Disney Shorts - "Thru the Mirror"

From Tom Wilkins : "Classic" Mickey is the only way to describe this cartoon filled with more action surrounding a single character than the real Alice In Wonderland story. Chairs, phones, and cards personnify themselves with cute slapstick characteristics which makes this cartoon even more special, even though it was just in Mickey's dream. Once one card gets the "black ink" treatment, war breaks loose as Mickey runs for whatever cover he could find. When the cards persist on throwing their spades, diamonds, etc. at Mickey, he escapes by pretending he is running on top of the world. However, King Neptune shows up for the first time in four years, and by that time, Mickey's alarm clock sounds to wake him up, only to casually crush the clock so he can try to continue his dream. It may not be the top Mickey short of all time, but it is certainly in the top 5.

From Thomas Mulligan : That's a good short! But, who did Mickey Mouse's tap dancing?

From J. D. Weil : This is sort of a side note: Carl Barks began his career as an in-betweener on the tap dancing sequence in this short.

From Jerry Edwards : While technically brilliant, nothing in this short appeals to me emotionally. I am unable to get involved in the story or characters.

From Ryan : Mickey is reading "Through the Looking Glass" and falls asleep. He dreams that he enters the other side of the mirror. Everything inanimate is animate (so I suppose everything that's animate is inanimate). There's a "dog" footstool and a chair who portrays the owner. Also was a humanized umbrella. There wasn't much excitement in this short. I guess it was mainly meant to be funny rather than exciting.

From David Willis : I have wanted to see this short for ages and I found by accident one day and it is on the british Alice in Wonderland DVD ( I am not sure whether or not it appears on the American one). This short was absolutely fantastic, and I didn't mind the "it was all a dream " routine because the story was so fantastic. A perfect 10.

From Jeremy Fassler : Stupid. Just plain stupid. Clever gags, but otherwise, stupid. I'm not a huge fan of Mickey, as he isn't as funny as Goofy or Donald Duck, who had the all time best Disney cartoon ever, being "Der Fuehrer's Face."

The best moment comes when Mickey dances with the queen of hearts, drawn to look like Garbo. Coming to her defense is the king, Charles Laughton, who played Henry the VIII and won an Oscar.

Avoid it.

From Baruch Weiss : The reason I like this short is because of the music. I wonder who did it because in the early Disney cartoons there were no opening credits.

From Ben Blight : This is the best Mickey cartoon, in my opinion. It is not so much a story as it is a collection of creative gags: a combination take-off of "Alice In Wonderland" and spoof of movies of the time period. For example, Mickey dances with cards on a poker table, which make kaleidoscope designs that we see from a bird's eye view, like in Busby Berlekey's musicals. Then Mickey dances with the queen of hearts--they tap and swing like Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers across a dance floor. The superb music is classic swing, typical of the time period. The action at the end, when Mickey is chased my cards, is brilliant: much more immaginative than the "card" scene in Disney's later "Alice In Wonderland" Movie.

From Bill : This Mickey short is one of my favorites. I am a big fan of Mickey and he just outdoes himself in this one. The story of Mickey dreaming going through the mirror is clever, and the way all the inanimate objects come to life make it surreal. Just a great short. Top 10 in my collection!

From Violet : I saw this short when I was a little girl. I loved it! It might not have been my favorite but it is the one that I remember most. It was so cute and I loved it when Mickey danced with the gloves. Although, I did get a little scared when the cards started attacking Mickey.

From Michelle I. : This short is included on the "Alice in Wonderland" special edition DVD set. Its strongest points are Mickey's dance with the gloves and the attack of the playing cards.

From Severin : A cartoon that is labeled "A Walt Disney Mickey Mouse" and for once it actually is a Mickey Mouse cartoon, and I think that's what makes this cartoon very special, and one my favorites, Whoever said Mickey can't really carry an entertaining short by himself needs to get their head examined.

From Mick Mouse : One of my favorite shorts. I absolutly LOVE the music! Today's music stinks! And I wish someone would dance with me the way Mickey dances with the Queen of Hearts. *sigh*

Referenced Comments

Mickey's Good Deed (1932)

The Mad Doctor (1934)

Original Animator's Drafts