Fun and Fancy Free

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Fun and Fancy Free
Directed by Jack Kinney (animation)
Bill Roberts (animation)
Hamilton Luske (animation)
William Morgan (live-action)
Produced by Walt Disney
Written by Homer Brightman
Eldon Dedini
Lance Nolley
Tom Oreb
Harry Reeves
Ted Sears
Sinclair Lewis (original author of "Bongo")
Starring Cliff Edwards
Edgar Bergen
Luana Patten
Walt Disney
Clarence Nash
Pinto Colvig
Billy Gilbert
Anita Gordon
Dinah Shore
Distributed by RKO Radio Pictures, Inc.
Release date(s) September 27, 1947
Running time 73 min.
Language English
IMDb profile

Fun and Fancy Free (first released on September 27, 1947) is a feature film produced by Walt Disney and released by RKO Radio Pictures. It was one of the "package films" (feature-length compilations of shorter segments) that the studio produced in the 1940s. It is the ninth animated feature in the Disney animated features canon. As with the two segments in The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad, the featurettes were originally planned to be made as full-length features, but because of the studio's circumstances at the time, they ended up becoming a part of the package films instead.


Contents

[edit] Plot

This film features two stories:

  • Bongo: The story of a circus bear cub, who runs away from the circus to the wild and the adventures there that follow. This was based on the original story.
  • Mickey and the Beanstalk: An adaptation of Jack and the Beanstalk with Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, and Goofy as peasants who discover temperamental Willie the Giant's castle in the sky through the use of some magic beans.

Jiminy Cricket of Pinocchio first appears inside a large house, exploring it and singing "I'm a Happy-Go-Lucky Fellow" (originally written for the 1940 classic), until he happens upon a record player and some records, and sets it up to play the story of "Bongo", as told by Dinah Shore.

In the second featurette, the story of "Mickey and the Beanstalk" is narrated by Edgar Bergen in live-action sequences, who, with the help of his ventriloquist's puppets Charlie McCarthy and Mortimer Snerd, tells the tale to child actress Luana Patten at her birthday party.

Mickey, Donald and Goofy live in a place called "Happy Valley" which is plagued by a severe drought, and they have nothing to eat except one loaf of bread; in a memorable scene the bread is cut into paper-thin slices. After Donald attempts to kill their cow with an axe, Mickey trades in their beloved animal for magic beans. Donald throws the beans in a fit of rage, and they fall through a hole in the floor. That night, the beanstalk sprouts and it carries their house upward as it grows. Climbing the gigantic beanstalk they enter a magical kingdom of equal scope, and entering the castle, Mickey, Donald and Goofy help themselves to a sumptuous feast. This rouses the ire of the giant named "Willy", who captures Donald and Goofy and locks them in a box. It's up to Mickey to find the keys and rescue them, with the help of a singing golden harp. The harp, in happier times, played a song that kept the land prosperous and fertile – until the giant stole her. Once freed, the hapless heroes return the golden harp to her rightful place and Happy Valley to its former glory.


[edit] Synopsis

The film begins with jiminy Cricket singing "I'm a Happy-Go-Lucky Fellow" (a song that was intended for him in Pinocchio but was ultimately scrapped) as he explores a house. He is chased by a cat but manages to escape and scares the cat away by barking like a dog. On discovering a teddy bear and a doll that appear to be sad, he decids to play some music for them. Jiminy finds a record of Dinah Shore narrating the story of "Bongo" and sets up the record player.

Bongo is the star of the circus and is able to do any number of tricks, including riding a unicycle on a tightrope while juggling. He is unhappy, however because he is kept locked up when he is not performing. Bongo constantly dreams of escaping into the wild and living a life of happiness among other bears. He finally manages to do so and befriends some woodland creatures, but finds life in the forest isn't as eay as he thought it would be.

While attempting to catch a fish, Bongo mets a beautiful female bear, Lullabelle, and they instantly fall in love with each other. This causes problems as one of the biggest, meanest bears that lives in the forest, Lumpjaw, is extremely jealous. To prove that bears love each other they "Say It With a Slap", which Lullabelle does to Bongo so Lumpjaw can leave them be. But poor Bongo does not know this and wonders why Lullabelle has suddenly come to hate him. Lullabelle is confused and can't see why Bongo isn't slapping her back if he really does love her. As she attempts to slap Bongo one more time, she accidentally hits Lumpjaw, who is delighted that Lullabelle is finally his.

Bongo sadly watches the bears celebrate from far away. As he sees the dance they're doing, which involves the lover bears slapping each other, he finally realizes what Lullabelle was trying to do. He goes back to the bear family and declares his love for her. A fight between Bongo and Lumpjaw ensues, ending with the both of them supposedly going over a waterfall. It turns out that Bongo managed to rescue himself using the tricks he acquired at the circus. Bongo and Lullabellle live happily ever after.

As the record ends, Jiminy notices that the bear and doll are now leaning against each other, smiling. Happy with the difference he made, he prepares to go on his way when he finds an invitation to Luana Patten's birthday party. He decids to drop in, seeing how the house is just across the street. At the party Edgar Bergen, with the help of his dummies Charlie McCarthy and Mortimer Snerd tell her the story of "Mickey and the Beanstalk".

The story begins in a beautiful and prosperous kingdom called Happy Valley. Happy Valley is kept fertile by a magical singing golden harp. Of course, such happiness in the beginning of a fairy tale can only last so long. A shadow comes over the valley one morning, and when it disappears, the harp is gone. Happy Valley quickly becomes plagued by a severe drought. Three peasants in particular that are affected by it are Mickey, Donald, and Goofy. They now have nothing to eat except a small loaf of bread and one bean, which are cut into paper thin slices. In a fit of madness, Donald attempts to eat the dishes and cutlery, then nearly kills their only cow with an axe.

Mickey goes into town to sell the cow, and Goofy and Donald imagine the sumptuous feat they can have with the money gained. Mickey returns, however, with a tiny box of five "magic" beans. He is told by the light of a full moon, something amazing will happen. Enraged, Donald throws away the box and the beans spill into a small hole in the floor. That night, a full moon peeks out from the clouds and its light shines through the roof into the hole in the floor. A beanstalk sprouts and begins to grow. In a memorable scene, it takes the house (which is torn apart as the beanstalk increases in size) and or sleeping heroes (who never wake up as they enterprecarious situations) up with it.

When morning comes, the threesome find themselves in a land of gigantic proportions up in the clouds. The decide to follow a path up to a huge castle. While crossing a pond in a makeshift canoe made from a leaf, they are divebombed by mosquitoes. A wave caused by the splash from a fish brings our heroes to their destination quicker. Nobody answers the door when Mickey knocks, so they squeeze beneath the door and begin exploring. They quickly discover a table laden with "enough food to keep Happy Valley happy for a long time" and they help themselves. The Harp, locked away in a box similar to the ones the beans were kept in, calls out to them and tells them of their plight: she was kidnapped by a shapeshifting giant called Willie so she could sing for him.

Willie then returns home, singing about the powers he has and the magic words he uses: "Fee Fi Fo Fum". The three heroes hide but Mickey is discoverd when Willie sprinkles pepper on his sandwich. Mickey pretends to read Willie's palm and exclaims with fake surprise that he can tell that Willie has magical powers. Noticing a flyswatter nearby, Mickey tries to get Willie to transform himself into a housefly. Willie remains suspicious, but agrees so he can show off his magic. Mickey, Donald and Goofy grab the flyswatter as he transforms, but Willie has decided to change himself into a pink rabbit instead. The angry, dim-witted giant realizes he was tricked.

Willie locks away Goofy and Donald (Mickey manages to escape and hide) and takes the harp out. The Harp sings him a lullaby ("My Favorite Dream") and Mickey sneaks into Willie's pocket to fetch the key. He accidentally spills a box of snuff, however, causing him to sneeze and wake Willie. Willie also sneezes and thinks he must have had a nightmare. He goes back to sleep and Mickey frees Goofy and Donald.

As Donald and Goofy carry away the Harp, Mickey decides to tie Willie's shoelaces togeher just in case he wakes up, which, unfortunately, he does. He chases Mickey, though the clever mouse manages to set a trap or two for him. Mickey, Goofy and Donald climb down the beanstalk and begin to saw through it while Willie climbs down. The beanstalk falls and takes Willie with it, and Happy Valley is restored to its former glory.

Charlie McCarthy is saddened by the ending because he felt bad for Willie. Bergen reminds him that Willie was made up, he never was real. At that moment, Willie peeks inside the house by lifting up the roof and asks them if they've seen "a teeny weeny itsy bitsy mouse". Bergen faints and Willie and Jiminy walk away.

[edit] Voice cast

[edit] Directing animators

[edit] Worldwide release dates


[edit] Song List

"Fun and Fancy Free" "I'm a Happy-Go-Lucky Fellow" "Lazy Countryside" "Say It With a Slap" "Fun and Fancy Free (reprise) "What a Happy Day "Funniculi Funniculi" "Fee Fi Fo Fum" "My Favorite Dream" "Fun and Fancy Free (reprise)"

[edit] TV broadcast and home video release

Although they were not made into individual full-length features, they did air as individual episodes on the anthology TV series in the 1950s and 60s. "Mickey and the Beanstalk" in particular aired on a 1963 episode with new introductory segments, and Ludwig Von Drake's narration replacing Edgar Bergen (and the sassy comments of his ventriloquist dummy, Charlie McCarthy). Another version of "Beanstalk" replaced Bergen with narration by Sterling Holloway, which was used as a stand-alone short in such venues as the 1980s TV show, Good Morning, Mickey!. They were also released on VHS cassettes, individually as well as together, and in 2000 Fun and Fancy Free was released on DVD. In 2004, "Mickey and the Beanstalk" was released on the Walt Disney Treasures line as a bonus feature for "Mickey Mouse In Living Color, Volume Two". In the 1991 version of the Mickey and the Beanstalk segment, it is revealed that Ludwig von Drake has a Bootle Beetle companion named Herman.

[edit] See also

[edit] Other References

This short was one of the many featured in Donald Duck's 50th Birthday.

[edit] External links

v • d • e
Disney theatrical animated features
Official canon
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937) • Pinocchio (1940) • Fantasia (1940) • Dumbo (1941) • Bambi (1942) • Saludos Amigos (1942) • The Three Caballeros (1944) • Make Mine Music (1946) • Fun and Fancy Free (1947) • Melody Time (1948) • The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad (1949) • Cinderella (1950) • Alice in Wonderland (1951) • Peter Pan (1953) • Lady and the Tramp (1955) • Sleeping Beauty (1959) • One Hundred and One Dalmatians (1961) • The Sword in the Stone (1963) • The Jungle Book (1967) • The Aristocats (1970) • Robin Hood (1973) • The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh (1977) • The Rescuers (1977) • The Fox and the Hound (1981) • The Black Cauldron (1985) • The Great Mouse Detective (1986) • Oliver & Company (1988) • The Little Mermaid (1989) • The Rescuers Down Under (1990) • Beauty and the Beast (1991) • Aladdin (1992) • The Lion King (1994) • Pocahontas (1995) • The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1996) • Hercules (1997) • Mulan (1998) • Tarzan (1999) • Fantasia 2000 (1999) • The Emperor's New Groove (2000) • Atlantis: The Lost Empire (2001) • Lilo & Stitch (2002) • Treasure Planet (2002) • Brother Bear (2003) • Home on the Range (2004) • Chicken Little (2005) • Meet the Robinsons (2007) • Bolt (2008) • The Princess and the Frog (2009) • Rapunzel (2010) • King of the Elves (2012)
Live-action films
with animation
The Reluctant Dragon (1941) • Victory Through Air Power (1943) • Song of the South (1946) • So Dear to My Heart (1949) • Mary Poppins (1964) • Bedknobs and Broomsticks (1971) • Pete's Dragon (1977) • Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988) • Enchanted (2007)
DisneyToon
features
Other
See also

[edit] Trivia

In a deleted scene, it was revealed that Mickey went to Queen Minnie to sell the cow. Minnie is the one who gives him the magic beans. In the original story, Gideon and Foulfellow from Pinocchio were the ones who swindled Mickey.

Billy Gilbert, who played Sneezy in Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs played Willie the Giant (if you listen their sneezes are very similar.)