Monkey Business (1926) User Reviews

I don't like mondeys.

[ghcheese · 7/10 · 17 October 2020]

One of the few episodes I didn't really like. I want to watch the kids. Not a monkey. The monkey was the star of this one.

Monkey Business is a funny slapstick-filled Our Gang short

[tavm · 7/10 · 29 September 2014]

This Hal Roach comedy short, Monkey Business, is the forty-eighth in the "Our Gang/Little Rascals" series. With Farina having previously had a scene with a chimp in the last short-Buried Treasure-a whole short with possibly this same animal was going to be the next ep. Both are running away from abuse-the simian from his owner, Farina from the gang and his parents who keep hitting each other (this was the most uncomfortable part of the short). After the monkey beats up Mickey, he offers him membership in the gang. He also proposes a show for him. I'm sure that's gonna go well...The monkeyshines (sorry, couldn't resist) dominate this one and I found most of it funny. Incidentally, the first cop that appears is Robert A. McGowan, nephew of director Robert F. McGowan. He would later helm many Our Gang shorts as Anthony Mack under the supervision of his uncle. So on that note, I recommend Monkey Business.

It's actually a chimp....not a monkey.

[planktonrules · 6/10 · 6 March 2012]

This isn't one of the better Our Gang comedies but it does at least have a few funny moments. It begins with some sickos training their chimps to box for their traveling show. Not surprisingly, the chimps don't enjoy this and one of them runs off--and soon meets up with Farina. Farina is scared at first but soon likes having this new friend, as the other kids loved to beat up on him--and the chimp helps him turn the tables on them. While this all sounds great, soon the chimp runs amok--stealing a police car, firing a gun and doing lots of other insane things.

Some Our Gang comedies excel because they create realistic and funny situations. This one, however, isn't the least bit realistic--just very goofy and stupid. But, if you turn off your brain and just watch, it's decent fun and stacks up reasonably well with other silent Our Gang comedies.

Farina and His Monkey

[Michael_Elliott · 31 January 2011]

Monkey Business (1926)

** 1/2 (out of 4)

An abused monkey runs away from his owner the same time Farina plans on running away due to the kids beating him up as well as his parents always fighting. The monkey and Farina eventually meet up and decide to take on the bullies. This one-reeler from Hal Roach is a pretty good entry in the Our Gang series, although I'm sure some are going to object to the "abuse" Farina's parents put him through. One scene has Farina's father spanking him extremely hard when the monkey goes on the attack and beats the fire out of him. Later we see the monkey going after Mickey and whooping him. The final few minutes of the flick has the kids trying to track the monkey down who is running all around town beating everyone up including a funny bit with a cop. If you like violence then this short is going to give you quite a bit of it. There's nothing overly funny here but there are several scenes that will at least put a smile on your face. The teaming of Farina and the monkey actually works as they're cute together.