Mind Your Own Business (1936) is pure, chaotic boy scout madness

Should you watch Mind Your Own Business today? Yes, if you love fast-talking 1930s screwballs where things get incredibly stupid in the best way.

But if you hate goofy old-school comedies with boy scouts and talking-animal metaphors, steer clear.

The setup is just wild. 🦉

Charles Ruggles plays this quiet guy who writes a garden column, but his wife (Alice Brady, who is amazing) convinces him to spruce it up.

So he starts writing city gossip but using forest animals as code names.

Like, "the old owl is cheating on his wife" or whatever.

It is extremely silly.

But then he accidentally predicts a real gangland murder, and suddenly the mob are after him.

The pacing is totally manic.

It reminds me a bit of the chaotic energy in Speed in the Gay Nineties, just constant shouting and running.

My favorite part is when the Los Angeles Boy Scout Troop #107 shows up.

They basically become a mini army to save him.

There is a kid who looks about 30 years old playing a scout. I swear he has a five o'clock shadow in one shot.

The movie doesn't really care about making sense.

Gene Lockhart plays a politician who is just constantly sweating. Like, why is he so wet?

There is a scene where a guy gets knocked out and the sound effect is like a hollow coconut.

It made me laugh out loud.

Some of the jokes don't land at all, obviously.

It's from 1936, so some of the humor is pretty dusty.

Like, there is a whole bit with a parrot that just goes on for three minutes too long.

But the sheer speed of the thing keeps you awake.

It has that same breezy, don't-think-too-hard vibe as Headlines but with way more forest animal jokes. 📰

If you want a masterpiece, look elsewhere.

But if you want to see Charles Ruggles look terrified while actual scout troops run around trying to fight gangsters, this is a goldmine. 🪵