Traffic Troubles is a typically fast paced and fun Mickey Mouse short from the early 1930's. There is nothing new innovated here, but the cartoon is too much fun to let that bother you.This cartoon was directed by Burt Gillett. Gillet was one of the studio's major directors of the early 1930's. His cartoons include such classics as The Chain Gang (1930), Mickey's Orphans (1931), Flowers and Trees (1932), Trader Mickey (1932), Mickey's Good Deed (1932), The Three Little Pigs (1933), Mickey's Gala Premiere (1933), Playful Pluto (1934) and many others.
Animation for this film began on December 12, 1930 and was completed on January 1, 1931. It was released on March 7, 1931. A famous story about the making of this cartoon involved a scene David Hand was animating. Walt kept telling him, the scene needed to be more exaggerated. This made Hand so frustrated he decided to show Walt he would make it twice as exaggerated. Though Hand felt this might get him fired, this new animation was exactly what Walt wanted.
This cartoon is one of the five viewable in the Main Street Cinema in Disneyland.
In 1933, this cartoon was released on 16mm film, for home viewing. This 16mm film was silent, and could rented for 75 cents.
AnimationDavid Hand (M.L.S. Mickey driving down the street in a taxi and yelling "taxi" -cars pass him - two trucks squeeze him between - etc.; M.L.S. Mickey driving down the street in a taxi and yelling "taxi" - Mickey puts on brakes, skids and stops - ties up traffic - hops out and opens door; M.L.S. Car going to music - turns back view = blow out - license pate "O-Heck" gag; C.U. Car - salesman pouring stuff into radiator, car watches, etc.)
Les Clark (M.C.U. Dignified old pig standing on curb yells "taxi", whistles and motions; M.C.U. Mickey holding door open - pig gets in - weight sags cab down - cop's whistle heard offscreen)
Tom Palmer (C.U. Mickey - cop comes in blowing whistle - bawls Mickey out then lets him go - dialogue; M.L.S. Cab hitting bumps - bounces pig and cab off into mud, pig runs and gets back on chassis - bounces off again, etc.; M.L.S. Mickey and cab - Minnie runs in and stops, out of breath - dialogue - she gets in and drive to left on pan; Salesman dialogue - cut up into different shots)
Ben Sharpsteen (L.S. Mickey drives off - cop blows whistle and traffic shoots by him - tear cops clothes off - Austin between legs; Still scene. Car drives in and parks - bites car in fanny to make it move up - car shoots exhaust in cabs face; C.U. Cab starts to bite car again - Mickey stops it - Mickey looks in cab and discovers pig is gone; M.L.S. Pan. Mickey chasing car - catches up - grabs top - it accordions out - drags him on ground - he runs up pleats like steps and hops into car; L.S. Still scene - car comes from right - hits rock - chassis stays on scene - body shoots off to left)
Dick Lundy (Bunch of cars - Austin climbs over top lands on Mickey's car - gives razz and off; C.U. Front of car looking back at Mickey - turns and gives sign of relief looks back again and smiles; M.L.S. Mickey starts to pump, it breaks and Mickey is mad - Mickey gets mad - pig comes in - Mickey grabs pig, puts horse over his snout; M.L.S. Cow in pasture - body of car shoots in, lands on cow - cow moos, starts to run with car on body)
Jack King (Austin - Mickey passes over - shoots exhaust & knocks it off - Austin passes like kiddy car - Austin in mud puddle; C.U. Minnie in cab window - giggles - pulls out accordion and starts to play "The Blacksmith"; M.L.S. Mickey holding hopping up and down on pig - tire gets larger - air goes back into pig - hose pops off - pig shoots into air, etc. accordion gag)
Norm Ferguson (C.U. Interior cab - pig bouncing on seat - hits head on top - knocks head into body - head comes out, etc.; Mickey's car hitting bumps - tries to dodge - straddle; Cop walking down sidewalk swinging club and whistling "Wearing of the Green"; M.C.U. Mickey walking down sidewalk beside cab parked in front of fireplug - sees cop coming , gets scared; Mickey shakes hands with little guy, comes in on pan. Cop stops looks and walks off fire plug, etc. Back view of cow running - goofy run on cow - barn comes up on perspective, cow crashes thru - pan inside barn; L.S. Exterior barn at right - chickens and ducks coming out squawking - cow with car on bursts out - move pan - cow runs chasing chickens - other chickens on cow and cab - all crash into silo - feathers fill scene - fall down revealing chickens naked and cow covered with feathers - go off scene - Mickey and Minnie come out of pile of feathers, both covered in feathers - Minnie cackles - Mickey crows and flaps wings - Iris out)
Frenchy Tr'emaudan (C.U. Mickey in cab - meter clicking - hits bump - clicks up extra dollars - hits another bump & drops back to 45 cents)
Story: Mickey is a cab driver. A pig wants to get a ride in Mickey's Taxi but is too fat. While getting the pig in the cab Mickey is also having trouble with a cop. The ride proves not to be a smooth one and the pig falls out. Meanwhile Minnie needs a ride. However they have a flat tire. The car pump breaks. So an unwilling pig helps Mickey blow up the tire. Pete comes selling pep pills. The pills not only make the car go, but makes it run like crazy leading to accidents involving a cow, chickens and a silo.
-Michael J. Ruhland
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