Curley

1901. CURLEY (1947-USA). WITH LARRY OLSEN, FRANCES RAFFERTY, KATHLEEN HOWARD. EXECUTIVE PRODUCER IS HAL ROACH, JR. A LIKABLE JUVENILE COMEDY ABOUT A BAND Of KIDS GROWING UP TOGETHER IN THE RURAL AMERICA Of A LONG-GONE DAY WHO, INDIVIDUALLY, ARE CUTE, PRECOCIOUS, SPUNKY, TROUBLESOME – AND ALWAYS A BARREL Of LAUGHS AS THEY ARE FOREVER IN CONFLICT WITH THE ADULT WORLD. THEIR UNOfFICIAL LEADER AND CHIEF MISCHIEF MAKER IS ONE WILLIAM “CURLEY” BENSON (NICELY PLAYED BY LARRY OLSEN), A BLOND-HAIRED LAD WHOSE “SCREWY IDEAS” ARE GUARANTEED TO GET HIM AND HIS PALS INTO ENDLESS JAMS. AT THE OUTSET, THE KIDS ARE DOWNHEARTED BECAUSE THEIR BELOVED TEACHER HAS JUST GOTTEN MARRIED, AND HAS RETIRED TO BECOME A HOUSEWIFE. CURLEY MISTAKENLY THINKS THAT THEIR NEW INSTRUCTOR IS A GIGANÂTIC BAG Of WIND, A “PICKLE PUSS (WITH) A LONG SLOOPY NOSE AND BEADY EYES, (WHO) NEVER STOPS TALKING.” HE AND HIS GANG DEVELOP AN ELABORATE SCHEME TO “GET RID Of HER,” SO THEY CAN SPEND THE REST Of THE SCHOOL YEAR AT THE OLD SWIMMING HOLE. THEY ARE DESTINED TO BE IN FOR QUITE A SHOCK. THE FILM IS CRAMMED WITH CLEVER SIGHT GAGS, INVOLVING EVERYTHING FROM TRICK PENS, BUBBLE-BLOWING FROGS, ANTS, WORMS AND BOXING GLOVES TO A FOOTBALL, RACING CAR AND ROCKET SHIP. CREDITED WITH PENNING “ADDITIONAL DIALOGUE” FOR THIS FILM IS A WRITER WHO WAS TO GO ON TO AUTHOR WORKS WHOSE SUBJECTS WERE FAR MORE SOBERING AND SERIOUS: MARY MCCARTHY. 53 MINUTES COMEDY