"Donald and Pluto" (1936)

At the time this cartoon was released the Disney Studio was only making two cartoon series. These were the Silly Smymphonies and the Mickey Mouse cartoons. The Donald Duck series would start later with Don Donald. Because of this, despite not featuring Mickey Mouse, Donald and Pluto was released as a Mickey Mouse cartoon.The following is from an article in Motion Picture Daily (dated November 7, 1936).

"They say its a lot of hard work. Granted. It must also be carloads of fun for Walt Disney and his gang to turn out those Mickey Mouses and Silly Symphonies. And while that observation may carry with it elements of speculation, there can be none about the reaction of those who sit comfortably in the projection room to observe, to chuckle and to guffaw at the incomparable results of this Hollywood enterprise.

"Five displayed themselves yesterday. They were 'Donald and Pluto' but Walt should have screen credit to the magnet which provides the chief reason for riot; 'The Three Blind Mouskeers' or picnics among the mice a la broad Alexandre Dumas; 'Mickey's Elephant' introducing a new and jolly character raising havoc with Pluto; 'Mother Pluto' which reveals the famous canine as far more maternal than you might have suspected, and 'The Country Cousin' replete with cheese, champagne and the adventures of a country bumpkin mouse amidst the perils of the big city.

"All in color and loaded with genuine wit and charm, we should hate to be driven into a corner and told to pick the best. Therefore we won't."

AnimationAl Eugster (A satchel - tools attracted out; Duck on pilce [I know this is not a real word but it is written on the draft I used as a resource] of props - gets tools with magnet - sees Pluto o.s.; Duck with magnet extends towards Pluto; Duck gets sledge - magnet knocked from pipe - falls out of scene)
Shamus Culhane (Pluto - bone in pan - sledge hammer under him; Sledge attracted by magnet - goes up out of scene - Pluto surprised; Roof - Pluto in a whirl; Roof - Pluto whirls - flies off to left; Cellar door - duck and Pluto fall in)
Fred Spencer (Magnet falls on bench - attracts bone in pan, magnet catches Pluto's nose in pan - pan thrown out of scene; Long shot - Pluto, pan, magnet and magnetic waves; Pluto swallows magnet - pan on rear - tries to shake off pan; Pluto in crashes into trunk; Duck upset - falls out of scene; Duck into tub - blubbers; Sun room - C.U. - Duck with wrench hurts Pluto; Duck jerked along ceiling; Kitchen ceiling - duck into fan; Kitchen ceiling - more whirling in fan; Kitchen ceiling - Duck pulled into lamp cord electric shock; Kitchen ceiling - duck drops almost hits floor; Duck hits ceiling - angry - pulls; Duck bumping along ceiling; Duck below on ceiling; C.U. Magnet clumps duck to furnace - misc. props in - Pluto in licks bone - IRIS OUT)
Norm Ferguson (Dinning room table - Pluto and alarm clock; Living room - Pluto through rocker - clock rolls out; Pluto in corner - cornered by clock; C.U. Pluto - clock in f.g. - big; Pluto and rolling pin)

Bill Roberts (Stairway - Pluto up and out; Kitchen - Pluto in - circles and backs up; Doors of kitchen cabinet open - Pots and pans out; Pluto - Pots and Pans hit him - he runs out through swinging door; Dinning room - Pluto through swinging door - bone dish in - hits him in mouth; Pendulum dining room - Pluto smacked by clock; Living room - Pluto - alarm clock - bear rug; Dinning room - Pluto skids on rug - pan and bone attracted to Pluto; C.U. - kitchen - cleaver menaces; Pluto in kitchen - sees cleaver - takes it flops; C.U. knives bust out of drawer;  Kitchen - Pluto pursed by knives - rug hit by knives; Entry way - Pluto pursued; Pluto and knives circle to right; Pluto and knives circle to left; Trap door - Pluto through - knives stuck in door; L.S. basement - Pluto in - backs towards ladder - duck; C.U. Nails come out of ladder; Nails hit Pluto - he takes it- runs out through foreground - Bog; C.U. Duck falls as ladder disintegrates; Duck into washer - through ringer into basket; Pluto sneaks off - Duck attracted - Pluto runs out; Basement stairway - Pluto up and out - Duck falls; L.S. - Sun room - Pluto skids on rug - goes upstairs; M.L.S. - roof - Pluto through door on roof; Roof - Pluto relieved - sits down; Sun room - duck attracted up; Sun room ceiling - duck hits; Roof - Pluto struggles - starts moving along on fanny; Pluto dragged along roof; Still Roof - C.U. Pluto takes shock - up in air; Roof - Pluto knocks down ladder; Pluto above on ladder; Roof edge - Pluto and duck out on ladder - ladder falls; C.U. - Pluto hits cellar step - magnet flies out)

Story: Donald is a plumber fixing some pipes in a basement. He accidently drops a magnet which attracts Pluto's food dish. Trying to get the magnet off his food dish, Pluto accidentally swallows it and attracts every metal thing around him. Pluto's fanny eventually attracts the nails in Donald's ladder and Donald's wrench. The magnet is eventually knocked out of Pluto but it catches Donald in an uncomfortable spot.


   

  -Michael J. Ruhland