From "Saludos Amigos"

Release Date February 6, 1943

Synopsis

A short impressionistic view of Brazil turns into Donald Duck getting dance lessons from Jose Carioca.

Characters

Donald Duck

Jose Carioca

Credits

Director : Wilfred Jackson

Videos

United States

Saludos Amigos

Germany

Donalds Grösste Hits

Drei Caballeros im Sambafieber

Saludos Amigos

Italy

I Capolavori di Paperino

Laserdiscs

Japan

Donald's Greatest Hits

DVD

Saludos Amigos

Technical Specifications

Color Type : Technicolor

Animation type : Standard

Sound mix : Mono

Aspect ration : 1.37 : 1

Negative format : 35mm

Print format : 35mm

Cinematographic process : Spherical

Original language : English

Released by RKO Radio Pictures, Inc.

Comments

Released as part of the feature film "Saludos Amigos."

From Jerome Maro : I have seen this short together with the feature "Saludos Amigos" on laserdisc and, to me, it is one of the best animation I know. Look at the magic of the opening scene where flowers magically appear, plants transform into animals, etc. One can actually SEE the impression that the tropics made on the animators when they visited Brazil.

From Jerry Edwards : One of the four shorts that comprise the short film Saludos Amigos. This is introduced with live action footage of the carnival at Rio, then contains art showing the various landscapes of Brazil, and animation introduces a parrot, Jose' Carioca, who teaches Donald to dance the samba.

The music just didn't appeal to me and the short was generally boring to me, in spite of some nice colorful animation.

From Sean Catherall : I first saw this short while in Brazil in the early 1980's and enjoyed it immensely, as did the Brazilian people that saw it with me. This is one of Donald Duck's best shorts and one of the most creative drawn by the Disney animators. The music is fun and contagious. It has the feel of a Fantasia segment or a long DTV video, since the whole short develops around the score. The short needs no voice-overs or subtitles since almost all of the dialog is repeated in both English and Portuguese.

One oddity: Although José Oliviera is credited for the voice of José Carioca in "Saludos Amigos" and "Three Caballeros", I could swear that his accent in "Aquarela" is a Paulista accent (from Sao Paulo), not Carioca (from Rio de Janeiro), which is quite different.

José Carioca is frequently called "Zé Carioca" in Brazil and has become a favorite Disney character there, with a very successful comic book series to his credit. I actually learned quite a bit of Portuguese from Zé Carioca comic books. He has a wonderfully cheerful but saucy attitude, as affable as Mickey Mouse but as unpredictable as Donald Duck. His straw boater, bow tie and cane are meant to represent the Brazilan "old school" gentleman, now mythical.

By the way, Donald Duck has a perfect "gringo pato" accent in "Aquarela", meaning a silly American pronunciation; but literally translated the expression means "silly American duck". I wonder if the Brazilian expression stems from "Saludos" and "Caballeros"?

From Michael Gallagher : I give it a 10. Each animation frame is a very thought out piece of art! The colors and the framing of the characters give me a sesnse of graphic nostalgia. I have beent to the brazilian carnival in the 70's and that's just the feeling one gets from experiencing such festival.

Joe Cariocas is a very funny character and with the syncopated samba, he comes alive. Brilliant soundtrack and wonderful acting by Donald and Joe.

From Baruch Weiss : This is yet another one of Donald's best performances, I especially enjoyed the part where he drinks a spicy drink!

Gallery

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