.
other adults: Bit parts.
(1.) The black man playing Farina's butler.
(2.) The woman accompanying Kinsey, and the second couple walking down the street. According to Maltin & Bann, the second man is Allen Cavan, but I find it hard to be sure.

the music:

The music for this film was released on disc with sound effects included, and was played entirely on organ. Reportedly, it was Leroy Shield who performed on the organ.

piece 088a: This is played over the opening titles.
piece 088b: This is played as we're first introduced to Farina.
"Turkey In The Straw" by John Renfro Davis: This was originally a fiddle instrumental called "Natchez Under The Hill". It was published with lyrics in 1834 as "Old Zip Coon." This is played as the butler carves the chicken.
piece 088c: This is played as Farina wakes up and his mother puts him to work.
piece 088d: This is played as Farina refuses to beat the carpet.
piece 088e: This is the bluesy tune played as Farina's mother warns him about the devil man. It returns as Farina shoots his mouth off about the devil man in the park.
piece 088f: This is played as Jean and Harry pass spinach to each other. It returns as the mother puts the kids to work.
piece 088g: This is played as Jean and Mary throw out their spinach. It returns as Harry complains to Wheezer and the girls walk out the door.
piece 088h: This is played as Joe is put to work by his mother.
piece 088i: This is an effects piece played as we're introduced to the Devil. It returns as the devil man puts his first scare into the kids in the park. It returns again as the devil appears to Jean and Mary. It returns again as the devil orders Joe to take his castor oil. It returns again as the devil orders Joe to get out of bed. It returns again as the devil orders Joe out of bed while the mother and doctor are in the room. A variation is played as the devil appears to Farina and his mother. It's played a final time as the devil gives his final warning.
piece 088j: This is played as the kids and the devil all decide to rest in the park.
piece 088k: This is played as the kids talk in the park.
piece 088l: This is played as the kids frantically get to their chores.
piece 088m: This is played as the devil appears to Harry, and then Farina.
piece 088n: This is played as Joe's mother tries to get him to stop and takes him inside for some castor oil.
piece 088o: This is played as Joe's mother tries to get him to bed and as the other two mothers notice their kids working. It returns as Joe chops frantically and Farina has reduced the rugs to shreds.
piece 088p: This is played as the kids' mother tries to get them to stop, and as Joe's mother calls the doctor.
piece 088q: This is played as Joe returns to chopping wood, and Farina's mother tries to get him to stop, and Joe's mother and the doctor put Joe back to bed.
piece 088r: This is played as the kids are gathered with their mothers for a final warning from the devil.
"Back In Your Own Back Yard" by Al Jolson, Billy Rose and Dave Dreyer: This is played as the kids vow to obey their mothers. Ruth Etting had a number five hit with this song in 1928.

the locations:

Media Park: The park in which the kids gather looks a lot like the one in "Lazy Days" (no. 92), which author Leon Smith identifies as Media Park.

Copyright Apr. 14, 2005, by Robert Demoss.
2005 updates: 4/25, 7/9, 12/15.
2006 updates: 5/16, 6/8, 7/5, 10/25.
2007 updates: 4/1, 10/22.
2008 updates: 1/19.

Thanks to Rob Stone, Joe Moore and Paul Fitzpatrick for assistance on this page.