Hector's Hectic Life

Hector's Hectic Life (1948)

*** (out of 4)

Charming animated film about Hector, a dog whose owner grows tired of him making messes so right before Christmas she tells him that he must remain good or else she's going to put him out in the cold. Hector swears to be good but his secret puppies can't quite stay out of trouble. HECTOR'S HECTIC LIFE isn't going to go down in animation history of being one of the greatest films out there but I think it's charming enough and features enough action to keep people entertained. The highlight of the film is a scene where the puppies knock over a fish bowl, spilling all of the water and Hector having to rush to the scene and get it cleaned up. Another good sequence deals with Hector throwing the pups out of the house but then getting a visit from his good and bad sides. For the most part the animation is quite nice and at just over 7-minutes the thing certainly moves good enough with no slow moments.

BEWARE OF FALSE REVIEWS & REVIEWERS. SOME REVIEWERS HAVE ONLY ONE REVIEW TO THEIR NAME. NOW WHEN ITS A POSITIVE REVIEW THAT TELLS ME THEY WERE INVOLVED WITH THE MOVIE. IF ITS A NEGATIVE REVIEW THEN THEY MIGHT HAVE A GRUDGE AGAINST THE FILM . NOW I HAVE REVIEWED OVER 200 HOLIDAY FILMS. I HAVE NO AGENDA. I AM HONEST

The short begins with a dog named Hector (called "Princie" in the short) sleeping on a messy bed and then the housekeeper wakes him up with her broom complaining how he always makes a mess in the house. She gives Hector a warning that if he makes one more mess in the house, he will be thrown outside in the snow without a home, but she then tells him that if he became a good dog, Santa Claus might leave him a Christmas present.

As Hector was about to take a nap at the front door, he hears a knock on the door and thinks it might be Santa leaving him a basket full of bones on the doorstep. He opens the door, sees the basket, and takes it inside the house. As he was about to enjoy the basket, he hears a "yelp" coming from inside the basket. He opens it and out popped three puppies who looked exactly like him.

When the puppies start destroying the house Hector knows he will get the blame and Santa will pass him by.

This Animated Short is Cute and adorable

This is a familiar theme but with a different twist to it. I've seen "Tom" and "Sylvester" and other characters in the same predicament as we find Hector the dog here, meaning he has to be nice and keep things under control if he's going to stay in the house. An added incentive: stay in the house AND get a nice present from Santa Claus, according to his Scandanavian- accented owner. Otherwise, he'll be thrown out in the snow with no holiday fun.

The problem is three little puppies are delivered to the front door....and those little guys are not going to be quiet and orderly. They are going to cause havoc and you know who will be blamed. Can Hector keep them in line?.

There's a nice ending to this, as most short stories and cartoons revolving around Christmas are, and that's a good thing. The feel-good ending makes up for a so-so story.

It's truly a shame that this cartoon, among so many others, has been forgotten over the years. In this heart-warming Christmas joy, a dog named Hector is faced with the task of keeping three mischievous puppies out of trouble so his owner doesn't kick him out into the snow. The light-hearted trouble these playful pups get Hector into will make you laugh and sigh. They don't make Christmas cartoons like this anymore. This is one that will, a rightfully should, be treasured by the whole family for generations to come.

. . . "Famous Studios" after a Tinsel Town conglomerate swindled them out of their birthright would upchuck at such pablum as HECTOR'S HECTIC LIFE, during which the voice behind Olive Oil is forced to demean herself as a "Swedish housekeeper." What could be next on her downward slope? A role as a Swedish Meatball? Certainly "Famous Studios" did not comply with America's Truth-in-Advertising laws. Among the many more accurate names for this nefarious outfit are Filched Studios, Fabricated Pictures and Flimsy Entertainment. By no stretch of anyone's imagination does Hector qualify as a fetching cartoon character. As depicted here, he is more of a Man's Best Fiend.