Release Date: August 23, 1925. Director: Robert F. McGowan. Supervisor: F. Richard Jones. Story: Hal Roach. Titles: H.M. Walker. Cinematographer: Art Lloyd. Producer: Hal Roach. Editor: Richard Currier. Cast: Our Gang (Mickey Daniels, Mary Kornman, Joe Cobb, Farina, Jackie Condon, Pal), Lyle Tayo, Richard Daniels, James Finlayson, May Beatty, Charles Bachman, Charley Young, Helen Gilmore.
Hello my friends, today let us look at one of my favorite silent Our Gang shorts, Mary, Queen of Tots. This is one of the most unique Our Gang shorts, because it flirts with the fantasy genre, but never becomes a full on fantasy.
Mary (Mary Korman) is a lonely little rich girl. Her parents ignore her and her governess (May Beatty) doesn't let her go out and play like other kids. Her only source of joy in the world comes from dolls that look a lot like the boys of Our Gang. At night she even has wonderful dreams of them coming to life. However while she is sleeping and dreaming such happy thoughts, her governess throws the dolls out the window. When she awakes she sees the Our Gang boys outside and believes that her dolls have come to life. She is so happy she could kiss each of them, but the boys flat out refuse. The boys let her know that they were paid to pose for the toymaker who made the dolls. With this Mary gets an idea. The boys run amuck through the house causing the governess to become very annoyed. The governess calls the cops but when the cops come in, all there is are the dolls, making the cop believe that the woman has gone insane.
This film features one of the most charming scenes in the history of Our Gang. This is the dream sequence Mary has of her dolls coming to life. The special effect is extremely good and still holds up very well today. To achieve this effect a split screen was used along with giant props. A similar effect was later used for the classic Laurel and Hardy short, Brats (1930). This scene as it plays out on screen is simply magical. It feels like all those child dreams we had of our toys. For this brief moment we get to relieve that sense of childhood wonder and imagination and it is fantastic.
The effectiveness of this scene was not lost on anyone at the time. An issue of Exhibitors Trade Review (Dated August 22, 1925) stated "...'Mary Queen of Tots' the latest Pathe 'Our Gang' comedy which sets a new high water mark in the field of novelty tricks of photography, and clever gags." Another issue of Exhibitors Trade Review (dated July 18, 1925) stated "Exceptional effects were obtained through the building of special 'props' and trick photography."
Naturally also being an Our Gang short, this is a very funny film. These kids are just as talented as any adult comedians of the same era. As mentioned before Mary attempts to kiss all the boys at one point. Farina's facial reaction to this is completely hilarious and I couldn't love it more. This was truly a take most adult comedians then and now would be completely jealous of. Mary is as adorable and charming as possible. However she is naturally so. She is never cute because the filmmakers say she is, but rather because she actually is. Her acting in this film is also suburb and can win over any audience then and now. There is also plenty of typical but quite funny slapstick around the big house. This is not sophisticated humor, but it doesn't need to be. The gags get the laughs they desire perfectly. And isn't the reason we watch comedies to laugh?
The following is a review from Motion Picture World (dated August 22, 1925).
"Hal Roach in a novel way introduces the majority of the 'gang' in 'Mary Queen of Tots.' Little blond Mary essays the role of a rich girl tired of her long lashed and beautifully gowned dolls. She is delighted with a gift from her mother's gardener of four crudely clad images. These represent the handicraft of an Italian workman who uses living models from which he fashions his wares. The images are readily recognized as the rest of the 'gang.' After setting them about in her room amid her toy dogs and horses, the little girl falls asleep. Trick photography permits the substitution of Mickey, Farina and the rest of the crowd to appear in diminutive size. They romp about the sleeping form of Mary who looks like a giantess in their midst. When she awakes the dolls are all back in their original positions. A nurse throws them in an ashcan and when Mary finds the models playing on the street she believes that they are her fairy dolls returned to life. She dines them in her spacious home, where they resort to the antics characteristic of their other productions. This two-reeler will help raise the standing of any theatre in any community. Some of the myth like shots are beautifully executed. Children will be immediately sold on this and grown-ups will find it in an abundance of laughs."
The following is an exhibitors review from the Exhibitors Herald (dated January 23, 1926).
"Mary, Queen of Tots: Our Gang - This is one of the gang's weak ones, but even at that it is a good comedy and Mary's dream is real good. - W.J. Shoup, DeLuxe Theatre, Spearville, Kan. - Small Town Patronage."
Though I'd disagree with calling this one of Our Gang's weakest, it is true that during the silent era, even the weakest Our Gangs were still great comedies in their own right. Often it is disappointing how overlooked the Our Gang silents are, considering how consistently great they are.
The following is a review from the Exhibitors Herald.
"Mary is a poor little rich girl who was not permitted to play with kids or indeed to enjoy nice germiaden dolls. Her doll, the gardener sees a peddler selling dolls and purchases several. She spirits them to her room and then falls asleep. The governess throws them away and in searching for them Mary finds 'the gang,' who are models for the dolls. A good time is had for all and the governess, seeing the living 'dolls' acts so irrationally that the wagon takes her away.
"This 'Our Gang' comedy is different from any of its predecessors and has some decisively novel effects. For instance when Mary falls asleep the dolls come to life including the donkey and the dog. This is most realistic by having the gang do its stuff on a set composed of monstrous pieces of furniture which make the kids look as large as dolls.
"It is a delightfully pleasing novelty to have the dolls join Mary as playmates, and there are a number of clever touches as when the little girl, only half awake, rushes out to the gang and calls them her dollies. The expressions on the face of Mickey, Fatty and the rest may be imagined. The villain in the form of the governess, receives her just deserts when the officer believers her a triffle daft upon being summoned to eject the gang from the house and finding only dolls
"You will not go wrong with this one. It should please all comers and should be exploited to the best of your ability."
Notice that that review referred to Joe Cobb as 'Fatty,' despite him not having that nickname in the actual films.
Now here is the film.
Thank you for joining me for this discussion and I hope you enjoyed it. See you later with more musings on classic films.
-Michael J. Ruhland
Resources Used
The Little Rascals: The Life and Times of Our Gang by Leonard Maltin and Richard W. Bann.
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