Pluto's Blue Note

A Walt Disney PLUTO Cartoon.

Spring is here and Pluto is just full of inner music which he can't seem to express - until inspiration strikes...

Nominated for an Oscar, PLUTO'S BLUE NOTE is an enjoyable cartoon with very little plot. That's Frank Sinatra being spoofed at the end of the film. Sharp eyes will spot Fifi, who was Pluto's doggie girlfriend during the 1930's, among the enthusiastic canine females at the conclusion. This was her final cartoon appearance.

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, Bambi, Peter Pan and Mr. Toad. 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.

Pluto attempts to show the busy bees, chirping crickets and singing birds that he can crack a note, so when he sees a music store nearby, he might just be able to sing those blues. It's a funny little cartoon with Pluto dancing around to some catchy music by a music box - full of surprises and fun. I first saw this cartoon as part of a Disney cartoon classic compilation video from the rental store. It brings back memories when seeing this cartoon again years later; it is sure to bring smiles and laughter to both adults and children.

There is not a whole lot of adventures or excitement, but it's still a cool cartoon short and that make you want to sing along!

Grade B+

Not one of Pluto's absolute best shorts, but one where it's very easy to be charmed by Pluto's Blue Note and why it was nominated for an Oscar. The ending is a little slow and the gag of Pluto crooning is an admittedly obvious one. Fortunately it is also very funny and one of Pluto's Blue Note's most memorable moments. Pluto still has an immense amount of energy and likability, because he is a non-speaking character he is very physical in how he looks and behaves, that's difficult to do well and it is done well here(and on the most part with Pluto too). The animation is fluidly drawn and has lots of vibrant colour, visually Pluto's Blue Note is very pleasing to look at. The music is characterful and lush, and you couldn't have asked for a better and more fitting song than the very sweet love song "You Belong To My Heart". The gags are well-timed and still tickle the funny bone(such as Pluto using his tail as a phonograph needle in the music store), and mainly because of the song Pluto's Blue Note is one of Pluto's sweetest shorts. The story is on the routine side, but when Pluto's Blue Note is this charming you don't care. All in all, not one of the best Pluto shorts or an animated masterpiece but still hits a high note. 9/10 Bethany Cox

This is one of the most delightful cartoons Disney made in the 1940s, as well as being a very effective showcase for Pluto. Good use of music as well. Nominated for an Oscar in 1947, this shows up every so often on Disney Channel's The Ink and Paint Club. Recommended.