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Mickey Shorts

Mickey’s Birthday Party

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Original release date: February 7, 1942

Rating: TV-G. “Contains tobacco depictions. It may contain outdated cultural depictions.”

Length: eight gift-wrapped minutes

Background: The Disney company have become pros at monetizing Mickey’s birthday, whether it is opening a whole Birthday Land at the Magic Kingdom or releasing a cavalcade of merch – from Funko Pops to designer sunglasses – for his recent 90th birthday.

It wasn’t as big of a deal in 1942, but they found a way to make a short out of it. The short wasn’t released on his birthday, however.

Something notable about this short is that it is a remake of “The Birthday Party,” a similar short from 1931.

Review:

We start with a long look into a peephole on a door, with the eye of Minnie peeking out. Characters such as Donald and Clarabelle go into hiding as Mickey comes in, quickly surprised by the gang.

There’s even a present labelled from “the gang,” which turns out to be a organ. Congrats, Mickey. Play us a song.

A dance party ensues, including a weird extreme closeup of the inside of Mickey’s mouth. In the kitchen, Goofy dresses with a mop before checking on the cake he is baking. I feel like it should have already been ready.

Maracas come out and the party is really going now, as we get a preview of Donald’s future look in “The Three Caballeros.” Goofy congas himself in the kitchen, stirring another batch of cake mix. This cake, too, doesn’t work out.

Clara Cluck has joined in the dance party, clucking up a song while Horace Horsecollar and Clarabelle Cow throw down in the dance line. Donald breaks out a cigar, which gives us the reason for our warning.

Goofy tries one more cake, cooking it on “volcano hot.” It does indeed come out like a volcano, destroying the kitchen. Goofy has one final cake idea and it works out… well, until a very fateful trip at the end of the short.

Happy birthday, Mickey.

Extras:

Nothing.

Should you watch it?

Watch it. It’s a very rare combination of characters all together and it’s a fun little short.

Mickey Shorts

The Little Whirlwind

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Original release date: February 14, 1941

Rating: TV-Y7. “It may contain outdated cultural depictions.”

Length: nine windy minutes

Background: While not a hugely historic short, “The Little Whirlwind” does have a little history to it.

Mr. Mouse had a bit of a redesign – again – with this short. It was the debut of him having ears that worked in perspective. He also lost a little weight and grew some buck teeth. If you don’t remember the teeth, you aren’t alone… they didn’t last long.

It hasn’t been confirmed, but some say this short was also the debut of Gale, a character that wouldn’t reappear until “Frozen II.”

Review:

Minnie starts us out baking a delicious cake and singing happily. As the smell wafts from the windowsill, Mickey, his hat and his newfound teeth float right up to the window.

He begs at the window and Minnie says no, because… I guess they were fighting at the time. Mickey offers to clean up the yard in exchange for cake.

Meanwhile, a little whirl of wind appears quietly in the yard. Mickey gets a load of leaves together, only to have the wind move his basket on him. The yellow of the leaves really pop off the screen.

Mickey finds a way to keep the basket in place, but the wind still blows the leaves out before taking off with his hat. The wind marches around the house, as wind does, leading a trail of marching leaves. Why not.

Mickey catches the leaves and wind in a sack – again, as is natural – and kicks it, only for it to come back and smack him. Has Minnie not noticed her love interest fighting with weather outside?

The big cheese finds himself on the losing end of the fight as the wind becomes a gigantic tornado, blowing him and everything in his path around. It sucks up pretty much everything in its path before dropping him in a fountain.

Minnie finally notices, going outside and calling Mickey a dog as she sees how destroyed her yard is. Oops.

Extras:

Nothing.

Should you watch it?

Yes, watch it. It’s cute, the animation and colors look good, and it goes by seemingly in about five minutes.

Mickey Shorts

Hawaiian Holiday

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Original release date: September 24, 1937

Rating: TV-G with wholesome Hawaii fun and “It may contain outdated cultural depictions.”

Length: eight surfin’ minutes

Background: Mickey and the gang decide to take a trip to Hawaii in “Hawaiian Holiday.”

Of note, this is the first Disney short that was distributed by RKO Radio Pictures. The previous shorts were distributed to theatres by United Artists.

Review:

We begin on the beautiful animated beach of Hawaii, Pluto sniffing around as Minnie hula dances and sings to Mickey and Donald’s instruments. Goofy sings as well, gearing up his surfboard.

Goof runs out, jumps on the board… and the wave sees him and backtracks, causing Goofy to hit the ground. Then the wave comes back and throws him into chaos. Poor Goofy.

Meanwhile, Mickey gets into it with his guitar before playing some impressive four-fingered Hawaiian music. Donald has taken over hula duties, shaking his tailfeathers and warming them directly IN the nearby campfire. Anybody up for some roasted duck?

Pluto – in his earliest appearance on Disney+ as of this writing – starts chasing a starfish and, too, gets pounded by the waves. Goofy tries bodysurfing with the surfboard instead, having a lot more success until the wave starts acting a fool again. Pluto gets into an extended scene with a crab and if you think the crab does some pinching, you are right and have seen cartoons before.

Goofy finally masters surfing – or so he thinks – before making a bad landing on the beach, complete with Minnie singing and a clever surfboard-as-tombstone sight gag.

I noticed no cultural depictions.

Extras:

Nothing.

Should you watch it?

Yes, watch it! This is the first short on Disney+ (as of this writing) to feature all five of the “Fabulous Five.” It’s classic Disney.

Mickey Shorts

Mickey’s Rival

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Original release date: June 20, 1936

Rating: TV-G for “gosh, why Mortimer?” and “It may contain outdated cultural depictions.”

Length: eight rival minutes

Background: “Mickey’s Rival” is yet another in the long catalog of Mickey shorts. It introduces the character of Mortimer Mouse.

There’s a little history here as Walt’s original choice for Mickey’s name was Mortimer. His wife, Lillian, suggested Mickey instead. In addition to this Mortimer, a totally different Mortimer was introduced in the Mickey comics as Minnie’s uncle.

This short’s Mortimer – rival Mortimer – has continued making random appearances in Disney shows leading all the way up to the current “Mickey and the Roadster Racers” Disney Junior show.

Review:

We begin with Minnie preparing a nice picnic in the park while Mickey dances near his car. A fancier car speeds by, stopping to introduce Mortimer Mouse. Mortimer has a Mickey look but much longer legs, towering over Minnie. He kisses her hand as Mickey struggles to get out of food that the racing car threw on him.

Minnie introduces Mortimer to Mick, a friendship Mickey has no interest in as the friend zone isn’t his favorite. Unlike Mickey, Mortimer does wear a shirt. Practical joke after practical joke follow and it is quickly apparent that Mortimer is a jerk. Mickey’s little car gets into it with Mortimer’s car as well, as you’d expect from cars with eyes.

Mortimer joins the picnic, much to the chagrin of Mick, and devours the turkey and makes Minnie laugh. Mickey really shouldn’t be letting this happen.

A nearby bull roars, as bulls do in areas with picnics, and Mortimer offers to go fight the bull for Minnie. Mickey isn’t impressed.

Morty keeps the bull at bay until the fence opens, running and jumping in his car. The bull charges Minnie instead, sending Mickey charging into action.

After quite the battle, one that includes Mickey’s car joining in the fight, Mickey of course wins and escapes. Mickey asks Minnie if she still likes Mortimer and she gives him a big “no,” giving Mickey enough assurance to continue through over half a century later without giving her a wedding ring.

I noticed no cultural depictions.

Extras:

Nothing.

Should you watch it?

It’s worth a watch, so watch it. Honestly I faded out during the Mickey-bull battle, but it was entertaining enough and justice was done with some color and HD detailing.

Mickey Shorts

Ye Olden Days

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Original release date: April 8, 1933

Rating: TV-PG because Mickey is troublesome. “It may contain outdated cultural depictions.”

Length: eight olden minutes

Background: Our boy Mickey is back! Produced of course by Walt himself, this short film was very loosely based on “Ivanhoe.” It is in black and white, a change from the previous few shorts, and is the first on Disney Plus (as of this writing) to feature Goofy, though he is under his birth name of Dippy Dog.

Review:

It all starts out with King Pete introducing Prince Dippy Dog to Princess Minnie. Minnie doesn’t want to marry Dippy while Dippy tells her, “I know you’ll learn to love me” like any creeper in a female’s Facebook messages would say. She denies, so the King throws her in the attic along with her friend Clarabelle Cow. All the classic characters are here!

Mickey and his lute climb a tree outside the prison and sing to her, then flies up to her window and vows to save her. Meanwhile, Pete brings on the wedding feast anyway because he likes food and why waste good food. He’s not wrong.

Mickey strings together blankets and he and Minnie climb down from the attic window, eventually being caught. Pete puts Mickey in the guillotine, which seems rough, but Minnie begs for his life. Pete calls for a duel between Dippy Dog and Mick, Dippy getting actual armor and a horse and Mickey getting a donkey and not much else. Mickey stabs Dippy in the butt with a spear, the horse and donkey get into it, and Dippy falls assumingly to his death out of a window, never to be seen again.

Mickey, Minnie and donkey get a parade and I assume get married. Or not.

As far as the cultural depictions, I didn’t catch anything. They could be there, but they made it past my bad eyes and good glasses.

Extras:

There are no extra features. You already got Dippy Dog.

Should you watch it?

Yes, absolutely watch it. It’s Mickey, Minnie, and the eventual Goofy in hijinks. It’s an entertaining eight minutes. The violence is slapstick, though Mickey with his head in a guillotine might raise a few questions.

Mickey Shorts

Steamboat Willie

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Original release date: November 18, 1928

Rating: TV-Y7 because it’s Mickey Mouse. Mickey is downright mean to some animals and there’s about a minute scene of Pete having chewing tobacco hijinks (which somehow didn’t get the copious amount of warning that other things on Disney+ have received).

Length: seven glorious minutes

Background: You’ve heard of “Steamboat Willie,” even though you might call it “Steamboat Mickey.” It is technically the debut of both Mickey and Minnie Mouse, though they appeared in “Plane Crazy” which test debuted but didn’t officially debut several months earlier. Pete also appears, but he actually debuted three years prior in “Alice” shorts. That’s right, ol’ Pete has been around longer than Mickey. No wonder he acts like he does.

It was the first Disney cartoon with synchronized sound. It basically skyrocketed Walt Disney into fame and threw Mickey Mouse into the world as the most famous cartoon character ever.

Review:

It all starts with the famous scene you see at the beginning of every modern Disney animated film: Mickey whistling and driving the steamboat. Pete, the actual captain of the steamboat, appears and kicks Mickey off.

Mickey gets into hijinks as you would expect. He finds a whole area of animals and, at this point, pretty much becomes a brat. All to the tune of “Turkey in the Straw,” he kicks a nursing baby pig, plays music on the mama pig, and play’s a cow’s teeth like a xylophone.

Pete puts Mickey back to work in the potato peeling area of the boat, something all modern boats seem to be missing. Mickey throws a potato at a bird because, despite being an animal himself, he is abusive to other animals and that’s how it ends.

Extras:

There is one extra in the “extras” area: the retelling of “Steamboat Willie” using emojis. It is cute but probably unnecessary.

Should you watch it?

Well, obviously. It’s the debut of Mickey and Minnie and the short that catapulted Disney to the top, a level it hasn’t left in almost 100 years since. You’ll enjoy it, the kids will enjoy it, and either the whistle at the beginning or “Turkey in the Straw” will be stuck in your head for hours later. Watch it.