Series: Our Gang Director: James W. Horne Producer: Hal Roach Dialogue: H.M. Walker Photography: Art Lloyd Editor: Richard C. Currier Sound: Elmer Raguse Stars: Jackie Cooper, Allen Hoskins, Bobby Hutchins, Mary Ann Jackson, Norman Chaney, Edgar Kennedy Company: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Released: 1930 Length: 2 reels Production No.: G-31S Filming dates: 1929 Rating: -/10

Las Fantasmas

Available on BLU-RAY & DVD:

• See also When The Wind Blows

One night, as a gale-forced wind blows outside, Officer Kennedy is on patrol in the neighborhood whilst Farina is at home with his mother. Kennedy is already a bit jumpy after a passerby tells him that it is a good night for a murder. A cat jumps out of a dustbin, before the cop gets hit in the face by some flying laundry (what an overreation!) Indoors, Juanito is getting a spanking from his bully father (fortunately the abuse is off-screen). His little brother Wheezer thinks it is hilarious and laughs at him. When the dad treads on a tack in his socks the boys laugh at him. Wheezer is put to bed, whilst Juanito's ass tries to recover from his beating. The dad stands over Jauntio when he is supposedly sleeping in his bed and gives the mom a speech about how he wants Juanito to grow up right. As soon as the parents leave the room Juanito suddenly awakens and climbs outside his window to retrieve the book he had thrown outside earlier. When he tries to get back into his room from outside his mum thinks it is a burglar and wakes up the dad. He shoots his gun at the door and Juanito goes flying into a bush. Officer Kennedy comes rushing over to the house when he hears the calls for help. Meanhwile, Farina is reading a horror comic when the windows blows open, which upsets baby Hector (Hector??!) A frustrated Farina then uses a contraption so dangerous as to cause severe whiplash in order to rock the baby back to sleep. Jesus, can you imagine the health & safety brigade being all over THAT nowadays!

Farina gets scared when he sees Jackie's face pressed up against the window as he tries to get inside, which causes Farina to freak out. After almost shaking the baby to the point of no return he then dumps it into a barrel as he fears a burglar is trying to break in. Juanito forces his way into Farina's house as Farina hides. A concerned man (CHET BRANDENURG in a rare speaking role) is shoved aside by cop Kennedy who rushes into Farina's house just as Juanito leaves. Kennedy asks a scared Farina what happened? Juanito tries to wake up Chubby by throwing a rock up at his bedroom window. This wakes up his parents who come to the window and call out for the cop's help. When they close the window it dislodges a plant which falls on top of Kennedy's head, knocking him unconscious. Juanito manages to climb back into his own house and gets into bed with Wheezer. Pepe (the dog) grabs the sheet and pulls Juanito out of the bed, causing it to collapse. The parents wake up as Juanito makes his escape out of the window. The dad calls for the police, and once again Kennedy is on hand to save the day. All this commotion brings Mary (playing Chubby's sister?) to her window. She writes a love note to Juanito, who just happens to be climbing up a ladder to her bedroom window. When she sees him she is all excited and blushing but when Juanito doesn't share her enthusiasm she orders him to leave. The wind has blown away the ladder so when Mary pushes him out of the window Juanito falls and lands on a would-be burglar who is contemplating a break-in through the downstairs window (his groan is actually rather hilarious!) This wakes up Mary's parents (again) and they call for the police. Along comes Kennedy and arrests the burglar.

Favourite bit You shouldn't laugh because it is so wrong, so dangerous and is the cause of a lot of issues with the violent shaking of babies.... but for the purposes of comedy, and the fact you know the film is simply sped up - it's the scene where Farina gets so scared that he shakes on the baby's crib, which results in the baby getting shaken to the extreme!

Trivia • This is the Spanish-language version of When The Wind Blows. • The film made its DVD debut in 2023 on ClassicFlix's "The Little Rascals Centennial Collection" which was availble on a bonus disc. • The dog's name in this version is Pepe. Wheezer calls his name when he gets into bed. • For this review I watched the film side-by-side with the English version and with the exception of a few scenes where the Spanish language was used, they are practically identical. Even the pacing was exactly the same.

	Jackie Cooper Juanito
	Allen Hoskins Farina
	Bobby Hutchins Wheezer
	Mary Ann Jackson Maria
	Norman Chaney Chubby
	Betty Jane Beard Hector
	Edgar Kennedy Kennedy the cop
	Caroline Cooke Juanito's mother
	Gertrude Howard Farina's mother
	Joe De La Cruz Chubby's father
	Mary Lopez Chubby's mother
	Louis Hickus Burglar/Pedestrian
	Julian Rivero Enrique, Juanito's father
	Chet Brandenburg Flustered man
	Pete Pepe

CREDITS (click image to enlarge)

SHOT ON THE BACK LOT (click any image to enlarge)

Acknowledgements: The Little Rascals: The Life And Times Of Our Gang by Leonard Maltin & Richard W. Bann (book) http://www.theluckycorner.com/rmt/097.html (Robert Demoss/The Lucky Corner) This page was last updated on: 17 April 2026