Review by Bunuel1976

This is another enjoyable Oscar-nominated cartoon (watched via a washed-out, Italian-subtitled print on "You Tube"), from the animator who would 'strike' gold with THE CRITIC (1963; which I watched the previous day). Again, it is voiced by a notable personality i.e. Carl Reiner – but the hero of this one is the antithesis of the later effort's unseen protagonist: rather than a misanthrope, the violinist is eager-to-please… and, yet, he still alienates his potential audience by strumming only dissonant notes! He is constantly flanked by a dog, though it more readily bites and ridicules him than give the expected support! The man feels so bad about all this that he visits a Teutonic shrink, who puts forth to him that old adage that one has to literally suffer for his art in order to succeed; so he does, neglecting both his sustenance and appearance in the process! This results in him being able to play with feeling at long last…but his desired fame still eludes him, because people cannot then stand his "ugly" look!