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I
Love You Again
Genre: Comedy
Released: 1940
Directed by: W.S. Van Dyke II
Starring: William Powell, Myrna Loy, Frank McHugh
Alfalfa portrays: Leonard Harkspur, Jr., a boy scout trying
to achieve status as First Class Ranger.
Alfalfa's screen time: 3:10
Lines of dialogue spoken by Alfalfa: 17
"I
Love You Again" and images ©
Turner MGM/UA Home Video
Alfalfa
as Leonard Harkspur, Jr., would-be
First Class Ranger.
William Powell is a sleazy confidence man who
gets knocked on the head and reverts amnesially to his pre-sleaze
life as a boring middle-American businessman. One of the episodes
he gets himself into in his new "old" life is as leader
of a troop of Boy Scouts, one of whom is a high-strung lad named Leonard
Harkspur, Jr. (Alfalfa).
After completing their march to the woods, the troop meets the waiting
Patrol Leader Billings and another scout leader (Dick Elliott, who
played Mr. Jones in "Sprucin'
Up".)
Today is a special day for the troop: Harkspur
is trying to win his medal as a First Class Ranger. To do so, he must
accomplish various survival-related tasks, the first of which is to
locate scout leader Powell, who, along with Patrol Leader Billings,
have already gone off into the woods to hide. Harkspur's mission is
to find Powell by following the tracks he leaves on the ground.
Powell is soon yanked off the ground by a concealed animal trap, and
is pulled out of sight. Just then, Harkspur arrives on the scene,
seeing only Patrol Leader Billings.
Alfalfa: Oh, here ya' are! I found
ya'! [looking around for Powell] Well, where is he?
Billings: The tracks end here...
Alfalfa: The tracks end here?!
Well, if the tracks end here, how will I be able to follow him any
further? I can't follow him! Now I won't get to be a First Class Ranger!!
The rest of the troop catches up and asks Harkspur
what happened.
Alfalfa: It's not fair, he didn't
leave any more tracks! [They finally spot Powell, leisurely laying
on a rock a little off in the distance] Look!!
Alfalfa
runs up to Powell.
Alfalfa [almost in tears]:
Why do you make the test so hard for me, now I'm not gonna be a
Ranger!
Powell: Now, now, don't worry Harkspur, I'll give you another
chance. [Unfolds map] Now I want to see how accurately you can find
your way with the aid of a map. We will proceed directly to the
creek...then you can go home.
Alfalfa: Huh?...Aw, the creek's
right over the knoll there, heck, that ain't no test!
They all reach the creek.
Powell: Well, do you want to become a First Class Ranger?
Alfalfa [by now almost annoyed]:
Okay, I'll go!
Before Alfalfa enters the creek, Powell selects
two other scouts to accompany him: a boy named Bellinson, and another
named Littlejohn, who is played by a tiny Mickey Gubitosi (Robert
Blake). The three boys wade into the creek, then soon notice that
their feet are covered with a sticky black substance.
Alfalfa: I got tar all over
me!!
Bellinson tells him that it's not tar, but
oil. Littlejohn whines that he wants to go home (and that's the
name a' dat tune!) as the scene fades to black.
The next scene is at night. A nattily-dressed Harkspur has returned
to the creek with his father, who has heard his son's claims of
oil and sees dollar signs.
Father: Is this where you crossed?
Alfalfa: Yeah, just about here,
Dad.
Father [scoops up some of the black substance]: It's
oil, alright.
Just then, both Bellinson and Littlejohn show
up to the same spot, accompanied by their fathers. The dads all
try to play it cool, not even acknowledging that they take their
sons' claims seriously.
Alfalfa
and Mr. Harkspur,
joined by Mickey Gubitosi.
Click image to enlarge.
Harkspur's father: Imagine, finding oil here!
Alfalfa: But Dad, we—
Father: Aren't you ashamed of yourself, dragging your father
off on a wild goose chase!
As the fathers continue their charade, Harkspur,
fed up with the denials, breaks off from the group and dives fully
clothed into the creek with a loud splash. We then see him emerging
from the water, covered head to foot with Texas Tee.
Alfalfa [just before scene fades
out]: No oil, huh?!
Alfalfa is very funny in this role as the
whiny, stressed-out First Class Ranger candidate. He made this film
just prior to departing from the Little Rascals. Interestingly,
as with other non-Rascals screen appearances of the era, he seems
much younger than the character he was playing in the Rascals at
the time.
"I Love You Again" was a reunion of sorts for Alfalfa,
with the appearances by Dick Elliott and Mickey Gubitosi, who was
at the time starring in the Rascals with Alfalfa. Gubitosi tackles
this role with the same trademark lack of subtlety with which Little
Rascals fans of the era had become all too familiar.
Alfalfa
and Mickey Gubitosi.
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