Cathardincu Surprisingly incoherent and boring

TaryBiggBall It was OK. I don't see why everyone loves it so much. It wasn't very smart or deep or well-directed.

Aiden Melton The storyline feels a little thin and moth-eaten in parts but this sequel is plenty of fun.

Dana An old-fashioned movie made with new-fashioned finesse.

Horst in Translation (filmreviews@web.de) "The Ugly Duckling" is a 1931 black-and-white cartoon, so this one is already over 85 years old now. Wow. It is based on a tale by the legendary Hans Christian Andersen, who had already been dead for over half a century when this was released. It runs for 6.5 minutes only and is one of the many many works by one of Disney's finest Wilfred Jackson, who was only in his mid-20s when he worked on this one. And even if this Silly Symphony cartoon is far from forgotten today, it is nowhere near as famous as the 1939 version and I personally think it should be this way as the one from almost a decade later is superior in almost every regard, but most of all story-telling, the key differences and there are many. I will get to that later. And the visual component, i.e. the animation also improved so drastically during that time. The one thing I liked the least is that it's about the duckling becoming a hero in order to be excepted by his admittedly pretty shallow "mother". Then again, it is just what would have happened in reality too that she would have neglected him right? The parts with the duckling leaving and trying unsuccessfully to find solace from other animals is not half as effective as it could have been. The entire things comes pretty short in terms of emotion and that meets the eye immediately as this is the exact area where the later, Oscar-winning, slightly longer version (also by Disney) I mentioned earlier already succeeds the most. But still this one here may not be a great watch, but it somehow succeeds in its own right, even if nothing stands out in terms of greatness. It's fine though as for its time, it is definitely a solid achievement and among the better if not best cartoon works from the early 1930s. As an individual achievement, I give this one a thumbs-up and recommend checking it out, especially to old cartoon lovers.

Robert Reynolds This is a short in the Silly Symphonies series produced by Disney. There will be spoilers ahead:This is the first of two Ugly Duckling cartoons done by Disney. The 1939 version is a masterpiece and one of the finest shorts Disney ever did. This one is no slouch and is one of the better early Silly Symphonies.The basic plot is more plot than a lot of the early Silly Symphonies had and also a moral of sorts. The short starts with eggs hatching and a nervous hen awaiting the results. Six chicks and one duck come out of their shells. The hen immediately shuns the duckling as different and unacceptable.The early part of the short has the duckling trying for acceptance and being rejected repeatedly. There are some nice interludes with a cow, a dog and a frog. Then comes a tornado, with some excellent gags with the tornado and its aftermath.The duckling manages to warn the hen and her chicks of the tornado, they make for shelter, with the duckling once again an afterthought. Naturally, problems occur, with the chicks placed in danger and the hen helpless. The duckling is not helpless and jumps into action. He saves the chicks and is finally accepted.This short is available on the Disney Treasures Silly Symphonies DVD set and it and the set are well worth tracking down. Most recommended.

Shawn Watson This primitive 1931 black-and-white cartoon is based on the old fable of the unattractive child who grows up to be beautiful and spits in the face of all those who previous laughed and avoided them. After all, society SHOULD cast out those who are different as anything other than normal is frightening.Of course the duckling turns out to be a swan who somehow ended up in the nest of a mother hen (not duck). It's a fable that has been drilled into the subconscious of most children in the developed world, yet most of them do still grow up to reject what is different.During a storm the ugly one rescues the other chicks and is accepted.Although I mentioned that the duck is actually a swan, it isn't. It's actually a duck, while the others are actually baby chickens. So the entire premise of the cartoon is false.

Mightyzebra I've known this cartoon for a few years now and I like the way in which Disney has changed round the story to fit what he wanted to say. Here the ugly duckling is not accepted as an adult by swans, but still as an ugly duckling for saving the lives of his "brothers and sisters" (I won't tell you how, you have to see for yourself in the cartoon, mwahaha).If you know either the 1939 Disney version of this story or the original Hans Christian Anderson story, then the first part of the plot of this cartoon will come as no surprise to you. It starts with a mother chicken sitting on her nests and (conveniently for the viewers) the eggs start to hatch almost straight away. The hen is extremely gleeful as each chick hatches and the group wait excitedly for the very last egg to hatch. When it does hatch, however, out comes a measly black "thing", as they see it and the mother ushers her chicks away from it. The poor "ugly duckling" tries to follow the chicks and their mother and desperately seeks love and food. Will the chickens see him for who he really is..?I enjoyed the animation and ending in this cartoon and as you feel so much pity for the ugly duckling, by the end of the cartoon you really love him too. The music incorporated into the animation, as with all of Disney's Silly Symphonies, works well too and helps along with the story (even though there is no dialogue in this cartoon, DO NOT watch it with the sound turned off if you can hear it).I recommend this to people who like black and white Disney cartoons and to people who love anything to do with the Ugly Duckling. Enjoy "The Ugly Duckling"! :-)8 and a half out of ten.