PENROD AND SAM (First National Pictures, 1931), directed by William Beaudine, (television title: THE ADVENTURES OF PENROD AND SAM) is an entertaining 72 minute movie featuring mostly kids in major roles. Capitalizing on the success of earlier works as the "Our Gang" comedy shorts, to "Peck's Bad Boy" along with current productions of Paramount's TOM SAWYER (1930) starring Jackie Coogan, and SKIPPY and its sequel, SOOKIE (1931) featuring Jackie Cooper and Robert Coogan, PENROD AND SAM stars the lesser known but familiar faces of Leon Janney and Junior Coughlan in the title roles. Based on the story by Booth Tarkington, Penrod was first introduced in the silent era of PENROD (First National, 1921) starring Wesley Barry; followed by its sequel, PENROD AND SAM (1923) with Ben Alexander and Joe Butterworth, from which this film is based that was also directed by William Beaudine.
For the 1931 edition, the story features a series of escapades revolving more on Penrod (Leon Janney) than his best friend, Sam Williams (Junior Coughlan). Penrod stays for detention after school, while Sam awaits outside to walk home with him. Penrod heads a secret society inside a shack among his pals every Saturday, but as a favor for his father, Henry Scholfield (Matt Moore), must include sissy Georgie Hemningway Basset (Billie Lord), as one of its members. Penrod is liked by Marjorie Jones (Margaret Marquis), and nearly loses his friendship to Sam, who likes her well enough to take her to a birthday party as her escort. Though there are amusing moments involving Penrod using the love letter of his sister, Margaret (Helena Beaudine) as his own model letter for English composition and having to read it outloud to the class, there are tearful moments for Penrod when given the bad news by his mother, Mary (Dorothy Peterson) that his beloved dog, Duke (Cameo) was run over by a car and killed, and later unable to visit his dog's grave that happens now be on the property his father sold to Deacon Bitts (Charles Sellon), the father of his namesis, Rodney (Nestor Abel), the town bully. Others in the cast include: James Robinson and Robert Dandridge as the Washington brothers, Herman and Verman; Johnny Arthur (Mr. Bassett); ZaSu Pitts (Mrs. Bassett); Wade Boteler (Sam's Father) and Elizabeth Patterson (The Schoolteacher).
While Leon Janney didn't become a top-rated child star as either Jackie Coogan or Jackie Cooper, he would later become an accomplished adult actor on television. Though he speaks of a 13-year-old boy during his voice-changing period, a latter scene, which was probably filmed first, has him speaking in a higher pitch voice of a younger boy. His giggling does become annoying after a while, but the story in general, is simply a reminder to adults of the days when they were children themselves. Even one of the lines, "Come here, I'm, not going to hurt ya!" sounds vaguely familiar for anyone who remembers that line from his childhood coming from a neighborhood bully wanting to make peace. Anyway, boys will be boys.
Though no sequels for this edition followed, Warners updated the Penrod character with a trio of little movies later in the decade: PENROD AND SAM (1937), PENROD AND HIS TWIN BROTHER (1938) and PENROD'S DOUBLE TROUBLE (1938) , all starring actual twin brothers, Billy and Bobby Mauch, All Penrod movies are currently available for viewing on Turner Classic Movies. (***).
