Summertime

Steamboat Willie started a simple formula in sound cartoons—action on the screen synchronised to music or sound effects. That was in 1928. Other studios started doing the same thing when they went to sound. For a while, that sufficed as entertainment.

Ub Iwerks’ studio was still doing it in 1935. In the misnamed short Summertime (it is set during the start of spring), the plot is full of Disney—scenes of frolicking animals and plants with the gentlest of humour.

An example is a scene when two turtles are playing Xs and Os on a sleeping turtle. It’s all timed to the classical music. The gag is the mildest possible as the turtles emote. A take consists of one turtle’s neck stretching up. Regardless, you can tell what the turtles are thinking by their expressions.



The turtles may have been laughing, but I’ll bet the audience wasn’t.

Meanwhile, over at Schlesinger’s, Friz Freleng was directing musical cartoons that stayed away from coyness and went for a few laughs. Still, the few reviews I’ve read from when the cartoon came out are positive. Colour and gentleness could still entice critics. Despite this, the Depression was tough for an independent studio (Iwerks) and distributor (Pat Powers) and the ComiColor series was gone about a year later.

I’m looking forward to the day when the ComiColors will finally be restored and get a public video release.