Fun and Fancy Free
Rating: 2/5
By: Nathaniel Simpson
When analyzing the Disney package films that came out around the 1940's, there is one that stands out that I simply don't enjoy. While all of the package films have their problems, Fun and Fancy Free doesn't work for the most part, with an odd first act, uncomfortable scenes featuring Jiminy Cricket, and animation that doesn't feel up to par with the rest of the Disney pictures. The only thing I can say for this movie that I think saved it from being absolutely horrible is the iconic "Mickey and the Beanstalk" segment, which is still incredibly enjoyable despite the rest of the film not working so well.
The first act of this film follows a unicycling circus bear named Bongo, who just wants his freedom more than anything. When he finally gets it and starts to find out that the wilderness isn't as safe as he was thinking, he must now rely on his wit to survive and win over the heart of female bear named Lulubelle. This package film only consists of two major segments, and with this being the first one that takes up roughly half the runtime, it makes me wonder what the filmmakers were thinking with crafting this story in such a way. There is no doubt in my mind that the story of Bongo would have worked loads better as a much shorter segment, and it did not need the runtime that it received.
Sure, Bongo is adorable and you want to like this story more than you actually do. The aspect that hinders it is that there is not enough story or likability to warrant the viewer to want to sit through this entire short film. We watch Bongo try to win the heart of the female bear, and then fail miserably as he is threatened by bigger, rogue bears. The entirety of the story could only be ten or fifteen minutes, yet they make it much longer than that for some odd reason. Why do we need thirty minutes to flesh out this story that simply doesn't fill the runtime with substance? In addition, while the animation is cute and playful, it simply isn't up to par with the rest of the animated canon. I'm not sure if the animators were trying to do something different or if they were trying to capture the original Disney magic during this difficult time for the studio, but I just don't enjoy it each time I watch it.
Sandwiched between the two segments is a brief intermission that focuses on Jiminy Cricket transitioning from one story to the next. He finds an invite for a party that is addressed to young actress Luana Patten, and when Jiminy journeys to this party, he finds that it is being thrown by Edgar Bergen and his ventriloquist dummy, Charlie McCarthy. For me, this whole intermission just feels incredibly weird and off to me. I know it was a different time when this film was made, but for an older ventriloquist throws a party for just his dummy and a little girl, it leaves a sour taste in my mouth that just makes the whole movie uncomfortable.
However, the conclusion of this film is focused around the segment of Mickey and the famous Beanstalk that serves as the home of Willie the Giant. This whole entire animated short film, of sorts, is simply iconic and is a lot of fun. There is a major reason why this segment following Mickey and the gang is more popular and well-known than its predecessor. I love the interactions between Mickey and Willie, and the animation as a whole is a lot of fun to watch. I always have a great time when they put Mickey and the other iconic Disney characters in short films like this.
However, all in all, this is a very half-baked and bizarre Disney film, one that is very low on my list of animated Disney films. From beginning to end, this movie simply doesn't work for me and doesn't entertain me as it should, which makes it hard to want to go back to this one again and again as I do with other Disney films. Am I happy I saw it once? Sure, but I don't think I am going to be giving it another chance anytime soon.
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