HAVING been raised up with the knowledge of and familiarity with a particular work of Art, Music or Cinema often leads one to lack a proper appreciation for them. It's strictly a matter of lack of maturity, lesser wisdom and taking them for granted. This is a condition that usually finds a cure with a reviewing of the work in question; particularly if it is screened again after a substantial length of time has elapsed.
TAKE the case of today's special honored guest, THREE LITTLE PIGS (Walt Disney Productions/United Artists, 1933). To someone who had viewed it originally, during its first release theatrically, or to a Baby Boomer (like Schultz and Me!), who've seen this on TV since we were kids, this is perhaps just another cartoon. However, when one takes a good step back and views it freshly; one realizes just how great a work it is.
IN dissecting the animated 8 minutes, we find a much more complex movie than we would first imagine. Yes, it is a Cartoon Short; a very good one. Yes, it has beautiful Technicolor, the finest of Artwork and flawless animation; we concede all these amenities. It possesses the most lively and beautiful Original Musical Score imaginable. All of these things are true, but we can easily overlook one particular aspect; one that well may be the catalyst which rendered it so special.
THAT almost invisible ingredient is Poetry. The whole narrative of the short is tastefully done in rhyme. This is an aspect that is so well rendered as to be virtually unnoticed. All of the rhyming dialogue, regardless of which of the four characters delivered it, blended in a nearly flawless and seamless fashion. This is a highly important and possibly redeeming quality; for many a movie goer would be prejudicially affected about seeing and listening to "that sissy stuff."
INSTEAD, we're told that this 8 minute cartoon, this musical short had a great effect on our people in Depression Era America and the World. The original theme song of "Who's Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf" was heralded as the unofficial rallying call of the common folk and high society types alike. It certainly has a peppy, upbeat sound and mood about it and has a certain feeling of having one uplifted just to hear it. As far as longevity, it is about as well known now as it was 75 years ago.
WE did read of one particular problem that Disney and the Production Crew faced early on with THREE LITTLE PIGS; one that seems incredible today, but true nonetheless. It concerns the Wolf's masquerade as a salesman coming to the door of the Practical Pig.
IN the film we see, the Wolf says he's
"Working my way through College" and "you want to buy a brush?" Both of these are certainly long established clichés; as, who hasn't heard that 'Working my way through College" or the Brush remark's being an obvious reference to the Fuller Brush Company.
BUT the scene originally called for the Wolf to be using a decidedly Yiddish Accent as he was supposed to be disguised as a Jewish Door-to-Door Salesman. Even Big Bad's costuming is reminiscent of the manner of dress used today by Observant Hasidic Jews, many of whom are active in any number of businesses.*
WHATEVER the reason, the scene was changed to a gag about a "College Kid, working his way through School." OTHER than that point, it's extremely difficult to find fault with this edition of Walt Disney's SILLY SYMPHONY Cartoon Shorts. It remains a near perfect masterpiece in 1933, today and for all of the tomorrows on our bountiful planets vast horizons.
NOTE: * There were many such similar stock characterizations or stereotypes used in Film, as a tradition borrowed from the legitimate theatre's stage. For example in the highly acclaimed CIMARRON (RKO Radio Pictures, 1931), character actor George E. Stone portrays a traveling salesman by the name of Sol Levy. His costuming was just about the very same as that used by B.B. Wolf uses in THREE LITTLE PIGS. Well, for whatever the reason, Disney changed the scene; although it is neither better nor worse for its happening.
POODLE SCHNITZ!!
