Santa's Surprise

. . . will be left wondering "How did the kids get back home?" It's not as if the gal with an unadorned torso will be able to get very far above the Arctic circle cloaked only in a floral wreath. If the actual temperature doesn't get her, the windchill factor surely will. Furthermore, how practical do you think the Dutch boy's wooden shoes are trekking across a polar ice cap? It seems like the silver skates of Hans Brink Ear would be more practical conveyances Up North than lumbering clogs. Finally, the idea that poorly identified stowaways of unknown intentions could tag along on an international flight without any security screening whatsoever is very troubling.

Okay there are plenty of flaws in this cartoon or animated short. The cartoon is about a group of kids who want to thank Santa Claus for all he's done for them. Yes, the film is over 70 years old so it's outdated especially regarding stereotypes about the children. But I didn't pay attention much to that as part of the cartoon's message about thanking Santa Claus and gratitude. If you overlook the stereotypes and realize that the country was another time and place, you might appreciate the early animation in this short and how Christmas was part of American history in post-World War II America. I didn't see the stereotypes or the offensiveness. To me, it's a cartoon for children and audiences. While it might be seen as offensive now, I'm sure it wasn't offensive when it was released. Still, the message is about gratitude.

This short manages in just a few minutes to denigrate peoples from all over the world. The kids in the film are going a nice thing. Can't say the same for the filmmakers

This is a cartoon about some kids who decide that since Santa does so much for them every year, they should do something for him. So they break into his house and attempt to help him clean.

Like so many things from the 1940s, this cartoon is full of what would today be considered offensive racial stereotypes in what was probably an attempt at diversity. Check out the design on the black and Chinese kids, especially.

The animation is very cheap and the songs are pretty bad, but it does have some charming (cute) sight-gags. And it's only nine minutes long, so you won't waste too much of your life.

Not one of my favourite Christmas cartoons by all means, but still well worth watching at once.

The story is very slight and drags ever so slightly in places, and the portrayals of some of the children are very stereotypical. Stereotypes that understandably may not (big emphasis on that) be for the easily offended and the way they're portrayed is very "of the time" and can be seen as outdated now.

However, the animation is rich and colourful, with very meticulous and beautifully drawn backgrounds and well-rendered character designs that don't look too stiff. Winston Sharples provides yet another outstanding music score, even in mediocre or worse cartoons Sharples' music was never among the flaws (if anything always one of the strengths or the best asset). Love the lusciousness of the orchestration here and how characterful and whimsical the music was without going overboard in either, even better was how well it fitted in the cartoon and how it merged with the action. The main song is very infectious too.

'Santa's Surprise' while not hilarious still offers plenty of amusement, with the funniest material coming from the Dutch boy, while also telling the story with the right amounts of charm and warmth, everything feeling very sweet and heart-warming by the end. While stereotypical the children are appealing and amusing, not falling into the traps of cloying sentiment or annoyance. Look out for Little Audrey in her first cartoon. The voice acting is dependably good.

All in all, stereotypical and slight but very sweet, well-made and charming. 7/10 Bethany Cox