Movie Depictions of Boys Clothes: Film Themes--Brats/Spoiled Boys


Figure 1.--.

One common theme in American movies during the 1930s-50s was that rich kids were spoiled and often dressed in fancy sissy clothes. Dressing spoiled kids in fanct clothes is a very strong theme in American films. This of course reflects America's democratic, egalitarian traditions where candidates brag about being born in log cabins and growing up in poverty. (Few actually did.) We are not sure this theme is as strong in foreign films. Georgie in the The Magnificent AmbersonsTom Sawyer (the Sid character), and Newly Rich (1931). Another film about a spoiled rich kid is Captain's Courageous (1937) staring Freddy Bartholomew. There are certainly some familiar spoiled brats on recent telelvision sitcoms. It seems that the spoiled brats appearing in films are not on the endangered species list. The spoiled brat theme presents some interesting challenges. While some characters are clearly spoiled rotten, others, shall we say, are variably rancid. Some boys in films are more brash than brat; others are so rotten they're psychotic. A small but growing list of the celluloid spoiled includes the animated, the TV brats, and the film variety. HBC notes that beginning in the 1930's the spoiled rotten kid became a familiar character to America's legions of filmgoers. And what an opportune time this was to introduce these little villains! Americans flocked to the movie palaces to escape the hard times of the 1930's Depression. The eccentricities and la-dee-dah airs of the wealthy were splendid targets for film makers of this age; call it vicarious payback time if you will. No exceptions were made for young snobs, either. They were lampooned just as their elders to the audience's delight.

Movies

Here are some of the films compiled by HBC or suggested by our readers. Note that the films are mostly American. HBC is not sure if this reflects our grrater familarity with American films or that this was a more common theme in American than foreign films. HBC notes that beginning in the 1930s the spoiled rotten kid became a familiar character to America's legions of filmgoers. Perhaps the Depression was a factor here. And what an opportune time this was to introduce these little villains! Americans flocked to the movie palaces to escape the hard times of the 1930's Depression. The eccentricities and la-dee-dah airs of the wealthy were splendid targets for film makers of this age; call it vicarious payback time if you will. No exceptions were made for young snobs, either. They were lampooned just as their elders to the audience's delight. As the years wore on, the stereotype of the bratty child had become familiar to TV and film viewers. No "strained pun" intended, but by the 1990's Hollywood had freshened the character the spoiled kid into something at times surrealistic.

(The) Adventures of Tom Sawyer

There are, however, many other examples, and movies with this theme include the many productions of Tom Sawyer. The brat of course is the Sid character, not Tom or Huck, two mischievious but certifiably All American Boys.

Blank Check (US, 1994)

A HBC reader suggests Blank Check. He reports that it was an enjoyable a vehicle for the Brian Bonsall's talents. Brian receives a blank check from a criminal in payment for a wrecked bike caused by the felon, writes it for a million dollars, and cashes it at a bank run by a collegue of the criminal. HBC does not think, however, that Brian really played a brat in the film. Our HBC reader tells us that some films show boys who aren't spoiled or bratty giving adults "the works", nonetheless!

Captain's Courageous (US, 1937)

Another film about a spoiled rich kid is Captain's Courageous (1937) staring Freddy Bartholomew. After The Magnificent Ambersons. this has to be the most well known spoiled boy saga. This poster child for the 1930's spoiled rotten kid is Claude. Strong-willed, selfish, and cunning, Harvey is a menace to young and old, alike.

Dead End Gang

HBC recalls one of the Dead End films involved a spoiled, rich boy in a fancy suit. I can't recall the specific name of the film just now.

First Kid (US, 1996)

Brock Pierce was about 15 years old when he played "First Kid" in 1996. The president's son will do almost anything to give his Secret Service guard (Sindbad) the slip. A HBC reader writes, "This was a funny and engaging film." HBC was not as impressed with the film, but certainly agrees that it was about a spoiled boy.

(The) Good Son (US, 1993)

Macaulay Culkin is once again up for a rotten kid nomination from a HBC reader, this time from 1993's The Good Son. Actually, this is a case where rotten behavior becomes dangerous and psychotic. Culkin's family believes he's the perfect child. When an orphaned relative (Elijah Wood) comes to live with them, Culkin does a bevy of mean things and covers his tracks by making Wood appear to be the guilty party. Not until the very end does Culkin's mom acknowledge what a rotter he is in a dramatic climax. HBC might be tempted to call the boy here as actually evil rather than a brat or spoiled.

Home Alone (US, 1990)

A HBC reader suggests Home Alone with Macaulay Culkin as a film about a spoiled kid. HBC would not put this on the list, but we like to reflect reader opinions in our site. The HBC reader points out may not be the quintessential spoiled rotten kid in this film, but he's a terror to two bumbling burglars throughout the movie.

Just William (UK)

The Just William books are replete with brats and spoiled boys (not to mention Violet Elizabeth Bott) with which William has to contend. They are commonly dressed in emaculate white sailor suits or other outfit William manages to ruin. I asume that some of these brats must have appeared in the film versions, but not having seen the films can not provide details at this time.

(The) Magnificent Ambersons (US, 1942)

Georgie in the The Magnificent Ambersons is probably the all-time bratiest kid in the movies. Like Citizen Kane, The Magnificent Ambersons was another Orson Wells masterpiece. Tragically, a complete copy of Wells film, however, does not exist. All that is left is the extensively cut version released by the studio. It is unfortunate that Ambersons, regarded by some as a work finer than even Kane, should be a film of speculation. Some believe that had a complete copy of the film managed to exist today it would be The Magnificent Ambersons and not Citizen Kane which would be hailed as the greatest film ever made. been called one of Hollywood's great tragedies, a testament to the studio system's disdain for true cinematic artistry. Wells began work on the The Magnificent Ambersons right after his 1941 masterpiece "Citizen Kane." Hollywood was braced for another tour de force.

Man without a Face (US, 1990)

From 1993, "The Man Without a Face" features Mel Gibson in the title role, playing a disfigured man who gives a difficult student (Nick Stahl) the tutoring he needs to enter a military school.

Mickey's Good Deed (US, 1932)

The Disney studios contributed Mickey's Good Deed, an animated addition to our brats anthology. In this cartoon Mickey is playing Christmas carols on a bass to earn money. All he gets are rocks and other useless stuff, however. He plays outside a rich man's window, and the man's spoiled son decides he wants Pluto. Mickey refuses to sell, but when his bass is destroyed by a passing sleigh, and he sees a house full of orphans with no presents, he changes his mind. With the proceeds from selling Pluto, Mickey buys presents for the orphans. Meanwhile, the brat has been tormenting Pluto with pranks; his Dad has had enough of it and throws Pluto out and spanks the brat. Pluto and Mickey are together again, and, what's more, they get a Christmas turkey--which the spoiled kid had tied to Pluto's tail!

Newly Rich (US, 1931)

Newly Rich was called Forbidden Adventure in the UK. Newly Rich is a good example of this genre. It is about Tim Tiffany, a poor boy who makes it big in Hollywood. He wears a velvet suit and broad white collar with ringlet curls throughout most of the movie. The basic plot is about two women who are constantly trying to one-up each other. Jackie's Mom takes him to Hollywood where they make it big in the movies. The other woman has a daughter about the same age portrayed by Mitzi Green. Basically, it's a comedy and Mitzi makes fun of Jackie when they revisit their small town with him all done up as "Tiny Tim". Jackie's not thrilled with his new attire, but he also knows it's the price he must pay for being in the movies. The picture was child actor Jackie Searl. Jackie was quite popular in movies during the 1930s, usually playing the part of a brat. He was born in 1920, he would have been about 11 years old at the time the film was made. Jackie also played young "Sid" in an early 30s version of "Tom Sawyer", so wearing fancy outfits was not uncommon for him.

Our Gang

In the Our Gang series (also know as The Little Rascals, Jerry Tucker plays a rich spoiled brat who steals the girl friend of Wally Albright, a poor but all round good fella. The gang builds a homemade fire truck to compete with the rich boy's toy in a race down a steep hill. In one memorable scene, as the gang constructs the truck, Stymie drills through the garage wall, catching the eavesdropping Jerry's short trousers in the drill bit. Stymie eventually rips Jerry's shorts right off him, causing Jerry to yelp and flee in embarassment! To make things worse the girl he took from Wally is there to watch it all unfold.

Penrod's Twin Brother (US, 1938)

Another 1930s brat is played by Jackie Morrow in a short film based on Booth Tarkington's "Penrod" stories. Interestingly, Tarkington is the author of the Magnificent Ambersons which showcased perhaps the all time greatest movie brat--Georgie Amberson. His Penrod character, however, could not be more different. Penrod is spoiled by his adoring mother, but rather than a brat--he is the All American Boy, The brat in this film is Rodney Bitts, the obnoxious and bratty son of the banker, played by Jackie. He wrongfully accuses Penrod's (played nicely by Billy Mauch) dog of biting him. Turns out Penrod has a "twin", a tough boy from Chicago named Danny Dugan, played by Billy Mauch's real twin brother, Bobby. And "Danny" even has a dog that is identical to Penrod's dog, which was the dog that really bit Rodney. This mix-up eventually involves the boys in the capture of bank robbers at the film's end.

Problem Child (US, 1990)

The 1990 film, Problem Child is a case in point as to how the familiar brat/spoiled child saga evolved into the smoewhat surilistic. A childless couple adopts seven years old Junior, a red haired devil. Junior's pranks drive the couple to desperate measures. They pawn him off on an escaped serial killer, whom the boy idolizes. Audiences evidently liked what they saw, as two sequels followed.

Television

There have also been many brats/spoiled kids depicted on television. Of course they are not the main family that the sitcom focuses on like Opie on the Anfy Griffith Show or Beaver in Leave It to Beaver. It was always a kid from another family that was the problem. We are most familiar with the American sitcoms here, but assume that there are also some examples from other countries. HBC has a discussion of several TV shows or films that depict brats. Who can forget Master Martin Markham's entry to the Triple R ranch in the debut of the series "Spin and Marty" on the original Mickey Mouse Club show? Riding up in his grandmother's Cadillac he confronts the boys from the ranch right away. The ranch is dirty, and the boys are uncouth, in Master Marty's view. A particularly memprable trio of brats was seen at a private school in the classic British documentary that looked at the lives of seveal individuals every 7 years beginning at age 7.







Christopher Wagner






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Created: March 13, 2002
Last updated: March 14, 2002