Bigger and Better

This Boy Friends short begins oddly--just like a few other of Hal Roach's early talking shorts. The same set of twins introduces the movie and reads off the credits--then the actual story begins.

Like the other Boy Friends films, this one has Mickey Daniels (originally from Roach's Our Gang series) and Grady Sutton--along with several other cast members you'll see later (whose composition changed a lot in the following films). Sutton and Daniels are on a train--the widest train I've ever seen on a film! They annoy a young lady and their friend Dave (David Sharpe) arrives and tells them he's going to work for Grady's Uncle Ed (Edgar Kennedy). When Grady stops by to see Uncle Ed, he and Mickey are told by the uncle that BOTH of them are also going to work for him--and he's already talked to their parents about this. Apparently, during this summer vacation the lazy college students will not be having fun! Grady gives in--but Mickey is determined to do whatever job is easiest and asks to become a store detective. And, naturally, Mickey makes a mess of everything.

While this film isn't bad, it isn't that great either. Part of the problem is Mickey Daniels' trademark laugh. Some people thought it was funny--I felt it was truly horrific. I did, however, like seeing Sharpe's actrobatics. While there really was no reason for his backflips, they were pretty remarkable. Too bad this might just be the best part of the film! Passable entertainment and nothing more.