Farmyard Symphony

In the 1930s, cartoons were chock full of singing animals and little in the way of humor. One notable exception were the Disney cartoons with Mickey and his friends. However, the studio also made a ton of the so-called "Silly Symphonies"--cartoons set to music that in some cases don't hold up so well today (some notable exceptions being "The Three Little Pigs" and "The Ugly Duckling"--among others). I am not sure if these singing cartoons are what people wanted or if studios just thought that's what they wanted, as this sort of singing film practically disappeared by 1940. Until then, MGM, Looney Tunes and the rest were all making rather insipid singing cartoons.

This film consists of animals and farmers around the farm singing and making music while going about their daily routine. There really isn't much more to it than that, though you can see a creepy rooster chasing a chicken as he's trying to have his way with her. Not particularly enjoyable and a bit strange.

Farmyard Symphony, what can I say? Practically perfect in every way. Of course it is rather short on plot, but it has enough charm and fun to wholly compensate. The animation is colourful and fluid, no stiff movements or colour changes as far as I can see. The characters were wonderful, from the adorable piglets to the absolutely hilarious chickens, they alone contributed to the charm of this silly symphony. The best part? Has to be the music, a superb collage of classical music favourites such as the Pastoral Symphony, William Tell, The Barber of Seville, Tannhauser and Hungarian Rhapsody Number 2.

This silly symphony is a very funny and wholly engaging one, and is up there with my favourites. 10/10 Bethany Cox

This is a rather tender and charming short film that only focuses on the interaction between the animals on a farm. It's the usual Silly Symphonies short film that doesn't hold back on offering funny and charming moments with the animated characters. Perhaps the most striking thing is one of the little pigs that never stops roaming the farm to satisfy its hunger. The truth is that the cuteness of the farm animals is what carries a lot about the charm of this short film. Farmyard Symphony is an ideal short film to enjoy in family with the little kidss. My final rating for this short film is a 9/10.

This is a remarkable animated depiction of a lively farm, enhanced by beloved classical melodies and the traditional Scottish folk tune "The Campbells are Coming" during the segment featuring marching geese. I love the baby animals in the cartoon; they are so cute! I love it when the little colt and calf sniff each other from both sides of the fence; animals do that to get to know each other. I also love the part where the rooster tries to woo a pretty hen and ends up chasing her; I love the "Hiya Toots."

So overall, this cartoon is an excellent animal opera with the vocal talents of Florence Gill, Clarence "Ducky" Nash, and Billy Bletcher as the old bull.

The technical prowess of the Silly Symphony series hit its peak in the mid to late 1930s. While The Old Mill (1937) is the peak of the series in terms of sheer beauty and technical innovation, Farmyard Symphony (1938) was still riding that wave. The animation is just gorgeous; there is a realism to the animal characters which looks forward to the final entry in Disney's Golden Age, Bambi (1942).

Of course, the story is thin. I have heard this short described as an adaptation of the Chanticleer story, but that's not accurate. Farmyard Symphony is much more like the earliest Mickey Mouse and Silly Symphony shorts, which featured characters making music with gags thrown in.

Overall a charming and lovely-looking short. Not essential, but worth watching for Disney buffs.