Little Pest (1933) - A Scrappy short that's actually pretty funny

If you have about seven minutes to kill and you don't mind the weird, wobbly animation of the 1930s, Little Pest is actually worth a look. It is mostly for people who grew up with an annoying younger sibling who just would not leave you alone.

If you hate repetitive gags or that high-pitched cartoon squealing, you should probly skip this one. It's a Scrappy short, and if you know Scrappy, you know what you're getting into.

The whole thing starts with Scrappy and his dog trying to sneak away for a fishing trip. They are being all quiet and sneaky, but Oopie—the little brother—is already on their tail.

I love how the dog moves in this. His legs look like they are made of wet noodles and he has this determined look on his face while he's trying to outrun a literal toddler.

Scrappy tries everything to ditch him. He climbs fences, he runs fast, he basically does everything but build a wall, but Oopie just keeps appearing.

There is this one bit where Scrappy thinks he finally got away and reaches the lake. He looks so relieved, like he’s finally found inner peace or something.

Then he looks down and Oopie is already there, sitting on a rock, just waiting. It’s actually kind of terrifying if you think about it too much. How did he get there so fast?

The logic of these old cartoons is just better than modern stuff sometimes. No explanation, he's just there because it’s funnier that way.

Once they actually start fishing, the movie gets even weirder. The fish in this lake aren't just animals; they are total jerks.

One fish literally goes underwater to tie their lines together. I swear, the fish has this smug expression that made me want to reach into the screen and grab it.

It reminds me a bit of the kid-logic you see in shorts like Wiggle Your Ears, where the world is just out to get the main characters. Everything is a struggle for no reason.

There is a scene where Scrappy and Oopie start competing to see who can catch the biggest fish. It's classic sibling rivalry stuff.

Oopie, of course, has all the luck while Scrappy just gets more and more frustrated. You can see his face turning red even though the movie is in black and white.

The animation by Dick Huemer has that stretchy quality where characters don't really have bones. It makes the slapstick feel more violent but also less hurtful?

At one point, a fish actually gets the better of the dog, and the dog looks so embarrassed. It's a small moment, but the timing is perfect.

I did notice that the background art is super simple, almost like they ran out of money for trees. But the character movement is so busy you don't really care.

It’s not quite as weird as some of the stuff in Three Hollywood Girls, but it has that same 1930s energy where anything can happen. Rules of physics just don't apply here.

The ending is a bit abrupt, which I guess is normal for these things. They just kind of stop once they run out of fishing jokes.

I think the best part is really just the facial expressions on the fish. They look so dishonest.

Anyway, it’s a solid little cartoon. It doesn't try to be deep or teach a lesson, it just shows a kid getting bullied by a fish and his brother. 🎣

If you're looking for something more serious, maybe go watch Blood and Sand instead. This is definitely just for when you want to see a dog turn into a pretzel.

Things I noticed:

• The way Oopie blinks is slightly creepy.
• The worms they use for bait look way too happy to be there.
• The water effects are actually pretty decent for 1933.
• Scrappy’s hat never falls off, no matter what. Pure magic.

Overall, it's a fun time-waster. Just don't expect it to make any sense.