Review: Ichabod Rocks Disney's "The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad"

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 6 (of 2007) by Leroy Douresseaux

The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad (1949) – animated
Running time: 68 minutes
DIRECTORS: Jack Kinney, Clyde Geronimi, and James Algar
WRITERS: Homer Brightman, Winston Hibler, Erdman Penner, Harry Reeves, and Joe Rinaldi (based on The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame and “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” by Washington Irving)
PRODUCER: Walt Disney
EDITOR: John O. Young
Golden Globe winner

ANIMATION/FANTASY/ACTION/COMEDY/FAMILY

Starring: (voices) Bing Crosby, Basil Rathbone, Eric Blore, J. Pat O’Malley, Colin Campbell, Campbell Grant, Claud Allister, and The Rhythmaires

The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad was the last of Walt Disney’s “package films,” which were films comprised of two or more animated short subjects instead of a single feature-length story (such as Bambi).

The first short feature, “The Adventures of Mr. Toad” is based on Kenneth Grahame’s 1908 novel, The Wind in the Willows, an acknowledged classic of children’s literature. J. Thaddeus Toad (Eric Blore), the proprietor of Toad Hall, is in deep financial straights because of his spendthrift ways regarding whatever fad he’s chasing, and he also starts spending much of his time with a wastrel horse named Cyril Proudbottom (J. Pat O’Malley). His latest obsession is “motor mania,” the desire to have a car. When his fixation lands him in prison, it’s up to Mr. Toad’s friends, Mole (Colin Campbell), Water Rat (Claud Allister), and Angus MacBadger (Campbell Grant) to save him.

The second story, “Ichabod Crane,” is based upon Washington Irving’s classic American short story, “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow,” first published in 1820 and later contained in his story collection, The Sketch Book of Geoffrey Crayon, Gent. Bing Crosby narrates and sings the story of itinerate schoolteacher Ichabod Crane, who arrives in the Dutch settlement of Tarry Town, New York to be the new schoolmaster in a secluded glen called Sleepy Hollow. Ichabod falls in love with Katrina Van Tassel, the daughter of the wealthiest of the local farmers, much to the chagrin of her other suitor, Brom Bones. Brom decides that he needs to scare Ichabod off, so near the end of the Van Tassel’s annual Halloween ball, he tells the tale of The Headless Horseman that haunts Sleepy Hollow. After leaving the party, Crane, who is deeply superstitious, has a wild encounter with the Horseman… or does he.

Although not considered to be one of the very best Walt Disney animated features, The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad has some of the most beautiful color seen in animated films. It’s all practically applied and not just for the sake of being pretty; in fact, the film won a 1950 Golden Globe for “Best Cinematography, Color.” While the Mr. Toad segment is very nice (and features beautiful character and set designs), the treat here is, of course, Ichabod Crane. What makes it better is Bing Crosby, whose narration and singing give Ichabod Crane color and warmth.

As strange as it may sound, this short segment (which runs less than 35 minutes) features some of the best animation Disney ever did. Talk about the art of animation: the characters move flawlessly in a symphony of movement that is an exercise in mathematical precision. The sequence that begins when Ichabod enters Sleepy Hollow until the end of his race with the Headless Horseman should make any shortlist of all time great action sequences in animated films. It’s scary (as scary as I remember it as child), and a great example of something Disney did well in their classic animated movies – create an atmosphere of fear.

The color, the sound, and the motion: even this work considered a minor affair shows that when Disney animators were at the height of their powers, they were really up there. Actually, there’s an action sequence at the end of Mr. Toad that would be considered the best work by any other animation studio. Still, it pales next to the chase in Ichabod, and that’s what makes The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad essential Disney.

8 of 10
A

Wednesday, January 10, 2007

NOTES:
1950 Golden Globes: 1 win: Best Cinematography – Color

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Review: "Pinky" Remains a Pointed, Relevant Drama

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 177 (of 2003) by Leroy Douresseaux

Pinky (1949)
Running time: 102 minutes
DIRECTOR:  Elia Kazan
WRITERS: Philip Dunne and Dudley Nichols (from the novel by Cid Ricketts Sumner)
PRODUCER: Darryl F. Zanuck
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Joseph MacDonald
EDITOR: Harmon Jones
Academy Award nominee

DRAMA

Starring: Jeanne Crain, Ethel Barrymore, Ethel Waters, William Lundigan, Basil Ruysdael, Evelyn Varden, Kenny Washington, and Griff Barnett

Actress Jeanne Crain died Sunday, December 14, 2003, a day before I began writing this review. She earned an Academy Award nomination for her work in the film, Pinky.  Patricia Johnson (Ms. Crain) is a (very) light-skinned black woman living in the north. Years ago her grandmother (Ethel Waters) sent her north so that she could go to school to become a very well trained nurse. Now a graduate nurse, Patricia, better known as Pinky in the dirty, bigoted South where she was born, comes home to help her ailing granny. Pinky, however, is not ready to live again in the pre-Civil Rights South, with all the requisite stepping, fetching, and bowing to crackers that Negroes had to do then.

Her grandmother also uses guilt and guile to get Pinky to watch over an ailing white woman, Miss Em (Ethel Barrymore), who once ran a boarding school on the grounds of her palatial plantation estate. When Miss Em dies, she bequeaths her property to Pinky, which causes anger and consternation amongst the small town’s backwoods, inbred peckerwoods; it especially infuriates the trashy wife (Evelyn Varden) of Miss Em’s only living relative. Pinky doggedly fights the relatives who contest the will in court, and everyone is against her, from her grandmother to a reluctant retired judge who is acting as Pinky’s lawyer.

That’s just a few of the many hilarious highlights of the film Pinky, which like both film versions of Imitation of Life deals with light-skinned black women trying to “pass” as white women. Many of you would like to believe that there is no need for mulattoes, quadroons, octoroons, etc. to pass as white because skin color doesn’t matter any more, or at least not as much as it used to matter. Michael Jackson is trying to make himself white for a reason – it matters. Who would chose to have a dusky or dark complexion over being lighter? This film is timeless as we will always face hate, prejudice, and bigotry based on physical appearance.

The film is well acted (even if Ms. Crain and Ms. Waters are a bit hammy at times) and very well directed. Pinky captures with disheartening accuracy the pain and horror of racism and bigotry. Ms. Waters as granny or Miss Darcy (as she’s also known) plays the quietly suffering mammy a bit too heavily, but the humility and grace in the face of hate she gives the character serves the film quite well. It is also not naïve to believe that Pinky would stand up for herself at the great risk of personal injury. Back in the day it was nothing for evil white Christians to brutally and viciously murder black men and women, and that’s what Pinky faced, demanding that the legal system honor her property and inheritance rights.

Most importantly, Pinky is very entertaining, even though at times it is outrageously hilarious. It is, too, an inspirational film about doing the right thing, a feel good movie about triumphant black folks that will hopefully stand strong over time.

7 of 10
A-

NOTE:
1950 Academy Awards: 3 nominations: Best Actress (Jeanne Crain), and Best Supporting Actress (Ethel Barrymore, Ethel Waters)

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