Poster

T-Bone for Two

A Pluto Cartoon

Release Date : August 14, 1942

Running Time : 7:07

Synopsis

Pluto tries differing ways of attempting to steal a bone from Butch.

Characters

Pluto
Butch, the Bulldog

Credits

Director
Gerry "Clyde" Geronomi

Video

United States
Cartoon Classics : Limited Gold Editions II : From Pluto with Love
Germany
Pluto auf der Jagd
Pluto Ein Schlappohr Hetzt die Meute
France
Les Nouvelles Aventures de Pluto
Italy
Video Parade 17
Le Nuove Avventure di Pluto

Laserdiscs

United States
Cartoon Classics : Limited Gold Editions II : From Pluto with Love
Japan
More Tales of Pluto

DVD

United States
Disney Treasures : The Complete Pluto Volume 1
Germany
Disney Treasures : The Complete Pluto Volume 1

Television

The Ink and Paint Club: Episode 17: Pluto's Rival Butch
Mickey's Mouse Tracks: Episode 35

Technical Specification

Color Type: Technicolor
Animation Type: Standard animation
Sound Mix: Mono
Aspect Ratio: 1.37 : 1
Negative Format: 35mm
Print Format: 35mm
Cinematographic Process: Spherical
Original Language: English

Released by RKO Radio Pictures, Inc.

Comments

From Ryan Kilpatrick at The Disney Film Project : Pluto seems to have a lot of trouble finding and keeping food. At least that is what I have gleaned from his most recent shorts. Between the lengths he went to keep his bone to himself while sleepwalking and how he tries to get a bone in this short, T-Bone for Two, I worry that Mickey is not feeding him enough.

T-Bone for Two is a simple, straightforward Pluto short, and is entertaining enough. There’s nothing extraordinary about Pluto trying to steal a bone from a large bulldog. As we’ve said here before, in order for Pluto to be interesting, the animation has to convey emotion well, or he has to have some sort of outside voice, like the angel or devil on his shoulder.

Here, the animation is the key. It’s very fluid, lifelike and fun. The first part of this short, when Pluto is sneaking around the junkyard, trying to find a way to the bone, seemed very much like a Looney Tunes cartoon to me. It was just…different than what I expected from a Disney short. Even the music was a little different than the typical Pluto short. Pluto’s motions of sticking to the ground and creeping around and through obstacles was quite funny, especially when he’s scared off by the bulldog and goes through all of this in reverse.

This short shows a little more clever side of Pluto, which is interesting. In the past he’s always been portrayed as somewhat of a dimwit, even when things work out for him. Here, Pluto is the smart one, trying to outsmart the bulldog and get the bone for himself. His first ploy is pretty smart, I have to say. Pluto marches off like he’s following a treasure map, then digs a giant hole in the shape of a bone.

The bulldog falls for it, and Pluto manages to grab the bone and escape, at least temporarily. It’s pretty amusing, seeing the big dog throw his bone aside then come to the realization that he’s been had. Pluto’s run to hide is pretty funny, as is his interaction in the junkyard with a horn.

As he sits down to chew on the bone, Pluto sits on a horn, and when he gets up, the resulting in rush of air sucks the bone inside. It’s a funny joke, but it goes on a little too long. Pluto keeps getting the bone stuck inside, and rather than grabbing it and running away from the horn, he keeps getting stuck. It sort of contradicts how smart he was earlier in the short.

Even the finale of the short shows Pluto’s newly obtained smarts. When the bulldog locates him, Pluto looks like he’s in big trouble, but instead, he uses the horn to fasten around the bulldog’s nose. Then, jumping up and down on the horn, he blows the bulldog up like a balloon and sends him flying off into the ether. It’s a funny bit, but not super original. Kind of sums up the whole short – it’s funny and a nice diversion, but not one of Disney’s more memorable shorts.

From Nikki : This is definitely one of my favorites. When Butch has the bone Pluto makes up this idea. He starts digging a hole in the shape of an extra large bone, he simply licks his chops and makes sure he pretends to measure out the locations when Butch finally gives up the bone he has and goes after the pretend bone that Pluto has dug up. He digs for quite a long time before realizing that it was a trick and Pluto has already made off with the bone. Its get even better when Pluto runs into a bicycle horn that his bone gets stuck in. Eventually Butch finally finds him and tries to take the bone back.
From Stephen : I think this is probably my favorite short of all time. The reason being I used to watch it over and over again when I was a kid. I own From Pluto with Love now, and remember renting it when I was about 3 or 4. It is my favorite, and I especially like the part when Pluto fakes out Butch with the hole in the ground.
From Baruch Weiss : This short is okay. It reminds me of my two dogs, Gigi and Rusty who fight over bones if one does not get one!

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