Mickey Mouse in "Puppy Love" (1933)

It has been commonly said among cartoon fans that the Disney shorts are more sentimental, while the Warner Brothers and MGM shorts are wackier and funnier. I have often argued on this blog that there are many Disney cartoons that are pure cartoony gagfests and the Disney cartoons could be just as wacky as anything the other studios were doing. Still there are Disney cartoons that fit completely into the sentimental stereotype. Puppy Love is a very cute and very sentimental cartoon. In my opinion it is one of the best of the more sentimental Disney shorts. Part of this is due to how clever the basic premise is. I love the idea of having Pluto and Fifi's romantic troubles perfectly mirror the romantic troubles of Mickey and Minnie. This simple premise is completely charming and irresistible, even to those who normally prefer the sillier and more cartoony side of Disney shorts. 

This short marks the screen debut of Fifi, Minnie's dog and Pluto's girlfriend. This character only appeared in a handful of theatrical shorts. Her other classic short films include The Dognapper (1934), Pluto's Quin-puplets (1937), Society Dog Show (1939) and Mickey's Surprise Party (1939). She has brief cameos in Mickey's Polo Team (1936) and Pluto's Blue Note (1947). She would later become a reoccurring character in the TV series The Wonderful World of Mickey Mouse and Chip 'n' Dale: Park Life. She can be seen on the Walt Disney World version of Its a Small World but can't be seen in other Disney parks' versions of the ride. Though this may have marked Fifi's first appearance on the movie screen, the character had appeared previously in the comics under the name Flapper. 

The more sentimental storyline here pushed the Disney animators to bring out more emotion in these characters. This was something not necessary in most of the silly slapstick comedies the studio was making at this time. However, as we all know it was something that would become important in later Disney films. In their book on Mickey, J.B. Kaufman and David Gerstein wrote, "This charming short may have had a special significance to Walt, for the emotional interactions of its characters made fresh demands on the animators - and they rose to the challenge. In particular this film marked a turning point for Fred Moore establishing him as one of the very top tier of Mouse artists."

Wilfred Jackson, one of Disney's best directors at this time directed the cartoon. Walt Disney, himself, provided the voice of Mickey while Marcellite Garner provided the voice of Minnie. 

The following is from an article from The Film Daily dated November 4, 1933. "Several effective merchandise tie-ups were made for the showing of the new Mickey Mouse feature, 'Puppy Love,' at the Rivoli Theater, New York. Saks department store devoted a prominent window to dog accessories and an enlargement of a still from 'Puppy Love.' Brentano's bookstore gave a window to 'Puppy Love books for Young and Old,' using a large paper mâché Mickey Mouse figure as a centerpiece, around which was built a display of dog books. The fact that these stores seldom give window space to films shows the immense respect and popularity attained by the Walt Disney short subjects." 

The following is an exhibitor's review from the Motion Picture Herald, "PUPPY LOVE: Mickey Mouse— This is a very good cartoon comedy with Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse at their best. Full of good entertainment, especially for the kids. The last few issues were not so good, but this one will make up for all of the other bad ones. Running time, eight minutes. - J.J. Medford, Orpheum Theatre, Oxford, N.C., General Patronage." 

This short made its TV debut on an episode The Mickey Mouse Club that aired on December 2, 1955. 

Motion Picture Herald, 1932

Animation 

Johnny Cannon (Minnie's bedroom -- radio playing; move down on one. C.U. of Minnie powdering Fifi -- lipstick; Minnie sees Mickey approaching; Mickey and Pluto walking along -- stop at gate; Mickey sighs and goes through gate; Mickey on porch -- enters -- dogs meet)

Ben Sharpsteen (C.U. of birds (Ben supervising Paul Allen); C.U. of squirrels; statues in love (Ben supervising Paul Allen); rear view --- Mickey and Minnie playing (Ben supervising Dick Huemer); Flash Mickey and Minnie playing (Ben supervising Dick Huemer); Birds quarrel (Ben supervising Paul Allen); Squirrells quarrel (Ben supervising Paul Allen); Statures quarrel (Ben supervising Paul Allen))

Frenchy de Trémaudan (Mickey presents candy and flowers)

Norm Ferguson (Porch scene --- cupid shoots Pluto in fanny; Couch scene --- Pluto in --- starts love stuff; C.U. of dogs; Couch scene --- Fifi runs through door; Candy scene --- Pluto sniffs it; Pluto takes box; Kitchen scene --- Pluto drops box; S.C.U. Fifi kisses Pluto --- he runs wild; Pluto's goofy pose --- he sees box; Pluto puts bone in box --- starts out; Outside door -- Pluto puts box back; Dogs argue; Pluto blows Fifi back; Porch scene -- dogs make up)

Dick Lundy (Minnie talks about song --- Mickey plays; C.U. Minnie sings to canaries; C.U. Mickey playing --- Minnie sings to dogs; C.U. Mickey playing --- Minnie sings --- both play)

Fred Moore (Mickey and Minnie finish --- talk; Minnie opens candy box argument starts; Mickey back against door --- whistles; Mickey slams door objects fall; Mickey slams gate -- pickets fall; Mickey sits down on garbage pail; Mickey talks to himself --- looks up; More Mickey talking to self; More Mickey talking -- he hears Minnie --- runs on fast pan --- outside of door, Mickey stumbles) 

Les Clark (Minnie throws flowers --- cries; Minnie crying --- sees Fifi with candy; Minnie opens door; Minnie calls "Mickey." Mickey runs -- stumbles -- rolls into scene -- Mickey and Minnie sing) 

Story: As this film starts Minnie is getting herself and Fifi ready for Mickey and Pluto to come over. As Minnie is getting ready, she is listening to happy music about springtime on her radio. Mickey and Pluto are heading over to Minnie's house with Mickey holding flowers and a box of candy. When they reach the door Minnie invites Mickey in, and Fifi comes out to see Pluto. Minnie is overjoyed by Mickey's gifts, while Fifi and Pluto flirt with each other outside. Fifi then motions for Pluto and her to go inside, and they do. Meanwhile Minnie asks Mickey to play a song on the piano while she sings. They perform a romantic song together entitled That's Called Puppy Love (an original song by Disney composer Frank Churchill). While they are performing, Pluto and Fifi get into the candy that Mickey brought. After going through most of the candy, Pluto puts a bone in the box, hoping that Mickey and Minnie won't notice. When Minnie opens the candy box and sees a bone, she gets very angry at Mickey. When Pluto finds this funny, Fifi gets angry at him as well. Minnie throws Mickey out of the house and Pluto goes with him. Fifi brings the candy that is left to Minnie. Then Minnie realizes she misjudged Mickey. Minnie goes out to the porch and calls Mickey back. Mickey and Minnie make up as do Pluto and Fifi. Mickey and Minnie perform a reprise of the earlier song's chorus. 


Here is the original black and white version of this film. 

The cartoon would later be colorized.

Resources Used

Walt Disney's Mickey Mouse: The Ultimate History by J.B. Kaufman and David Gerstein

https://disney.fandom.com/wiki/Puppy_Love#Releases

https://afilmla.blogspot.com/search/label/Shorts_UA?updated-max=2008-11-18T21:00:00-08:00&max-results=20&start=8&by-date=false

https://lantern.mediahist.org/