Hold That Pose

A Walt Disney GOOFY Cartoon.

Foolish photographer Goofy tries to get a sleepy zoo bear to HOLD THAT POSE...

This cartoon, full of silly fun, is quite routine in terms of story & animation. A few useful facts about photography are actually included in the story before Goofy disturbs the ursine menace. This was the first appearance by Humphrey the Bear; his ferocity was excised for the remaining six cartoons in which he would appear.

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.

At first, this seems to be a Goofy how-to film, but once he gets his photographic equipment, the rest of the cartoon is Goofy being chased by a bear. He take pictures the whole time, but the bear, his subject, is at his heels most of the time. Of course, with Goofy, he never hesitates. He always keeps going. I wish they had used a little bit of photography technique and made humor from it.

Goofy is bored when he gets home from a long day at work and decides to take up photography. Although this phrase is not in the title, this is one of those "how to" shorts. It features a man voicing over the cartoon talking about the subject of photography.

This is also an important cartoon in the history of Disney. It is the first appearance of Humphrey the Bear, a zoo inhabitant who is one of Goofy's photography subjects. I know that is Humphrey from reading reference books such as the ENCYCLOPEDIA OF WALT DISNEY'S ANIMATED CHARACTERS, but I often find it hard to believe. This bear does not look or act anything like Humphrey. He is a lot more vicious and surly than the more friendly and happy-go-lucky Humphrey that we're used to. It's too bad Humphrey came so late when Disney was losing interest in the shorts; otherwise, he'd probably be a more well-known Disney character.

Goofy pursues photography and decides to captures some wildlife, particularly a grizzly bear. But, after Goofy's flash powder explodes, the bear gets mad and chases Goofy around. From around the amusement park to Goofy's apartment, there's plenty of slapstick stuff and I'm sure the kids would really get a kick out of this one.

This cartoon also features what is supposed to be the first appearance of Humphrey the Bear. Overall, it's not a bad cartoon, but not one of the more memorable or funniest Disney shorts out there.

Grade B-

With Disney and Goofy, you know you are going to have some fun. Hold a Pose is definitely fun(as expected and more than enough actually), but I'd hesitate in considering it one of my favourites. Humphrey the bear makes his debut here, and Hold a Pose is important in that respect. But seeing a different and rather vicious side to the cute and friendly fun-loving one seen usually seen with Humphrey will with people take some getting used to. He and Goofy do work very well together as well, but I am of the opinion that Donald's reactions and temperament, in the shorts later with Humphrey partnered with Donald, contrasted much more strongly. Goofy as always is funny and instantly appealing, he is clumsy but we love him for it and it has always been part of the fun with him. The gags are clever and the timing ensures that they make their mark, and it helps that the pacing is crisp and the scenario is one that generally plays to the strengths of both Humphrey and Goofy. The animation is beautifully drawn and brightly coloured. The music is lovely to listen to, and has great energy as well as adding to the actions and how the characters react with one another. Overall, fun and historically significant but not a favourite. 8/10 Bethany Cox