Working for Peanuts

A Walt Disney DONALD DUCK Film.

Chip 'n' Dale begin WORKING FOR PEANUTS as they attempt to steal the little goodies from under the noses of zookeeper Donald and his favorite elephant.

This would be another typical (albeit enjoyable) Duck versus Chipmunks cartoon, except that this time Donald has a formidable ally in Dolores the elephant. This was the final of three films in which Dolores would appear for Disney; apparently one encounter with the Chipmunks was quite enough. Clarence "Ducky" Nash provides Donald's 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.

What a pleasant surprise to find 3D form MEET THE ROBINSONS prefaced by a l953 Donald Duck complete with opening beaming close-up and red fabric backed titles, all re-mastered from the great fifties two strip format.

Not seen in dimensional since a blink and you miss it first release this is not one of the best Donald Ducks, with no big ending and the UPA influenced backgrounds no fair swap for the best Disney design. It still offers Chip and Dale's discovery of peanuts and their battle with Dolores, the impatient pink elephant and her keeper.

Fair amount of flinging objects at the camera, pastel shades, technically impeccable with sharp stereo images. Nostalgia and entertainment (they are two different things) mix.

This is an OK Donald Duck and Chip 'n' Dale cartoon, where the chipmunks discover that their tree sits next to a zoo. They accidentally get a peanut thrown at them meant for an elephant and, after loving the taste of it, decided to go steal some from the elephant's lair. Then, it's the usual tricks as the chipmunks try to outwit the elephant and its keeper, Donald Duck.

The chipmunks did get owned a few times by the elephant and Donald, particularly getting the peanuts taken back from the rodents and getting them thrown at them by Donald. The chipmunks may have gotten the stash of peanuts eventually, but what sets this cartoon aside from the others is that Donald didn't end up getting much of a bad rap either - refreshing!

Grade B-

Chip 'n Dale try to steal peanuts from an elephant called Dolores. Donald Duck is the zookeeper and tries to stop them. I always like the Donald Duck shorts with Chip 'n Dale. In this short they add something as well. They have a lot of funny moments. A very nice and funny short.

What a treat to see this vintage Donald Duck cartoon, Working for Peanuts, in its original 3-D version before the feature Meet the Robinsons. In this one Donald is a zoo keeper trying to keep Chip 'n' Dale from stealing peanuts from the elephant, Delores. Lots of gags involving begging, catching, or singing and dancing for peanuts abound in perfect three-dimensional style. Not the most hilarious Disney or Donald Duck cartoon but a nice added attraction before the big feature. It's nice when the company occasionally shows one of their vintage short subjects before their newest movie. By the way, I found out here Dale is the one with the red nose.