"A Mickey Mouse Cartoon"

Release Date July 29, 1930

Running Time 7:02

Synopsis

Mickey, Minnie, Horace, and Clarabelle are off to a wild barn dance. There Mickey plays the harmonica and dances with gigantic Patricia Pig, then joins Minnie in a duet on "Pop Goes the Weasel."

Characters

Mickey Mouse

Minnie Mouse

Clarabelle Cow

Horace Horsecollar

Credits

Director : Bert Gillett

Animation : Dick Lundy

Milestones

The first cartoon where Clarabelle is named on-screen, and the one where she first wears a dress - embarrassedly pulling it up to conceal her udder when she's introduced.

Cut Scenes

Scenes of Clarabelle without her dress were cut at one time but may have been reinstated.

Television

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

DVD

Disney Treasures : Mickey Mouse in Black and White Volume 2

Technical Specifications

Color Type : Black and White

Animation type : Standard

Sound mix : Cinephone; mono

Aspect ration : 1.33 : 1

Negative format : 35mm

Print format : 35mm

Cinematographic process : Spherical

Original language : English

Released by Columbia Pictures

Gallery

Click on the thumbnail for the full-sized picture

Comments

Clarabelle is seen reading the then-banned book "Three Weeks." The book was described by its author, Eleanor Glyn, as "a sensual record of passion" but with much deeper meanings. The book was banned in 1907 as immoral in London and forbidden for sale of government trains in Canada. In Boston (1908), a representative of the publisher was tried for selling the book. The indictment stated that "the language on certain pages of the book is improper to be placed upon the court records and offensive to the court." What Clarabelle was doing reading it is anyone's guess, but it does suggest another side to her normally innocent personality.

On a side note Elinor Glyn was also the screenwriter for the movie "It" and coined the nickname for Clara Bow from that movie as "The It Girl."

From Jerry Edwards : At a barn dance, Mickey, Minnie, and the gang perform and dance. Mickey dances with several partners, including a dachshund and a hippo. For years, I had only seen an incomplete copy, without the scene of Clarabelle Cow getting ready to go to the dance. However, the cartoon is generally yet another "singing and dancing" - nothing really new.

From Ryan : Here we've got Mickey, Minnie, and several others going off to a hoedown. Horace Horsecollar goes to pick up Clarabelle Cow on his scooter. Clarabelle is seen without her dress and this scene, I hear, has been deleted in the past. This, in a way, could very well be considered a "Silly Symphony" if it didn't have Mickey or Minnie in it.

From Bill : This is another stepping stone in Mickey's cartoon career, more noticably for Clarabelle Cow and Horace Horsecollar. Clarabelle's name is seen on her house or barn and Horace is her date for the shindig, a relationship that continues today. This is a standard Mickey short, not too many gags, but lots of dancing and music. I enjoyed the motorcycle Horace was driving, good sight gags as it drove along. There was one scene I thought was bold for the times; when Mickey pulled on minnie's underwear, snapping them. Other than seeing Mickey dancing with a pig and a dachshund with a few sight gags thrown in, it was a standard Mickey toon.

From Gijs Grob : There's a party at the barn. Mickey and Minnie make some music and Mickey dances with Clarabella Cow, with a dachshund and with a fat pig, but not with Minnie. The short contains no story, but is one of sheer joy, using tunes like Turkey in the Straw, Pop goes the Weasel, and Swanee River (performed by Mickey on a mond harmonica). The Shindig marks Horace Horsecollar's first appearance as a completely humanized horse. It also contains the first love scene between Horace and Clarabella Cow, who has her name written on the shed in which she lives.

Referenced Comments

The Whoopee Party (1932)