Rugged Bear

A Walt Disney DONALD DUCK Cartoon.

Humphrey desperately disguises himself as a bearskin rug in Donald's lodge to escape hunting season.

This funny Oscar-nominated film, RUGGED BEAR, is very unusual in that nothing bad whatsoever happens to the Duck; he just passively and innocently heaps indignities upon poor Humphrey. Clarence "Ducky" Nash provides Donald with his unique voice.

Walt Disney (1901-1966) was always intrigued by drawings. As a lad in Marceline, Missouri, he sketched farm animals on scraps of paper; later, as an ambulance driver in France during the First World War, he drew figures on the sides of his vehicle. Back in Kansas City, along with artist Ub Iwerks, Walt developed a primitive animation studio that provided animated commercials and tiny cartoons for the local movie theaters. Always the innovator, his ALICE IN CARTOONLAND series broke ground in placing a live figure in a cartoon universe. Business reversals sent Disney & Iwerks to Hollywood in 1923, where Walt's older brother Roy became his lifelong business manager & counselor. When a mildly successful series with Oswald The Lucky Rabbit was snatched away by the distributor, the character of Mickey Mouse sprung into Walt's imagination, ensuring Disney's immortality. The happy arrival of sound technology made Mickey's screen debut, STEAMBOAT WILLIE (1928), a tremendous audience success with its use of synchronized music. The SILLY SYMPHONIES soon appeared, and Walt's growing crew of marvelously talented animators were quickly conquering new territory with full color, illusions of depth and radical advancements in personality development, an arena in which Walt's genius was unbeatable. Mickey's feisty, naughty behavior had captured millions of fans, but he was soon to be joined by other animated companions: temperamental Donald Duck, intellectually-challenged Goofy and energetic Pluto. All this was in preparation for Walt's grandest dream - feature length animated films. Against a blizzard of doomsayers, Walt persevered and over the next decades delighted children of all ages with the adventures of Snow White, Pinocchio, Dumbo, Bambi & Peter Pan. Walt never forgot that his fortunes were all started by a mouse, or that simplicity of message and lots of hard work always pay off.

I do enjoy the Humphrey Bear-Donald Duck cartoons. There aren't many of them, but while they are occasionally routine and predictable they are cute and entertaining with solid technical aspects. I liked Rugged Bear best of all, as the story was always crisp and fun, as well as being the least predictable of their collaborations together. Rugged Bear is very funny and imaginative constantly, yet you do feel sympathy for Humphrey. The animation is colourful and vibrant with the characters and backgrounds looking fluid, while the music is full of energy and the main reason why the cartoon has so much life to it. Donald is suitably temperamental, but the star was Humphrey, who still manages to be endearing although the worst of the painful-looking action involves him. Overall, wonderful and highly recommended. 10/10 Bethany Cox

This short, nominated for an Oscar, is a thoroughly delightful thing for everyone except Humphrey the poor bear in all this mess. He goes from the frying pan (hunting season) to the fire (life as a rug for Donald Duck) and he might have had better odds sticking it out in the woods! Parts of this cartoon are pinful to watch, at least for me! Shows with some frquency on the Ink and Paint Club on Disney. Most recommended.

Donald Duck takes on a more serious role is this cartoon short, playing a hunter who is out hunting bears. One of the bears, Humphrey, doesn't make it to his hiding place. He hides out in cabin, pretending to be a bearskin rug, and ends up trying to fool Donald Duck himself. What results are some funny moments when Humphrey tries his hardest to not to out himself and Donald using Humphrey's teeth to open bottles and crush nuts.

Missing is Donald's usual bad luck and frustrated temper - what you have is a calm but lighthearted hunter who still gave us quite a few laughs, including the part where he stuffs Humphrey into the washer and dryer because he caught fire.

Great animation from Disney, and a pretty adventurous story.

Grade B