Fun and Fancy Free

Walt Disney made a few films like this one, where it's a feature length film with a series of short stories. He did this so he could raise money to make his bigger films like Cinderella or Peter Pan. That doesn't mean that Fun and Fancy Free isn't a good movie in it's own right. In fact, it's an outstanding little movie that everyone should enjoy watching. The First short in the movie is the story of Bongo, a circus bear. Unless you are steeped in Disney knowledge, chances are you've never heard of this little bear, but it's very well animated and narrated. The second short is Mickey and the Beanstalk. This has all the stars like Mickey, Goofy, and Donald. The story is told by Edgar Bergen, something Disney would do again later with Roy Rogers introducing Pecos Bill in Melody Time. Another interesting note about this short is that Walt Disney himself was the voice of Mickey Mouse. He had been the voice many times before, but this would be the last time he would be the voice of the Mouse. That alone makes it noteworthy. Overall it's a Disney Gold! watch it and relax!

I absolutely love this version of 'Mickey and the Beanstalk'. The interjection of the live action in this is what makes it so absolutely wonderful. I was so pleasantly surprised and ecstatic to see the little skits intertwined with the story because that's what gives it that nostalgic Disney magic! I had seen the version with Ludwig Von Drake and didn't even know this version existed until I read about it. This one is much more magical. I also love Charlie McCarthy, Mortimer Snerd and Luana Patten in this. It reminds me of the way 'Pecos Bill' is done (another favorite Disney short). This will now be one of my favorite Disney shorts. Oh, and I also love how Jiminy Cricket is lying there on the piece of chocolate cake! Live action and animation together just can't be beat.

This movie is a older movie that you don't find in stores. I was very pleased to find it and at a very good price. I read some people don't really like this movie. But it is a classic and my grandson loves it and I was very happy to find it. Thanks for a great movie that was just like new and came very fast. If others ever took the time to watch it they would find that it is a very good movie and mickey mouse movies are not my most favorite of the Disney movies. But this one I really like.

As a lifelong Disney fan, I have seen a lot of Disney films during my childhood ---- whether they were animated or live-action, they've made a huge difference in my life, showing how to live a good life and make a big difference in the world. "Fun And Fancy Free" is one of my favorites because it's one of several Disney classics that I watched a lot during my childhood; simply because it's the only package film that was made that has Mickey Mouse (who is my number one favorite Disney character) in it. It was on this day, 70 years ago in 1947, that this film was theatrically released on the big-screen. The film consists of a couple of stories: "Bongo" and "Mickey And The Beanstalk", with some live-action segments in-between the both of them. The film is one of a bunch of what is called "package films" that Walt Disney and his team made during the 1940s due to the outbreak of the Second World War and the Army taking control on Walt's company. After the war ended, Walt Disney and his team had lost a lot of money, so they chose to make some more package films so as to rebuild their status and reputation. Additionally, they would also bring in well-known celebrities from those early decades (the 1930s and the 1940s) to host the segments in their package films. For "Fun And Fancy Free", they brought in singer Dinah Shore to narrate the story of "Bongo" and ventriloquist Edger Bergen and child actress Luana Patten to narrate the story of "Mickey And The Beanstalk". Even Jiminy Cricket, the popular supporting character from "Pinocchio" (1940) is featured in this film. Nowadays, I find it to be one of Disney's most underrated movies. The reason why is because it's not really talked about very much nowadays, possibly because those who watch it for the first time feel like nothing much stands out since it's not really a full-length story. One example could be the live-action segments that take place in the second half of the movie, which consists of ventriloquist Edger Bergen hosting child actress Luana Patten (one of those child actresses from the 1930s and the 1940s who featured in some of Walt Disney's future live-action movies in the 1950s)'s birthday party. As a kid, I was never bothered by the live-action segments. I honestly find it to be a rather smooth transition to the next segment, thus helping me feel that they both belonged in the same movie, but I can see now that they do feel a bit out of place for today's moviegoers. Seeing how today's society is, its likely that some people will find something kind of odd about this little arrangement, but, for me, I believe that it's possible that he's a friend of her family and he's probably watching her while her parents are away. What makes "Fun And Fancy Free" one of my favorite Disney movies as well as a personal favorite of mine is that this film marked the very last time that Walt Disney himself would regularly provide the voice of Mickey Mouse, since Walt had become far too busy with other projects and, because he was a heavy smoker, his vocal chords had become weakened, so he had James *Jimmy* MacDonald take over providing the voice of Mickey Mouse. While it may not be one of Disney's greatest, ambitious, or artfully impressive works, "Fun And Fancy Free" is a well-made package film that has it's moments and it's a wonderful opportunity to see Mickey Mouse and his friends together. While it may not be a full-length story, we can still enjoy it for what it is and what it has to offer; especially since it's the only package film featuring the world's one and only beloved little mouse who started the path for Disney to become one of the world's greatest movie empires of all-time.

Wonderful to see these shorts again. There's actually much more to "Bongo" than I remembered. Glad to add this to my Disney collection.

Pure joy! That is the best thing I can say about this movie. Music is superb, the animation is unlike anything found today, and a wonderful, wonderful viewing experience if you like old time animation...not computer graphics. This movie has been played well over 2 dozen times in our house. It is almost required at family gatherings.

Good

Whenever i have to put on a movie for the kids at church or at my school this is my first instinct. It CANNOT offend anyone. The voice of Dinah Shore is amazing and timeless. The kids love it. Its so pure, its so enticing. This is what we want our children to watch. The kids at my school ages 3-5 are glued to it. The parents of those 3-5 year olds are always pleased. And I never get sick of listening to her beautiful narration.

The combination of Disney classic characters at its best

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Sorry, I've been ill during the past two months. No chance to see the marvellous sets you sent but the segments I saw were absolutely excellent. Joan Crawford: Autumn Leaves/ Queen Bee/ Harriet Craig - Bogie & Bacall: To Have and Have Not/ Big Sleep/ Key Largo - Universal Horror: Dracula/ Bride of Frankenstein/ Frankenstein AND - Wolf Man/ Phantom of the Opera/ Invisible Man- Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde/ Haunting ALL EXCELLENT!!! But will get to all the others in god time. All of the Disney products were perfect - but I would love to have got The Three Caballeros + Saludos Amigos (2 in a set) in time - now they are no longer available --- a shame because I have almost everything I wanted but still have some on VHS. Awaiting "Melody Time" this week. Lucky to have found you and assimilated the Disney collection (except for the two listed above). The TCM collections were a great surprise. So many great stars from the late 30s to the 60s .... We are going to lose some good movies and stars' work someday I feel as new generations spring up with sets of different values. Will there ever be a beauty comparable to Lamarr? or cute movies with Judy Garland (The Clock) and June Allyson (He Highness and the Bellboy) .... and musicals such as those by MGM and even Fox (Grable, ...) and RKO lost its rights (lots of excellent movies and stars) and real thrillers like "The Uninvited" ... but you are distributing so many gems. I love your distributions even if it is a matter of merchandising and competing in a greedy capitalistic universe. I am also getting more int the books and cds you offer. What a wonderful company you have making so much available to us oldies and disabled. And I like your concern about quality of your products and the customers' satisfaction. Attitude still pays off, I believe. Remember when companies sent their employees to Japan to improve customer relations.[Something important had been lost when companies started to get these robot-like efficiency experts in during the 60s] Thank you.

In questo gradevole film musicale ci sono 2 segmenti: in ''Bongo'' si racconta la storia di un orso tenuto in cattività per spettacoli circensi (osannato dal pubblico per le sua abilità e maltrattato dagli addetti al circo) che riesce a scappare dal vagone-prigione del treno del circo, finalmente può vivere immerso nella natura dei boschi che ha sempre sognato ma subito Bongo capisce di non essere così abile a destreggiarsi nei boschi e ad interagire con gli animali che ci vivono (soprattutto con quelli che animano le notti dei boschi) rispetto alle sue abilità circensi, incontra però l'orso femmina Lulubelle con cui instaura un legame affettivo minacciato dall'orso Lumpjaw ma alla fine Bongo riesce ad avere la meglio grazie alle sue abilità circensi, per me è un segmento migliore di quanto possa sembrare superficialmente. In ''Mickey and the Beanstalk'' i contadini Mickey, Donald e Goofy vivono nella Happy Valley e devono vedersela col gigante Willie che ha rubato un'arpa dorata canterina (il suo canto funge per Willie da ninna-nanna) il che fa piombare carestia e miseria sulla valle, i tre sono sfiniti dalla fame (Donald è sull'orlo della pazzia e tenta di uccidere l'unica mucca rimasta loro ma Mickey e Goofy lo fermano) e Mickey riesce a barattare la mucca con un set di fagioli magici (nel making of del film viene detto che è stata la principessa della valle Minnie a dare il set a Mickey) che sono buttati via da Donald e finiscono nel terreno attraverso un buco nel pavimento della loro casa, quella notte c'è una luna piena che incredibilmente fa germogliare i fagioli e una enorme pianta di fagioli spunta dal terreno e cresce velocissimamente trasportando i tre protagonisti (dormono) in alto nel cielo fino al castello di Willie il gigante; la mattina dopo i tre si accorgono del nuovo mondo in cui si trovano e si addentrano nel castello e, dopo aver visto l'arpa dorata chiusa in un portagioie, riescono a liberarla e a portarla in salvo (dovrei dire Mickey perchè è lui il vero protagonista del segmento) riportando prosperità nella Happy Valley. Da sottolineare anche la presenza di Jiminy Cricket (ricordate ''Pinocchio''?) che all'inizio del film illustra la sua filosofia di vita nonchè il tema del film cioè NON FARSI INTRISTIRE DAI PROBLEMI DELLA VITA PER QUANTO POSSIBILE. P.S. Amazon la copertina del dvd che mostrate è della versione americana!

Der gute alte Disney. Voller Liebe zum Film und en Figuren. Wertvoll, weil Diney leider schon lange nicht mehr fähig ist solche Meisterwerke zu erschaffen.