Le protégé de Pluto

Pluto's Fledgling (1948)

*** (out of 4)

A baby bird sees some other birds take off flying so he tries the same but his little wings can't hold him up and he crashes to the ground. Once there Pluto decides to help him back into the nest but the bird keeps on trying to fly and failing. PLUTO'S FLEDGLING is one of the better shorts from the series as there are a number of good laughs and the story itself has some creative turns that are a lot of fun. The highlight is certainly the opening sequence where Pluto must try and get the bird back up to his nest. The animation is excellent as you'd expect and the colors also really leap off the screen. If you're a fan of the Pluto series then this here is certainly one you'll enjoy.

A Walt Disney PLUTO Cartoon.

A tiny bird becomes PLUTO'S FLEDGLING when he falls out of his nest and into the Pup's water dish.

The enjoyable story in this little film relives the rather routine animation. Although a cute wee fellow, this would be fledgling Orville's only cartoon appearance for Disney.

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, Dumbo, Bambi & Peter Pan. 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.

Anybody who likes Pluto- count me as one of them, though Goofy, Donald and even Mickey are stronger characters- will like Pluto's Fledgling. Like with most Pluto shorts it is unexceptional and fairly routine story-wise. But it also has some amusing if not always hilarious gags and several cute moments, the baby bird is so adorable and naturally so. The animation has been more vibrant and more fluid before and since but still looks detailed and beautiful, there is an old-fashioned quality to it but that's part of the charm. The music synchronises with the humour, sweet parts, gestures and facial expressions to great effect, it also has great character and the lush orchestration is most appealing. Pluto is a likable lead character and his energy never falters neither does our sympathy for what he goes through in Pluto's Fledgling waver. To conclude, very winning and with a lot to like about it. Not a masterpiece, nor does it in all fairness try to be, but a really pleasant 6-7 minutes. 8/10 Bethany Cox

This is a nice little cartoon featuring Pluto, whose nap got disturbed by a little bird, who is having a hard time learning how to fly. Pluto takes on a new role as flying instructor, giving the bird lessons - from flying the bird like a kite to launching it with a slingshot. What results are some pretty funny results with Pluto being the one tumbling to the ground a couple of times.

It's nice seeing Pluto being a teacher of some sorts - displaying a little frustration but determination in helping the bird fly. Pretty funny cartoon.

Grade A-

Pluto's Fledgling (1948) is probably one of Walt's most viewed short animations (people just don't fully realize it).

The movie/short of Pluto playing mother/father to a small bird/fledgling that really wants to fly (so much so that it pesters Pluto to teach it how to do so) is shown in front of Disney's 2002 release Return to Never Land.

The short has a good story and good animation. It holds your interest for the 5 minutes or so its on screen and in many cases performs better than the movie that follows its 2002 re-release.

I don't know if the re-release is some way for Disney to hold onto its copywrite for Pluto for another 25-40 years (as it seems that this copywrite issue is why Disney is making a bunch of direct to video sequels), or perhaps they are trying to make the movie (Return to Never Land) have more monetary value (as all recent Disney/Pixar releases have had shorts in front of them).

In either case the short has nothing to do with the movie that follows (other than the Disney name of course) and it is good for those whom are interested, short enough for those who are not, and as usual will be missed/non-viewed by people whom are late for the movie.

It is a win-win-win situation.

Rating: 8