When I found "Yoo-Hoo" on YouTube, I was surprised, as it is a comedy short featuring James Gleason....and I had no idea he ever did films like this.
"Yoo-Hoo" is a film that is very oddly cast. That's because in the film is about a child who is being abused....and Bobby 'Wheezer' Hutchins stars as the child. The oddly is because several Hollywood actors have commented how mistreated Hutchins was...and his father reportedly underfed the boy in a sick attempt to keep him looking young and waif-like due to malnutrition! Here in "Yoo-Hoo" he seems to be essentially playing himself.
In this story, Gleason plays a guy who stumbles upon a little dirty boy who is hiding from his abusive parents. Instead of calling the police, however, Gleason's character takes the boy to live with him! And, you know sooner or later the cops are bound to show up asking questions!
Shortly after this short began, I could see clearly that it was a Pre-Code comedy. In other words, the new toughened Production Code hadn't yet been adopted and all sorts of amazing content appeared in films before mid-1934...such as adultery, homosexuality, extreme violence and drug use....and it often went unpunished! In this case, Gleason's character meets up with an obviously gay stereotype...and the guy is a truck driver for the I.M. Sweet Company! Offensive, true...and sadly a bit funny as well. As for what follows, I think it was supposed to be a comedy but it really wasn't funny...more sadly touching. Worth seeing and well made...but not exactly a must-see film.
"Yoo-Hoo" is a film that is very oddly cast. That's because in the film is about a child who is being abused....and Bobby 'Wheezer' Hutchins stars as the child. The oddly is because several Hollywood actors have commented how mistreated Hutchins was...and his father reportedly underfed the boy in a sick attempt to keep him looking young and waif-like due to malnutrition! Here in "Yoo-Hoo" he seems to be essentially playing himself.
In this story, Gleason plays a guy who stumbles upon a little dirty boy who is hiding from his abusive parents. Instead of calling the police, however, Gleason's character takes the boy to live with him! And, you know sooner or later the cops are bound to show up asking questions!
Shortly after this short began, I could see clearly that it was a Pre-Code comedy. In other words, the new toughened Production Code hadn't yet been adopted and all sorts of amazing content appeared in films before mid-1934...such as adultery, homosexuality, extreme violence and drug use....and it often went unpunished! In this case, Gleason's character meets up with an obviously gay stereotype...and the guy is a truck driver for the I.M. Sweet Company! Offensive, true...and sadly a bit funny as well. As for what follows, I think it was supposed to be a comedy but it really wasn't funny...more sadly touching. Worth seeing and well made...but not exactly a must-see film.