The Little Rascals Save the Day (2014)

Directed by: Alex Zamm

Cat Out of the Bag Alert! This review contains some spoilers for this film!

Synopsis: A reboot incorporating several plotlines and tip-of-the-hats to the original Our Gang comedy shorts finds the Rascals trying to raise money to save Grandma’s (Doris Roberts) bakery.

Featured Feline: In one segment the Gang attempts to raise money by opening a Komplete Pet Kare Klinic, charging five dollars a pet for washing, grooming and walking services.

The Little Rascals Save the Day - sign for Komplete Pet Kare

Darla (Eden Wood) brings Alfalfa (Drew Justice) and Spanky (Jet Jurgensmeyer) her prized white longhair cat, Princess Flufferina.

The Little Rascals Save the Day - Darla Eden Wood with longhair white cat Princess Flufferina

The boys assure Darla that her beloved pet will be well cared for. Alfalfa adds that he is a cat whisperer and reaches to pet Flufferina only to have the cat lash out at him and screech. The mouth of the cat is animated to make it look vicious.

The Little Rascals Save the Day - longhair white cat Princess Flufferina lashing out

The Little Rascals Save the Day - Darla Eden Wood looking surprised as longhair white cat Princess Flufferina screeches

The Little Rascals Save the Day - Darla Eden Wood with longhair white cat Princess Flufferina lashing out at Alfalfa Drew Justice animated gif

Spanky takes Flufferina’s leash and they go to their clubhouse where their elaborate cleaning machine is located.

The Little Rascals Save the Day - Spanky Jet Jurgensmeyer and Alfalfa Drew Justice with longhair white cat Princess Flufferina

The Little Rascals Save the Day - Spanky Jet Jurgensmeyer carrying longhair white cat Princess Flufferina into clubhouse

The machine is a conveyer belt contraption that showers the animals, sprays them with soap via squirt guns, scrubs them with gloved “hands”, dries them and then delivers them safely at the end. Flufferina is brought to the box that will take her through the machine. A bit of food has been smeared on the edge of the wooden box to help keep the cat actor in place.

The Little Rascals Save the Day - Alfalfa Drew Justice with longhair white cat Princess Flufferina licking food from side of box

All goes well until Spanky accidentally fills the soap guns with green dye. When the animals start coming out green, the kids realize what has gone wrong. But Princess Flufferina is already heading into the machine.

The Little Rascals Save the Day - longhair white cat Princess Flufferina heading toward squirting green dye

The Little Rascals Save the Day - Alfalfa Drew Justice watching longhair white cat Princess Flufferina

Alfalfa tries to reach the cat but gets tangled up in the wiring, making it impossible to stop. Princess Flufferina’s eyes grow wide (more animation) as she is squirted with the green dye.

The Little Rascals Save the Day - longhair white cat Princess Flufferina surrounded by green bubbles heading into machine

The Little Rascals Save the Day - longhair white cat Princess Flufferina with extra wide green eyes

The Little Rascals Save the Day - longhair white cat Princess Flufferina heading into washing machine filled with green dye animated gif

When Mary Ann (Jenna Ortega) brings the green Princess Flufferina out to Darla, Darla lets out a scream.

The Little Rascals Save the Day - Mary Ann Jenna Ortega carrying longhair green cat Princess Flufferina

Cat Burglar (Scene Stealer): In another scene, the gang has built a taxi cab to take fares around the city. As in the classic Our Gang shorts, the cab is powered by Petey (played by canine actor Jules). When the cab is ready to go, Stymie (Connor Berry) pulls a lever which opens a door between Petey and a ginger tabby cat separated by chicken wire. The cat licks at the wire as if sticking its tongue out at the dog. When Petey runs at the cat, he moves a treadmill which powers the car.

The Little Rascals Save the Day - Petey dog Jules looking at ginger tabby cat on other side of mesh

The Little Rascals Save the Day - ginger tabby cat licking mesh

The Little Rascals Save the Day - Petey dog Jules looking at ginger tabby cat on other side of mesh powering car driven by Stymie Connor Berry animated gif

We see the cat again when the taxi starts up again later, but there is no sign of the cat when the taxi ulitimately crashes. But at least in this updated version the cat is much less upset than some of the cats placed in the same situation in the original shorts.