Can't believe how long it took this long to see Susie the Little Blue Coupe, especially considering being a huge lifelong Disney fan. Didn't even know about it, until coming across it quite by accident reliving some childhood favourites on Youtube.
Now this viewer wishes they came across it sooner, for it is a lovely Disney short that is deserving of more exposure. As always, as with the Disney cartoons of the 50s and before, the animation is wonderful and perhaps the component that makes Susie the Little Blue Coupe. It is so colourful, so fluid, so detailed, so smooth and Susie is nicely designed and a visually appealing character. Another great asset is the music score, which is lively and characterful as well as beautifully orchestrated, especially the title theme. It is easy to mistake it for the music of Oliver Wallace, though Wallace's music tends to enhance the action just a little more.
Sterling Holloway narrates with just the right amount of restraint and he is also entertaining to listen to. Thankfully he is not overused or distracting, and he is certainly not overly didactic. Stan Freberg's contribution is even more important with the voicing of multiple characters and sound effects and shamefully he isn't credited in the title credits. Susie the Little Coupe has a very poignant story, where it is easy to feel sympathy for Susie (mainly because it is heart-breaking to see her suffer as much as she does. That said, it does amuse as well, really enjoyed the inside joke with reference to Bill Peet with the Peet's Ice truck that Susie drives behind. And it also inspires in its portrayal of real life, showing that you can stay strong no matter how bad the circumstances are. The story is expertly paced and Susie is immediately identifiable as a character, her suffering portrayed very affectingly.
Overall, a lovely and underrated Disney gem. 10/10 Bethany Cox
