First up is a classic Mickey Mouse cartoon, The Little Whirlwind (1941). This film marked a milestone in Mickey's movie career. In Mickey's earliest cartoons there was a real playfulness and silliness to Mickey's character. In fact this movie shows that personality trait in abundance, with this being the mouse's defining trait in this film. However by the late thirties this playfulness seemed to disappear. Walt wanted to return to this earlier version of the character and with The Little Whirlwind, the studio began to bring this back to the character. The storyline itself is actually based off a small gag in Playful Pluto (1934) in which Mickey is raking leaves and a little whirlwind blows it away. Much of the story is also borrowed from an unfinished Mickey cartoon called, Mickey's Elopement. This includes some of Mickey's clowning around proving that the idea to return to this version of Mickey was around before The Little Whirlwind. The film features a new design for Mickey with three dimensional ears and a sillier more cartoony look. The following is an exhibitor's review from The Motion Picture Herald, "Little Whirlwind, The: Walt Disney Productions - Here is a wonderful piece of animation. A baby whirlwind and its mother or father (I couldn't tell which one) cause Mickey Mouse plenty of trouble. It was well liked but did not get the laughs that Disney usually manages to receive. I do not know why. Running Time, 8 minutes. - W. Varick Nevins III, Alfred Co-op Theatre, Alfred, N.Y. Small college town and rural patronage." To see who animated what in this movie it can be found if you click here.
With Gene Deitch's recent passing, I have been watching his cartoons a lot lately. One of my favorites is How to Win on the Thruway (1962). This is one of his four "self-help" films.
Next comes one of the Walter Lantz Pooch the Pup cartoons, Pin Feathers (1933). This film has less of the absurd over the top humor that is in much of the other entries and there is actually a bit of cutesiness which is rare for the series. However like the rest of the series this movie is still quite a bit of fun. An exhibitor's review in the Motion Picture Herald called this "the best cartoon we have got from Universal in a long while."
Being a silent movie fan and a cartoon fan, naturally a series like Chaplin and Co. (2011-2012) would capture my attention. This was a French animated TV show staring an animated version of Charlie Chaplin. While obviously not as great as an actual Charlie Chaplin movie, this is an enjoyable little series.
Now to go from a cartoon based off silent movies, to a cartoon that is a silent movie, here is a Jerry on the Job cartoon called Pigs in Clover (1919).
As many of you know the early Betty Boop cartoons were the most pre-code cartoons of the pre-code era. Even often pushing the boundaries of what you could get away with even in the pre-code era. An especially potent example is Betty Boop's Big Boss (1934). This movie features Betty Boop using sex to get ahead in the work place, far from the family friendly Betty cartoons with Pudgy that would be turned out after the production code was in full effect. One must imagine that this movie raised some eyebrows when originally released. One exhibitors review from the Motion Picture Herald stated "Pass on this one. Just some more of Hollywood's dirty ideas." A review in The Film Daily was more positive calling the film "Good and jazzy with a modern touch." I think this big boss could take Betty's Boop-oop-a-doop away.
Thanks for joining me come back next week for more animated treasures. Until then peace, love and cartoons.
-Michael J. Ruhland
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