Open Spaces (1926)

movie

Country: USA
Genres: Comedy, Short
Release: 1926-11-07
Director: Charles Lamont
Writers: N/A
Language: None | English
Stars: Malcolm Sebastian , Jack McHugh , Harry Spear , Bonnie Barrett , Robert Gordon , Henry Murdock , Blanche Payson , Pal the Dog
Runtime: 20 min
Awards: N/A
AKA: In the Backyard (United States of America) , Open Spaces , Open Spaces (United States of America)
Plot: This would seem to be the same film that was also released as "In the Backyard" as part of the pseudo-series 'Those Lovable Scallawags" (featuring Big Boy). This would seem to be a later recuperation (of anything from the period that resembled a "child gang" film)for, in addition to this Big Boy film, which does not really resemble the other "gang" films the re-releases under this head also included First Division's quite unrelated Hey Fellas films which are a very close copy of the "Our Gang" format.Big Boy (Sebastien), still in nappies, is off on a fishing expedition along with a much older pal and succeeds, to the latter's surprise, in catching a fish in a puddle en route. "The big open spaces - sunshine, azure skies, rosy twilights, moonlight and noses - skunks". Arriving at the Scallawags' camp, the older boys go off to fish, leaving an unhappy Big Boy, along with the dog (who is certainly not the collie Pal but a bull terrier similar to the Our Gang "Pete", whose real name was Pal), to clean up the camp and look after the (even younger) baby. The dog drags the baby's hammock to the lakeside but Big Boy retrieves the (now crying) baby and gets him off to sleep. He meets an adult fisherman who offers him smelly cheese as bait. With a peg on his nose (purloined from a nearby washing-line), he goes to the lake where the smell of his bait causes an old fisherman to faint and drives the other boys off. He subsequently has trouble with a recalcitrant fish.Arrival of the love interest - little rich girl Bonnie Barrett - in a car with her father with whom he shares a lollipop. A rolling wheel wakes the sleeping Skinny and topples another fisherman into the lake. Meanwhile a "black" game warden (a white actor in blackface) seemingly warns of the presence of a wild cat which, combined with the presence of a domestic cat, thorns, cactus, and a mischievous melon-rolling rabbit causes a general panic. Big Boy's encounter with a skunk requires the taking of an improvised shower and some embarrassed nakedness in front of the fair Bonnie. These "romantic" scenes which are more significant in the film than the "gang" elements, are infused with a rather distasteful "adult" voyeuristic quality as Big Boy kisses Bonnie while a passing goat eats his improvised grass-skirt......All in all, an odd mix which never really gels in any way, the whole depending solely on the doubtful charms of Sebastien.
IMDB:tt0862781