The Army Mascot

A Walt Disney PLUTO Cartoon.

Pluto schemes to become THE ARMY MASCOT at Camp Drafty, after seeing the superior chow the other animals there are receiving. But he must first get rid of Gunther Goat, the current holder of that position...

This is a humorous little film, but offers very little new to the often used plot of Pluto's difficulties with other creatures. Bulldog Butch, the bane of much of Pluto's existence, has a cameo as one of the other mascots; having him play a character called 'Winston' was probably the animator's salute to British Prime Minister Churchill.

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.

A pretty funny Pluto cartoon, where he sees dog mascots at an army base being fed some nice pieces of meat during chow time, and Pluto decides he wants some of the feed. Therefore, he sneaks in and disguises himself as mascot Gunther Goat, but the goat later discovers Pluto's scheme and it results in a funny back and forth battle between the two animals.

In addition to the running around, there are some hilarious moments in the cartoon such as Pluto getting high on himself after eating a block of tobacco. The GIs featured in the short remind you of the patriotic heydays of America, and Pluto finally getting his mascot spot in the base is nice victory for the dog.

Grade B

For a Disney Wartime propaganda cartoon, this one has a mighty strange message. It's okay to steal if you get away with it in the end. Basically, Pluto comes across the perimeter fence of some Army base and becomes mighty jealous when he discovers the base mascots enjoying steak dinners and such. He breaks in and swipes some goats food and is loved by the soldiers so much that he is given a special treat…a huge lump of tobacco. Fine message to send to the kids huh?

Eventually the soldiers tire of the Goat and choose Pluto as their new mascot. Not very funny but watchable for it's highly un-PC message to all the 1940's kiddies.

As fun and cute a character Pluto is, before seeing The Army Mascot there was the question of whether he was a strong enough character to lead one of Disney's wartime shorts and whether the short would be direct enough. No fear of these, because not only does The Army Mascot deliver its message in a direct but subtle and not preachy way but it also brings a scenario that Pluto is used to and works well in. Sure, Pluto's battles with other characters in his shorts very often and The Army Mascot doesn't have much surprises in that regard. That doesn't matter because the scenario is still funny and the humour works. The funniest scene is Pluto turning all different colours and patterns, his facial expressions were also priceless. The beginning chase is also great, one of Pluto's best chases perhaps, and the goat with tobacco and Pluto getting showered with tin cans instead of meat are inspired gags. Pluto- he leads The Army Mascot very well actually- is as cute and energetic as ever, with touches of a valiant side as well, and the goat works very well with him. The animation is bright, colourful and beautifully detailed as to be expected, and the music is rousing, characterful and well suited to the era and occasion. Disney is at their best when they produce shorts and such that teach as well as entertain, and The Army Mascot does that, and is one of the better Disney wartime shorts in that respect. Even more so than some of the wartime shorts with Mickey and Donald, generally stronger and more memorable characters. Overall, a great Pluto short and as a wartime short it's direct, it's educational and it's entertaining. Regardless of the Pluto-battling-other-characters scenario not exactly an innovative one, The Army Mascot is still a winner all round. 9/10 Bethany Cox