Far from Perfect, Far from Terrible

An absolute waste of money

This is one of the few movies I've ever seen where the whole audience broke into spontaneous, loud applause a third of the way in.

One of the most extraordinary films you will see this year. Take that as you want.

"The Ugly Duckling" is a 1931 black-and-white cartoon, so this one is already over 85 years old now. Wow. It is based on a tale by the legendary Hans Christian Andersen, who had already been dead for over half a century when this was released. It runs for 6.5 minutes only and is one of the many many works by one of Disney's finest Wilfred Jackson, who was only in his mid-20s when he worked on this one. And even if this Silly Symphony cartoon is far from forgotten today, it is nowhere near as famous as the 1939 version and I personally think it should be this way as the one from almost a decade later is superior in almost every regard, but most of all story-telling, the key differences and there are many. I will get to that later. And the visual component, i.e. the animation also improved so drastically during that time. The one thing I liked the least is that it's about the duckling becoming a hero in order to be excepted by his admittedly pretty shallow "mother". Then again, it is just what would have happened in reality too that she would have neglected him right? The parts with the duckling leaving and trying unsuccessfully to find solace from other animals is not half as effective as it could have been. The entire things comes pretty short in terms of emotion and that meets the eye immediately as this is the exact area where the later, Oscar-winning, slightly longer version (also by Disney) I mentioned earlier already succeeds the most. But still this one here may not be a great watch, but it somehow succeeds in its own right, even if nothing stands out in terms of greatness. It's fine though as for its time, it is definitely a solid achievement and among the better if not best cartoon works from the early 1930s. As an individual achievement, I give this one a thumbs-up and recommend checking it out, especially to old cartoon lovers.

This is a touching Silly Symphony cartoon from Walt Disney - a retelling of Hans Christian Anderson's tale, The Ugly Duckling. Here, a mother hen hatches some chicks, but one turns out to be an ugly duckling; therefore, it is immediately repulsed.The ugly duckling was actually pretty adorable and will immediately grab your sympathy and heart as you see him try to get along with his new family. But, the poor thing couldn't catch a break and deemed to remain lonely. However, that is until he might prove a sense of belonging by braving through a tornado to save his siblings. It's a satisfying sight seeing that even an outcasted creature could be brave enough to save those who once ignored him.A great little cartoon with a great message.Grade A-

This is a short in the Silly Symphonies series produced by Disney. There will be spoilers ahead:This is the first of two Ugly Duckling cartoons done by Disney. The 1939 version is a masterpiece and one of the finest shorts Disney ever did. This one is no slouch and is one of the better early Silly Symphonies.The basic plot is more plot than a lot of the early Silly Symphonies had and also a moral of sorts. The short starts with eggs hatching and a nervous hen awaiting the results. Six chicks and one duck come out of their shells. The hen immediately shuns the duckling as different and unacceptable.The early part of the short has the duckling trying for acceptance and being rejected repeatedly. There are some nice interludes with a cow, a dog and a frog. Then comes a tornado, with some excellent gags with the tornado and its aftermath.The duckling manages to warn the hen and her chicks of the tornado, they make for shelter, with the duckling once again an afterthought. Naturally, problems occur, with the chicks placed in danger and the hen helpless. The duckling is not helpless and jumps into action. He saves the chicks and is finally accepted.This short is available on the Disney Treasures Silly Symphonies DVD set and it and the set are well worth tracking down. Most recommended.

I happen to agree with those who prefer the superb 1939 cartoon of the same title, especially in regard to the animation, the 1939 one for me has held up amazingly well and has a succinct story and one of Disney's most emotionally devastating moments. 1931's The Ugly Duckling does have a very impressive tornado sequence, but the black and white animation feels rather primitive and apart from perhaps the title character the character designs seemed awkward to me. However, the music is beautiful and very dynamic with what is going on on screen, the story is interesting if a little less succinct than the 1939 cartoon and the ugly duckling of the title is such an adorable little thing who you feel pity for right from the start. It was the message though that makes this 1931 cartoon work. It is a great message, one that I identified with(prejudice is one of many things I feel very strongly about) and one that I resonated with. What was also impressive was that the message wasn't done in a beat-around-the-head sort of way. In conclusion, a good cartoon with a strong message. 8/10 Bethany Cox