Release Date November 25, 1933

Running Time 8:00

Synopsis

Mickey tells a crowd of orphans a version of "Jack and the Beanstalk" in which he plays the leading role and takes on Rumplewatt, the "king of the giants - prince of the tyrants."

Characters

Mickey Mouse

Credits

Director : Bert Gillett

Animation : Johnny Cannon

Sources

Based on a story collected by the Brothers Grimm, Jack and the Beanstalk.

Laserdiscs

United States

Mickey Mouse : The Black and White Years

Japan

Fisherman Mickey

Mickey Mouse : The Black and White Years : Volume 1

DVD

Disney Treasures : Mickey Mouse in Black and White

Television

The Ink and Paint Club : #50 : Storyteller Mickey

Mickey's Mouse Tracks : Episode 17

Technical Specifications

Color Type : Black and White

Animation type : Standard

Sound mix : Mono

Aspect ration : 1.33 : 1

Negative format : 35mm

Print format : 35mm

Cinematographic process : Spherical

Original language : English

Released by United Artists Pictures

Comments

From Jerry Edwards : A fun cartoon full of action and gags. One gag I enjoy is the giant looking at a newspaper, which says "EXTRA ... GIANTS WIN." There is top quality animation in several scenes - Mickey riding a giant butterfly to the castle after he climbs the beanstalk Mickey in the giant's mouth - trying to avoid being swallowed and the giant chasing Mickey and falling, pulling much of the scenery down with him into the huge hole he makes with the fall. This was later redone as the Mickey and the Beanstalk segment of the 1947 animated film "Fun and Fancy Free."

From Ryan : This is a well done short. The animation is good and it's pretty funny. As Jerry Edwards pointed out above, it is similar to the later "Mickey and the Beanstalk." This is another one of those shorts that has those pesky orphans.

From Bill : Nicely done short, great animation, especially with Mickey on the giant's table, The size difference was well done, the giant was well drawn also. The gags of Mickey dodging the bowling ball sized peas and swimming through the drink the giant was having were clever. Good story. I know Ryan stated that this short had those "peskey Orphans" in it. I'm the opposite. I think they add a lot to the visual of the shorts they were in. They were cute, just like little Mickeys and in this short they were good and gave us a look at Mickey's warm side, telling the orphans a great bedtime story. I remember my cousin telling us stories like that when I was a kid. Even the ending when the "baby" Mickey in the highchair razzed him was cute. Good short.

From Gijs Grob : Mickey tells the story of Jack and the Beanstalk to his numerous nephews with him in the starring role. Here he meets his first giant. This giant is very well drawn, with great use of perspective and realistic details, especially in the hands. This must have been the closest the studio could come to the human form in 1933. The cartoon also contains many shadows. Both features are a testimony of Disney's urge to master more naturalism in his cartoons. Nevertheless, one can see that the animators were still struggling with such elaborate designs. The giant is not drawn very consistently, and some sequences are more convincing than others. The best and most beautiful scene is when Mickey ends up inside the Giant's mouth. Mickey would deal with giants again in "The Brave Little Tailor" (1938) and in "Mickey and the Beanstalk" (1947), a re-telling of the same fairy tale.

Gallery

Mickey amuses the kids with his stories. Animation sketch by Les Clark Courtesy of Clark's Nest.

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