"A Mickey Mouse Cartoon"

Release Date (November 15, 1928 - see comments)

Running Time 6:58

Synopsis

Mickey wants to take Minnie to a dance, but Pete's flashy car beats Mickey's horse-drawn wagon as her transportation of choice. At the dance, Mickey uses some balloons to make himself light on his feet - the perfect dancing partner - but this doesn't keep Minnie at his side for long, either.

Characters

Mickey Mouse

Minnie Mouse

Pete

Parrot

Credits

Director : Walt Disney

Animation : Ub Iwerks

Music : Carl Stalling

DVD

Disney Treasures : Mickey Mouse in Black and White Volume 2

Television

The Ink and Paint Club : #60 : Mickey's Boogie

Technical Specifications

Color Type : Black and White

Animation type : Standard

Sound mix : Mono (Cinephone)

Aspect ration : 1.37 : 1

Negative format : 35mm

Print format : 35mm

Cinematographic process : Spherical

Original language : English

Released by Celebrity Productions, Inc.

Gallery

Click on the thumbnail for the full-sized picture

Comments

Some sources give this film a March 14th, 1929 release date.

From Ryan Wilson : If you asked me what my favorite Disney short is I probably couldn't give you a specific one, but this is on my top 10 list. It reminds me of a night when I went to my senior prom with a friend of mine (I didn't have a girlfriend then). I was low on cash so I drove my car up there, but then came the best football player in school riding in a shiny black limo. Unfortunately the limo didn't fall apart like Pete's car did so she rode with him. At the prom, I danced with her, but like Mickey, I was an awful dancer. She danced with the other guy and I went home and cried kind of like Mickey did at the end of the cartoon.

From Jerry Edwards : While I consider this short rather boring, there are a few gags I enjoy. I enjoy that when Mickey's horse goes into a trot, the buggy's wheels also go into a trot. Mickey's face turning into a donkey's face when Minnie confronts him over his clumsy feet is a fun gag.

The ending was quite a shock to me when I first saw it - Mickey left crying on the floor.

From Lee Suggs : This is the fourth of the Mickey Mouse shorts, and interesting in many ways. First the parrot from "Steamboat Willie" is on Mickey's porch. It doesn't make sense he'd be there, and I don't believe he ever appears again. Maybe they wanted to connect this short to "Steamboat Willie's" success. It is also interesting that "Pete's" appearance is so different than his appearance in earlier shorts. I actually believe that this isn't Pete. (He has two legs for one thing, something the animators didn't so consistently until much later.) If it is him he looks and acts completely differently than he did in any other short. It is also interesting that Mickey is such an awkward dancer considering how skilled he is at this later. Finally Minnie is clearly not Mickey's "girl" in this short. She is in fact very nasty and shallow. (Whoever has the most interesting transportation is her date?!) I think why were seeing here is the evolution of the Mickey, Minnie, and "Pete" characters. Disney at this point hadn't settled on their personalities. So even if this short is quite primitive, it does provide an interesting insight on the development of the Disney characters.

From Ryan : As Lee Suggs pointed out, this short was quite different than most Mickey shorts. Pete is the one who Minnie falls in loves with and ends up dancing with. My first reaction seeing Mickey left crying on the floor was "Aw, poor Mickey!" I had long wondered what the name of the second song was that the band was playing. Then I saw that someone on the Message Boards had a question about it and there was a reply. It was "Reuben and Rachel."

From Rachel Newstead : The first Mickey short after the history-making "Steamboat Willie," this cartoon has much of the crudeness of that cartoon, yet lacks much of its vitality. For the first time, however, we are treated to a more coherent story featuring Disney's newest star.

We see Mickey plodding along in his horse-drawn cart, on his way to pick up Minnie for the dance. Minnie, grabbing her voluminous bloomers from the clothesline, greets him with a "Yoo-hoo," probably the first instance in which she or Mickey do not communicate in squeaks.

No sooner does Mickey arrive than he's promptly shown up by Pete, who has come in his brand-new car, honking loudly. Not to be outdone, Mickey grabs a duck and squeezes it, providing some impromptu honking of his own. (Which provides us with probably the first intelligible dialogue in a cartoon, from Minnie's parrot--"Stop that blankety-blank noise!!") Minnie, fickle thing that she is, snubs Mickey and prepares to ride off with Pete, whose car falls apart the moment he starts it. Figuring any transportation is better than none (wonderful gal, isn't she?) she rides off with Mickey and his nag.

At the dance, we quickly learn that Mickey is anything but the hero in this picture. He's an awkward dancer (illustrated by feet that get larger and more ungainly with every step), pulling poor Minnie's legs out of shape. Worth noting is that in these early days, much of the wild distortion of early cartoons is still in effect--Minnie simply ties her stretched-out leg in a knot and cuts off the excess. (Disney would soon abandon this kind of Felix-like bodily distortion). In an effort to win her back, Mickey resorts to deception--putting balloons in his pants, he becomes literally "light on his feet", and wins back Minnie, who has gone off with superior dancer Pete. The deception doesn't last long--the balloon pops and Minnie disgustedly walks off, snubbing him once again (we know this because her nose grows exceedingly large). The Mouse is left facing the audience, crying.

Several things are of interest here. As we've seen, Mickey has faults. He's jealous, a bit of a cad, and not above trickery to get the girl. Worse, he ends up the loser. This is perhaps the best example of the Ub Iwerks Mickey, who was a bit "edgier" before he was cleaned up for public consumption. Knowing the corporate symbol Mickey would eventually evolve into, this is a bit jarring to first-time viewers. Yet, in a way, it is probably the best incarnation of Mickey, because he has a fully fleshed-out personality, unheard of in a cartoon character of that era. It was obvious that while the Mouse lost this time, he was destined for greater things.

From Bill : This is another important Mickey short. This short and the next ten that followed are the shorts that defined Mickey And Minnie's relationship and personalities. Nothing is really defined here; Minnie is not Mickey's girl yet. She is very fickle and aloof towards Mickey, not like in future shorts. The story line is good, although this short is not as action-packed as some. The sight gags are great especially the one with the tuba player with the little valve letting out the saliva as he plays and the scene where Mickey's shoes get bigger and bigger. This shows the vast talent of Ub Iwerks. He was a master animator. I totally agree with Lee Suggs; that was not Pete. Recall "Gallopin' Gaucho." Pete kidnapped her, and in "Steamboat Willie" he was also the foil. This was just another suitor that Mickey had to contend with. Another point; although the rubber hose method of animation is used here, I find it very funny; that's what the shorts are supposed to be. Trying to make them too human takes something away from them. Good early short.

Referenced Comments

Rival Romeos (1928)

The Opry House (1929)

Fishin' Around (1931)

To start off, we've got Mickey Mouse riding in his horse-drawn buggy. He apparently has not gotten a car yet since he would most likely be riding in that. He wants the horse to go faster so he cracks his whip and the horse (as well as the whole buggy itself) begins trotting along.

Soon he arrives at Minnie's house where she is scene in a distance upstairs in her room powdering herself. She looks out the window , greets Mickey with her famous "Yoo Hoo!" (this is before that song was written), and pulls in a pair of bloomers from her clothesline. Well before you know it, Pete comes driving by in his brand new car. In fact, I could not believe for a moment that this was actually Pete. He was so friendly and well-mannered. To top it all off, he was the perfect gentleman. Minnie comes out with both Pete and Mickey greeting her on both sides of the gate. She sees Pete's car and runs over to it, honking the horn. Pete starts up the car by turning the crank (this was in the days before the instant turn-the-key ignition). He hops in and waves goodbye to Mickey, but soon enough the car collapses. Mickey stands by his carriage all forlorn and disgusted when to his amazement, Minnie comes by. The two of them hop into the buggy and are on their way. Mickey, trying to steal a kiss from Minnie, has a bit of trouble with the horse's tail always getting in the way. He ties a 50 Lb weight to it, but it just comes off. He finally succeeds by pulling the horse's neck.

At the barn dance, Mickey and Minnie are dancing to "Pop Goes the Weasel." Mickey is sure enjoying it, but I could say less about Minnie who's feet are literally being squashed and stretched. The song is over as the dancers clap. Minnie eyes Mickey angrily and Mickey's face turns into a donkey's. Minnie cuts off part of her leg and ties it up again.

The fiddler (obviously the sheriff since he has a badge on) blows his nose and he, the tuba, and piano player begin playing another tune. Mickey asks Minnie to dance with him, but poor Minnie has had enough and accepts Pete's offer to dance. Minnie soon learns that Pete makes the perfect dancing partner.

Standing in the corner, Mickey stares longingly at the couple. He notices some balloons above him and gets an idea. He puts one in his shorts and floats over to Minnie and Pete. He asks Minnie to dance again, and she reluctantly accepts. But to her surprise, Mickey is a better dancer (with a little help of a helium-filled balloon). Pete finally figures out what's going on and pops the balloon in Mickey's pants, causing him to land on Minnie. Pete comes by and takes the popped balloon out of Mickey's pants. Minnie is pretty ticked off and resumes dancing with Pete. Poor Mickey is sitting on the floor crying when the cartoon closes.

So the next time any of you go to a dance and have trouble dancing, use a different method.

--- Calvin Daprice