Free Wheeling (1932)

Stymie takes Dickie for a ride in his runaway car and cures his stiff neck.

Director:

Robert F. McGowan

Writer:

H.M. Walker (dialogue)

Stars:

Johnnie Mae Beard, Matthew 'Stymie' Beard, Harry Bernard

Cast

Credited cast:
Johnnie Mae Beard	...	Stymie's mother
Matthew 'Stymie' Beard	...	Stymie
Harry Bernard	...	Roadside Worker
John 'Uh huh' Collum	...	(unconfirmed)
Jimmy Daniels	...	(unconfirmed)
Dorothy DeBorba
Bobby DeWar	...	(unconfirmed)
Jackie Lyn Dufton	...	Jacquie (as Jacquie Lyn)
Estelle Etterre
Dick Gilbert	...	Roadside worker
Douglas Greer
Creighton Hale	...	Dickie's father
Theresa Harris	...	Maid
Jack Hill	...	Officer sent skyward
Ham Kinsey	...	Roadside worker

Storyline

Stymie takes Dickie for a ride in his runaway car and cures his stiff neck.

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Plot Keywords:

car | stiff neck | nurse patient relationship | father son relationship | mother son relationship | 

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Genres:

Family | Comedy | Short

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

1 October 1932 (USA)

Also Known As:

Sem Freio

Filming Locations:

Hal Roach Studios - 8822 Washington Blvd., Culver City, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Hal Roach Studios

Technical Specs

Runtime:

20 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Color:

Black and White

Did You Know?

Soundtracks

"Carolina Moon"
by Joe Burke and Benny Davis
Acapella fragment sung by Matthew "Stymie" Beard"

User Reviews

One of the best, and most anti-racist, of all Rascals films

There are those who complain about the supposed racism of the Our Gang/Little Rascals films. This one dispels a lot of that.

This is where rich kid Dickie is hampered by his overprotective mother, who despises Stymie, who she refers to as "That colored boy" and a "street urchin," but the two bond nonetheless and without spoiling it, let's just say that Stymie's actions in this film changes the snooty mother's mind.

Not only is this a nice and somewhat subtle message about friendship across lines of race and class, but the film is good and funny to boot. The gang's makeshift cab, their encounter with the drunken mule, Spanky playing with the monkey, the wild taxi chase, and the gag with the midgets and the car (you have to see this, although it's in pretty good taste). While there is no racism here, this is certainly RASCALism at its best!