The Brave Engineer

Didn't know Casey Jones had so much misadventures as described in this action-packed cartoon, from rescuing a damsel in distress to fending off thieves. All with backup singers joining in the fun.

Colorful animation and plenty of slapstick stuff, but lacking humor and fun overall.

Grade C

"The Brave Engineer" is a Walt Disney animated short about the legendary Casey Jones. This is one of several cartoon shorts made by the Disney studios over the years that celebrate American legends. Some such legends are myths but others are based on real people. Casey Jones was one of them. He was a railroad engineer who became famous after his fatal train crash of April 30, 1900. He was immortalized by a 1909 song, "The Ballad of Casey Jones."

This cartoon short focuses on Jones's reputation for being on-time with train schedules. In many instances, he made up considerable time when incoming trains had fallen way behind schedule. In one scene in this short, Jones rescues a damsel in distress. That is a parody of a real-life incident in which Jones stood on the outside front of his engine and pulled a little girl off the tracks, keeping her from being run over by the train.

Jones worked for the Illinois Central Railroad and operated trains in the South, from Tennessee to Louisiana. The Casey Jones Home and Railroad Museum is located in Jackson, Tenn. Water Valley, Miss. Has a Casey Jones Railroad Museum, and the Casey Jones State Park is located in Vaughan, Miss.

Fun cartoon from Disney that's loosely based on real-life train engineer Casey Jones. The story finds Casey determined to get his cargo to its destination on time, despite all the obstacles that stand in his way. It's very cute and fun with wonderful voice work from Jerry Colonna. I'm a sucker for train stories so it has that added value for me. I read that this cartoon has been censored now by Disney, specifically the scene with the robbers being edited out because they have guns. A textbook example of the stupidity of political correctness and 21st century Disney's cowardice. Thankfully I did not watch that version.

Some of the pacing did feel a tad rushed in places, however The Brave Engineer is still really fun. The animation is lusciously coloured and beautifully drawn, and the music is catchy, especially the song, helped by the lively singing. The Brave Engineer has some hilarious commentary, some terrifically paced and never dull action, while the story is always engaging. The characters are zany and likable, and I personally thought Jerry Colonna's voice work was one of The Brave Engineer's best assets(though I can understand as his delivery and his style of humour can be seen as an acquired taste). True, it is not always subtle, but you can tell that a lot of enthusiasm went into it and it is immensely enjoyable as a result.

Overall, a really fun short with everything I love about Disney evident. 9/10 Bethany Cox

This is the story of the engineer Casey Jones and his insane efforts to make sure he delivers the mail on time. The train sequences are very goofy--a major plus.

This cartoon short from Disney is well worth seeing but I must warn you about two major distractions--the singing and, more importantly, the narration by Jerry Colonna. As for the singing, my feeling is many will like it and just as many won't. But the narration--that is something many, many will struggle with, as Colonna's shtick was to deliver his lines in an ear-piercing manner. It's a shame, as other than that it's a cute little cartoon...with VERY annoying narration.

By the way, look carefully at the scene where the conductor jumps off the train. Despite this, in the next scene you can STILL see him standing on top of the train!!