Der Hockey-Champion

A perfect 10 for 10

This short animation from the Walt Disney vaults is a must see for any hockey fan enthusiast. The color is fantastic, and the interaction with Donald Duck and his young and rambunctious three (3) nephews on ice skates is such a wonderful piece of cartoon nostalgia that I wished that the new Disney films that get released in the theaters with their half a billion dollar budgets would wow their audiences by showing this 1939 short 7 minute cartoon prior to their main feature film which is what I was used to seeing back in the 1960's.

Parents and children would flock back to the theaters and talk more about the preliminary cartoon short they just saw than the multi-million dollar CGI enhanced feature films that are cookie cutters of the previous years action/adventure films.

Donald is skating with elegance, and grace on a frozen lake until he sees his nephews Huey, Dewey, and Louie playing Ice Hockey. So he decides to challenge them to a three-on-one game after showing them his 'Duck Swamp Champion' trophy.

The animation and effects were great, especially for the year that this cartoon was released. Some funny moments will rouse young children and keep them entertained.

Like all short Disney cartoons, I find the scenery looked gorgeous and the story itself was enjoyable, but not truly memorable.

On a side note, you can't help but feel a little sorry for Donald, as he seems to always get slapped around like a hockey puck.

7/10.

I noticed one review that complained that 'the characters didn't really get along and were mean-spirited toward each other'. Well, this is very true in "The Hockey Champ"...but also in MOST cartoons featuring Donald and his nephews! I can only assume they haven't seen that many of these Disney shorts.

When the short begins, Donald is skating around the lake--pretending he's the Olympic skating champion, Sonja Henie. Soon, the nephews arrive and Donald tries to show them how a champion hockey player plays the game. Mostly, however, what you see are the nephews tormenting Donald.

To me, this is an average Donald and nephews film...no better, no worse.

In this Disney cartoon, Donald takes his nephews to a game of hockey, but Donald says that they know nothing about the sport, touting his own champion self. Donald wins the first round with his nephews and then gets a little cocky and blindfolds himself while taking his nephews on a second game. However, the kids get a little to aggravated and hits Donald around like the hockey puck itself.

I first saw this animated short as part of Disney home video collection called "Kids is Kids," which my mom used to rent for me when I was a little kid. Even has a kid, I didn't like this one much as I thought the characters didn't really get a long and were too mean-spirited toward each other. While, the humor might some little kids laugh a lot older kids or adults probably fine this one not-so-entertaining.

Grade D

Donald Duck is showing off on the ice. The kids are playing hockey and Donald brings out his Hockey Champion of Duck Swamp trophy. He challenges his nephews in a three on one game. He's unstoppable until the boys fight back with some unconventional tactics. It's a little odd when Donald is great at anything. So this starts off a little oddly. His arrogance is very much expected and that's how this plays out. That's the fun of this short. Donald gets his comeuppance once again.