Year Released: 1944
Michael's Movie Grade:A-
History
The Three Caballeros was the 2nd and last feature film Disney would make for The Good Neighbor Policy. Again this film would be both a tribute and an education about South America. However this film would be quite different from Saludos Amigos. Although there would be 2 cartoon shorts included the shorts would not be the focus. This would also get rid of the travelogue wraparounds.
Again this film would feature some live action as well as some animation. The live action director would be again someone who only worked with Disney this one time. This time that director would be Harold Young, who had directed such live action films as The Scarlet Pimpernickel (1934), and The Mummy's Tomb (1942). Again the animation would be directed by Disney regulars, Norman Ferguson, Clyde Geronimi, Jack Kinney, and Bill Roberts. However the impressiveness of this over previous films is that the live action and animated characters would interact with each other. While this had been done since the silent era, it had never before been done as well. Much of this was due to a man named Ub Iwerks. Ub Iwerks had worked with Walt since the silent era, co-created Mickey Mouse with Walt, and animated some of the early Disney cartoons entirely by himself. However he left Walt when he was offered the chance to run his own cartoon studio, where he would make cartoons with such characters as Flip The Frog, and Willie Whopper. Sadly while these cartoons were great technically, they suffered from bland characters and even blander stories. Therefore his cartoon studio didn't last too long, so he would come back to Disney, this time instead of animator he would be in charge of technical effects such as the combination of animation and live action in this film.
I mentioned when writing about Saludos Amigos that Mary Blair was inspired by the trip to Latin America. Well in this film her work is much more noticeable than in that one. Anyone who is familiar with her work will easily notice it here.
The Three Caballeros did not do well financially or critically, but it has received a big following in recent years.
Review
A big improvement over Saldos Amigos, and probably Disney's most energetic film. This film is also one of the best combinations of live action, and animation done before Who Framed Roger Rabbit.
The starts out being enjoyable but nothing spectacular, and this feels like it is going to be just a pleasant way to spend some free time. Included in this part are two enjoyable cartoon shorts. However by the time Donald and Jose go to Baía the film truly begins to take off. Around this scene the film becomes a great showcase for the imagination, artistry, humor and most of all energy, seen in the Disney animators best work. Surrealism and cartoony humor abound and for a rare occasion in Disney features, story takes a back seat to the artists imaginations and senses of humor. With this type of story the film is becomes a showcase for artists Mary Blair and Ward Kimball, both of who do some of their best work in The Three Caballeros. In fact Ward Kimball has stated that this is one of the few films he worked on, that he can watch and not think of ways he could improve it.
This film is so good.
Film Credits
Supervising Director: Norman Ferguson
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Sequence Directors: Clyde Geronimi, Jack Kinney, Bill Roberts
Live Action Director: Harold Young
Writers: Homer Brightman, Ernest Terrazas, Ted Sears, Bill Peet, Ralph Wright, Elmer Plummer, Roy Williams, William Cottrell, Del Connell, James Bodrero, Joe Grant, Dick Huemer, Webb Smith
Voices: Clarence Nash (Donald Duck), José Oliveira (José Carioca), Joaquin Garay (Panchito), Sterling Holloway (Professor Holloway), Pinto Colvig (Aracuan Bird), Fred Shields (Narrator), Frank Graham (Narrator), Leo Carrillo (Gaucho)
Live Action Cast: Aurora Miranda (The Brazilian Girl), Carmen Molina (Mexican Girl), Dora Luz (Mexican Girl), Trío Calaveras (Themselves), Trío Ascensio del Rio (Themselves), Padua Hills Players (Themselves), Billy Daniel (Dancer), Dante DiPaolo (Dancer), Matt Mattox (Dancer), Alex Romero (Dancer)
Producer: Walt Disney
Music: Edward H. Plumb, Paul J. Smith, Charles Wolcott
Songwriters: The Three Caballeros: Manuel Esperón (Music), Ernesto Cortázar (Lyrics), Ray Gilbert (Lyrics) You Belong to My Heart: Agustín Lara (Music and Lyrics), Ray Gilbert (Lyrics) Have You Ever Been to Baía?: Dorival Caymmi (Music and Lyrics)
Cinematography: Ray Rennahan
Film Editor: Donald Halliday
Production Supervisor: Norman Ferguson
Production Manager: Daniel Keefe
Assistant Production Supervisor: Larry Lansburgh
Assistant Directors: Mike Holoboff, Rusty Jones, Ted Sebern, Bee Selck
Art Supervisors: Ken Anderson, Mary Blair, Robert Cormack
Art Direction: Richard Irvine
Color Consultant: Phil Dike
Special Effects Animators: Edwin Aardal, John McManus, Joshua Meador, George Rowley
Special Effects: Ub Iwerks, Richard Jones
Technical Advisor: Gail Papineau
Background Artists: Claude Coats, Al Dempster, Don Douglass, Ray Huffine, Art Riley
Layout Artists: Don DaGradi, Yale Gracey, John Hench, Hugh Hennesy, Charles Philippi, Herbert Ryman, McLaren Stewart, Karl Karpé, Lance Nolley
Animators: Bob Carlson, Les Clark, Ollie Johnston, Bill Justice, Milt Kahl, Ward Kimball, Hal King, Eric Larson, John Lounsbery, Fred Moore, Milt Neil, Don Patterson, John Sibley, Frank Thomas, Harvey Toombs, Marvin Woodward, Jack Boyd, Fred Kopietz, Paul Murry, John Reed
Choreographer: Carmelita Maracci
Resourses Used
The Disney Films by Leonard Maltin
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0038166/?ref_=rvi_tt
-Michael J. Ruhland
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