This is a rather cute little Our Gang short, but I also found it unsettling as it was clearly a case of art imitating life. It all begins with Spanky doing a recitation for his mother's friends. Clearly, the mother is an obnoxious mother of a kid who just wants to be a kid! Later, she enters him in a talent show--when all sorts of hijinks ensue--some of which is pretty cute.As I say, it's a case of art imitating life because I have read Leonard Maltin's book about the Rascals. And, unfortunately, a lot of the kids had pushy parents just like Spanky's in the film. It made the laughs a little less funny when I realized the writer for this short was probably influenced by the kids' real life folks! By the way, speaking of obnoxious folks, this was Alfalfa's first film with Our Gang. While cute in the films, he and his family are a VERY sad example of the sorts of pushy behavior and monstrous egos that were all too common with child actors. Read up on them when you get a chance--it's interesting but very, very sad.Also, in this film you hear a child poorly singing "Honolulu Baby"--the tune that was popularized in the great Laurel & Hardy feature "Sons of the Desert".

"Beginner's Luck" is a rascals jewel set around a children's amateur show.Spanky has been put into this show by his ambitious mother ,who believes he will wow the audience with his ability to recite Mark Antony's funeral oration of Shakespere's "Julius Ceasar".Spanky conspires with the gang to ruin his act and therefore put an end to his acting days.At the theater Spanky meets a lovely young girl who needs the prize money to buy the dress she is wearing but freezes on stage and now Spanky comes to her aide by telling her he will win and give her the prize.Spanky has his mom ,who has no idea their is a sabotage planned, go talk to the gang and stop their assault.As one would figure they don't understand his message and go ahead with their original idea.When Spanky begins his act the gang starts up hitting him with peashooters and loud wales on their noisemakers.Spanky tries his best to continue and try and win the prize.The audience think this is all part of his act and are laughing along as peashooters clack off his armored costume.Spanky's act is a pure winner in it's comedic form but his mother is upset that her son is being laughed at in such a raucous manner.She pleads to have the show stopped or someone to take Spanky off the stage.Her pleas fall on deaf ears as his act is a major hit.Spanky has won over the audience and doesn't know it.At this point the viewer is informed that Spanky has won the prize.His mother finally rushes to a back curtain to try to hook him and drag him off the stage.She is set to fall victim to the show stopping ending that she could have never imagined ,but is pure belly laughs! Spanky again steals the spotlight by trying to save his mother and winds up making a hysterical sight gag at his mother's expense that is nothing short of a hilarious.

This is my favorite Our Gang short. It has everything that I recall fondly: rowdy fellowship and kids conspiring against adults resulting in innocent mischief. Although the series had already been around a dozen years, for me the master cast was the Spanky, Buckwheat, Alfalfa period. This was the first with them together.And it has my own favorite trick, the simple fold of a show within the show. That gives the producers an opportunity to have some "straight" child performances. These always have puzzling appeal. And then there's the joke performance with us sort of sharing in the audience.(This is a replacement comment, the original having disappeared.)Ted's Evaluation -- 3 of 3: Worth watching.

An OUR GANG Comedy Short.To his embarrassment, Spanky's mom enters him in a talent contest. He immediately gets the Gang's help in a plan to lose. Once on stage, however, Spanky meets a sweet little girl & his plans change. Now he'll need real BEGINNER'S LUCK to have a chance of winning...A very funny little film, with Spanky in rare form. Highlight: Spanky's performance on stage. This was the film debut for Alfalfa (he sings `She'll Be Comin' 'Round The Mountain').