School's Out

School's Out is a 1930 American pre-Code comedy short film directed by James W. Horne and starring Bobby Hutchins, Joe Cotton, and Bobby Ray. The film is part of a series of Our Gang shorts. The film opens with the opening scene of a classroom, where the children of Miss Crabtree's class are mourning the loss of their beloved teacher, who has left for her honeymoon after getting married. The children are excited about their summer break and the freedom it brings. However, this excitement is short-lived as they soon miss their teacher and realize that the new replacement will probably be boring and strict, spoiling the summer for them. However, they receive some news that Miss Crabtree's brother, Mr. Crabtree, a young man, will be visiting the school and staying with the family. This immediately sparks the imagination of the children as they start imagining Mr. Crabtree as a suitor for their teacher and speculate about how romantic the relationship might be. However, unbeknownst to them, Mr. Crabtree is a perfectly normal man who just happens to be the sister's brother and a total opposite of what the children imagined. While the children are busy spreading gossip and lies to prevent Mr. Crabtree from marrying Miss Crabtree, the real chaos begins when they find out that one of them has been secretly selling stolen answer keys to the upcoming oral exam. The answer key is stolen from a book and is not only inaccurate but is also full of minstrelsy and blackface caricatures. This act of dishonesty leads to a chain reaction of events where the children face a series of hilarious challenges and situations, ranging from trying to avoid Mr. Crabtree to getting into trouble with Miss Crabtree for their dishonest actions. The plot thickens when one of the students, who is selling the answer keys, tries to help his fellow students with the exam but ends up failing the entire class due to the wrong 'answers.' Meanwhile, Mr. Crabtree, initially confused and amused by the children's behavior, starts to enjoy the company of the children and participates in their pranks. Unbeknownst to him, the children's antics make him realize his love for his sister even more, and the film takes a heartwarming turn as Mr. Crabtree decides to stay a bit longer and prove himself worthy of Miss Crabtree's affection by taking charge of the children and teaching them about the importance of honesty, hard work, and family values. As the film reaches its climax, it turns out that not only does Mr. Crabtree's efforts pay off as the children learn their lesson, but also the real teacher, Miss Crabtree, is delighted with Mr. Crabtree's decision to stay. They welcome Mr. Crabtree into the family, and Mr. Crabtree is welcomed into the community, making him officially part of the family. Ultimately, the film ends with a sense of closure and a message about the importance of honesty and family values in everyday life.