History and Review written by Michael J. Ruhland
Year Released: 1941
Michael's Movie Grade: A-
History
After the finical disappointments of Pinocchio and Fantasia in 1940, 1941 found the Disney Studio in need of a more cheaply made feature film. This came in the form of The Reluctant Dragon. One way to do this (and the one they chose) was extensive use of live action. One thing this meant though was the need of a live action director. When the studio would later be making many live-action films they would have their own list of live-action directors, such as Robert Stevenson (Mary Poppins, Darby 'O Gill and the Little People), and Norman Tokar (The Apple Dumpling Gang, Rascal), and for some live action films Walt would even promote animators into the director's chair such as David Swift (Pollyanna, The Parent Trap), and James Algar (The True Life Adventures series). For this film though they used a director who had never worked at Disney before and never would again, Alfred L. Werker, a director who had been working since the late silent-era, and had a claim to fame as the director of The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes(1939), the second in the series of Sherlock Holmes films starring Basil Rathbone, and Nigel Bruce. There was also need of live action actor, of course later as well Disney would have it's own list of regular actors and actresses, such as Hayley Mills (Pollyanna, The Parent Trap), Bobby Driscoll (Song of the South, So Dear to my Heart, also the voice of Peter Pan in Peter Pan), Janet Munro (Third Man on the Mountian, Darby 'O Gill and the Little People), and Fred MacMurray (The Shaggy Dog, The Absent Minded Professor). However this film would also star an actor who would not work in another Disney film. This was comedic character actor Robert Benchley, who was in films such as Foreign Correspondent (an underrated Hitchcock masterpiece), and his own series of classic short comedies.
However the whole film was not live action, The plot involved Benchley walking around the Disney studio. Here he would see how cartoons were made. Along the way he (and we) would see various cartoon shorts. These would not be extravagantly detailed as previous Disney feature animation was. Therefore the studio could do animation in this film without spending the big budgets that hurt their last 2 features financially. One of these cartoon segments was How to Ride a Horse, the first of the hilarious series of "how to..." cartoons staring Goofy. Supposedly John McLeisch, the narrator of this segment did not know he was narrating a comedic cartoon, but a series instructional film. He was surprised to learn that was not the case, but took it in good humor. You may notice in this cartoon Goofy does not speak, this is because his first voice actor, Pinto Colvig was working elsewhere and simply was not free at this time. With this segment The Reluctant Dragon marked the feature film debut of Goofy, also included in the movie is Donald Duck's feature film Debut.
The live action tour of the studio though was highly inaccurate. According to this film everyone at the Disney studio was as happy as could be. In reality the studio was on the verge of a strike that would change Disney history. While there are some real Disney employees in this movie, many where actors hired to play employees. Included among these actors was a young Alan Ladd (Shane, The Blue Dahlia) before he became famous. For more information on the Disney strike watch the video below:
Even with the lower budget, The Reluctant Dragon lost money. Audiences just expected what they had previously got from Disney feature films, and they were not happy to learn that this was something much different. Disney was in need of a money maker desperately.
Film Credits
Live Action Director: Alfred L. Werker
Cartoon Directors: Hamilton Luske, Jack Cutting, Ub Iwerks, Jack Kinney
Producer: Walt Disney
Writers: Ted Sears, Al Perkins, Larry Clemmons, William Cottrell, Harry Clork, Erdman Penner, T. Hee, Joe Grant, Dick Huemer, John P. Miller, Robert Benchley, Berk Anthony
Reluctant Dragon Cartoon based off a story by Kenneth Grahame
Live Action Cast: Robert Benchley (Himself), Frances Gifford (Doris), Buddy Pepper (Humphrey), Nana Bryant (Mrs. Benchley), Florence Gill (Herself), Clarence Nash (Himself), Norman Ferguson (Himself), Ward Kimball (Himself), Jimmy Luske (Himself), Alan Ladd (Storyboard Artist), Truman Woodworth (Herself), Hamilton MacFadden (Himself), Maurice Murphy (Storyboard Artist), Frank Churchill (Himself), John Dehner (Storyboard Artist), Walt Disney (Himself), Lester Dorr (Slim), Frank Faylen (Himself), Henry Hall (Studio Policeman), Verna Hillie (Sculptor), James MacDonald (Sound Effects Man), Fred Moore (Himself), George Offerman Jr. (Art Student), Steve Pendleton (Head of Security), Wolfgang Reitherman (Himself), Gerald Mohr (Studio Guard)
Voices: Claud Allister (Sir Giles), Barnett Parker (Dragon), Billy Lee (Boy), Clarence Nash (Donald Duck), Ernie Alexander (Father), Leone Le Doux (Baby Weems), Eddie Marr (Walter Winchell), Linda Marwood (Mother), Gerald Mohr (Baby Weems Narrator), John McLeish (How to Ride a Horse Narrator), Raymond Severn (Baby Weems), Val Stanton (Courier), J. Donald Wilson ( The Reluctant Dragon (Cartoon) Narrator), Jack Young (FDR)
Reluctant Dragon Song: Charles Wolcott (Music), T. Hee (Lyrics), Erdman Penner (Lyrics)
Music: Frank Churchill, Larry Morey
Cinematography: Bert Glennon, Winton C. Hoch
Film Editing: Paul Weatherwax
Art Direction: Ken Anderson, Yale Gracey, Hugh Hennesy, Lance Nolley, Gordon Wiles, Charles Philippi
Set Decorator: Earl Wooden
Production Manager: Earl Rettig
Sound Department: Frank Maher
Special Effects: Ub Iwerks, Joshua Meador
Effects Animators: Edwin Aardal, Jerome Brown, Brad Case, Ugo D'Orsi, George De Beeson, Russ Dyson, Andy Engman, James Escalante , Art Fitzpatrick, Harry Hamsel, Joe Harbaugh, Jack Huber, Paul B. Kossoff, Fred Madison, John McManus, Art Palmer, Miles E. Pike , John Reed, George Rowley, Sandy Strother, Reuben Timmins, Don Tobin , Noel Tucker, Vernon G. Witt, Cornett Wood, John McDermott
Background Artists: Ray Huffine, Art Riley, Ray Lockrem, Bob McIntosh, Mique Nelson
Animators: Jack Campbell, Walt Kelly, Ward Kimball, Fred Moore, Milt Neil, Claude Smith, David Swift, Harvey Toombs, Stephen Bosustow, Chester Cobb, Rex Cox, Ed Fourcher, George Goepper, Paul Murry, Frank Onaitis, Frank Oreb, John Sibley, Louis Terri, Judge Whitaker, Bernard Wolf
Color Director: Natalie Kalmus
Caricatures in Opening Credits: T. Hee
Resourses Used
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0034091/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ec2eItriL4
-Michael J. Ruhland
Year Released: 1941
Michael's Movie Grade: A-
History
After the finical disappointments of Pinocchio and Fantasia in 1940, 1941 found the Disney Studio in need of a more cheaply made feature film. This came in the form of The Reluctant Dragon. One way to do this (and the one they chose) was extensive use of live action. One thing this meant though was the need of a live action director. When the studio would later be making many live-action films they would have their own list of live-action directors, such as Robert Stevenson (Mary Poppins, Darby 'O Gill and the Little People), and Norman Tokar (The Apple Dumpling Gang, Rascal), and for some live action films Walt would even promote animators into the director's chair such as David Swift (Pollyanna, The Parent Trap), and James Algar (The True Life Adventures series). For this film though they used a director who had never worked at Disney before and never would again, Alfred L. Werker, a director who had been working since the late silent-era, and had a claim to fame as the director of The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes(1939), the second in the series of Sherlock Holmes films starring Basil Rathbone, and Nigel Bruce. There was also need of live action actor, of course later as well Disney would have it's own list of regular actors and actresses, such as Hayley Mills (Pollyanna, The Parent Trap), Bobby Driscoll (Song of the South, So Dear to my Heart, also the voice of Peter Pan in Peter Pan), Janet Munro (Third Man on the Mountian, Darby 'O Gill and the Little People), and Fred MacMurray (The Shaggy Dog, The Absent Minded Professor). However this film would also star an actor who would not work in another Disney film. This was comedic character actor Robert Benchley, who was in films such as Foreign Correspondent (an underrated Hitchcock masterpiece), and his own series of classic short comedies.
However the whole film was not live action, The plot involved Benchley walking around the Disney studio. Here he would see how cartoons were made. Along the way he (and we) would see various cartoon shorts. These would not be extravagantly detailed as previous Disney feature animation was. Therefore the studio could do animation in this film without spending the big budgets that hurt their last 2 features financially. One of these cartoon segments was How to Ride a Horse, the first of the hilarious series of "how to..." cartoons staring Goofy. Supposedly John McLeisch, the narrator of this segment did not know he was narrating a comedic cartoon, but a series instructional film. He was surprised to learn that was not the case, but took it in good humor. You may notice in this cartoon Goofy does not speak, this is because his first voice actor, Pinto Colvig was working elsewhere and simply was not free at this time. With this segment The Reluctant Dragon marked the feature film debut of Goofy, also included in the movie is Donald Duck's feature film Debut.
The live action tour of the studio though was highly inaccurate. According to this film everyone at the Disney studio was as happy as could be. In reality the studio was on the verge of a strike that would change Disney history. While there are some real Disney employees in this movie, many where actors hired to play employees. Included among these actors was a young Alan Ladd (Shane, The Blue Dahlia) before he became famous. For more information on the Disney strike watch the video below:
Even with the lower budget, The Reluctant Dragon lost money. Audiences just expected what they had previously got from Disney feature films, and they were not happy to learn that this was something much different. Disney was in need of a money maker desperately.
Review
While this may not be the most elaborate Disney movie, it is extremely fun. This film does not even try to be what Snow White was, but rather a silly little comedy with bits of Disney history put in, and at being this the movie really succeeds.
It is easy to see why Robert Benchley was popular in his day. He is very likable throughout the whole film, and can be quite funny at times.
This film will hold much intrigue for Disney buffs. Just looking in the background of the live action scenes is more than entertainment enough for Disney buffs. Looking in the background you can spot maquettes and initial drawing for Peter Pan, and Lady and the Tramp. The Reluctant Dragon was released in 1941, Peter Pan in 1953, and Lady and the Tramp in 1955. This of course shows how long of a time was/is spent making Disney films. Stuff like this will make sure people like me will love this movie.
The cartoon shorts placed in the film are some of Disney's best shorts. Baby Weems is a near perfect cartoon. It is cleverly done in limited animation to look like a story board. The story is charming clever, and funny. How to Ride a Horse is a hilarious first entry into a hilarious series of shorts. Both of these segments are worth an A just on their own. the title cartoon is not as effective as the two others I mentioned, but is still well worth watching with some very funny moments.
Overall a very good film, that all Disney buffs should see.
Live Action Director: Alfred L. Werker
Cartoon Directors: Hamilton Luske, Jack Cutting, Ub Iwerks, Jack Kinney
Producer: Walt Disney
Writers: Ted Sears, Al Perkins, Larry Clemmons, William Cottrell, Harry Clork, Erdman Penner, T. Hee, Joe Grant, Dick Huemer, John P. Miller, Robert Benchley, Berk Anthony
Reluctant Dragon Cartoon based off a story by Kenneth Grahame
Live Action Cast: Robert Benchley (Himself), Frances Gifford (Doris), Buddy Pepper (Humphrey), Nana Bryant (Mrs. Benchley), Florence Gill (Herself), Clarence Nash (Himself), Norman Ferguson (Himself), Ward Kimball (Himself), Jimmy Luske (Himself), Alan Ladd (Storyboard Artist), Truman Woodworth (Herself), Hamilton MacFadden (Himself), Maurice Murphy (Storyboard Artist), Frank Churchill (Himself), John Dehner (Storyboard Artist), Walt Disney (Himself), Lester Dorr (Slim), Frank Faylen (Himself), Henry Hall (Studio Policeman), Verna Hillie (Sculptor), James MacDonald (Sound Effects Man), Fred Moore (Himself), George Offerman Jr. (Art Student), Steve Pendleton (Head of Security), Wolfgang Reitherman (Himself), Gerald Mohr (Studio Guard)
Voices: Claud Allister (Sir Giles), Barnett Parker (Dragon), Billy Lee (Boy), Clarence Nash (Donald Duck), Ernie Alexander (Father), Leone Le Doux (Baby Weems), Eddie Marr (Walter Winchell), Linda Marwood (Mother), Gerald Mohr (Baby Weems Narrator), John McLeish (How to Ride a Horse Narrator), Raymond Severn (Baby Weems), Val Stanton (Courier), J. Donald Wilson ( The Reluctant Dragon (Cartoon) Narrator), Jack Young (FDR)
Reluctant Dragon Song: Charles Wolcott (Music), T. Hee (Lyrics), Erdman Penner (Lyrics)
Music: Frank Churchill, Larry Morey
Cinematography: Bert Glennon, Winton C. Hoch
Film Editing: Paul Weatherwax
Art Direction: Ken Anderson, Yale Gracey, Hugh Hennesy, Lance Nolley, Gordon Wiles, Charles Philippi
Set Decorator: Earl Wooden
Production Manager: Earl Rettig
Sound Department: Frank Maher
Special Effects: Ub Iwerks, Joshua Meador
Effects Animators: Edwin Aardal, Jerome Brown, Brad Case, Ugo D'Orsi, George De Beeson, Russ Dyson, Andy Engman, James Escalante , Art Fitzpatrick, Harry Hamsel, Joe Harbaugh, Jack Huber, Paul B. Kossoff, Fred Madison, John McManus, Art Palmer, Miles E. Pike , John Reed, George Rowley, Sandy Strother, Reuben Timmins, Don Tobin , Noel Tucker, Vernon G. Witt, Cornett Wood, John McDermott
Background Artists: Ray Huffine, Art Riley, Ray Lockrem, Bob McIntosh, Mique Nelson
Animators: Jack Campbell, Walt Kelly, Ward Kimball, Fred Moore, Milt Neil, Claude Smith, David Swift, Harvey Toombs, Stephen Bosustow, Chester Cobb, Rex Cox, Ed Fourcher, George Goepper, Paul Murry, Frank Onaitis, Frank Oreb, John Sibley, Louis Terri, Judge Whitaker, Bernard Wolf
Color Director: Natalie Kalmus
Caricatures in Opening Credits: T. Hee
Resourses Used
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0034091/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ec2eItriL4
-Michael J. Ruhland
THanks, MJR. I enjoy this blog and movie. The Reluctant Dragon itself asd a cartoon should be mentioned, the story of the dragon who'd rather recite than fight. Theme song was quite fun.."I'm the reluctant draogn..what he quite so". 25 years later, in 1966 Disneyland Records put out the famous All About Dragons album narrated by the dragon himself using a five minute version of the song (the dragon being played by Thurl Ravenscroft, a.k.a. Tony the Tiger, and many Disney voices/attractions such as The Tiki Room, with a "veddy veddy British" voice from the original, but then playing 'himself'in the chorus of the song with the "Tony" basso), plus the album has on the other side, "Puff the Magic Dragon", sung by a trio similiar to the one who popularised it on Warner Bros.Records, Peter Paul Mary, though they're not the singers here, the original movie soundtrack recreation of the Mad Madame Mim segment from "Sword in the Stone", and another "natural Thurl" performance on an original song for the finale, "Loch Ness Monster". Great times.Steve
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