THREE CABALLEROS
US, 1944, 72 minutes, Colour.
Sterling Holloway, narrator.
Directed by Norman Ferguson.
One of the earliest Disney features, made during the war and released only towards the end of it. It had the backing of relationships between North and South America which were being fostered et the time. The film is an unusual blend of story, cartooned comedy, music put into visuals with skilful animation as in Fantasia. The film was popular at the time, considered too much part of the times for re-release but was popular in an abridged form in release in the 70's and 80's.
The Donald Duck character was popular from short cartoons and he carries the film here with three presents that he receives from Latin America. He enters into the spirit of the thing, especially in the Brazilian and Mexican scenes where he dances with live dancers. The character of Joe Carioca is also an enjoyable one, a guide to Latin America. There are pleasant little South American stories interspersed, some popular musical styles of the Carmen Miranda type of the 40's and some very dynamic and skilful and clever animation illustrating the music that is played. The title gave rise to the theme song which was also popular (and satirised very humorously in the 70's in Richard Lester's The Ritz). Interesting to compare with the visualised classical music of Fantasia to see what can be done with Latin American rhythms and visuals.
1. An enjoyable Disney film? The Disney basics of animation, humour, sentimental stories, patriotism? Its impact in the 40's, now?
2. The qualities of the animation? the standard presentation of Donald Duck, the humour of the story of the penguin, of the gaucho? The imaginative presentation of Brazil and Mexico? The visualising of the musical rhythm and the variety of colours, shapes, sounds? The interspersing of animation with live action? The variety and pace of the film?
3. Donald Duck as popular cartoon character? His characteristics? His particularly American style, especially as the ladies' man - or the ladies' duck! Joe Carioca and the rooster singing The Three Caballeros? The birds' stories?
4. North American and South American relationships? The popular attitudes towards Latin America and its vitality? How well were these presented here - with famous American singer dancers of the time incorporated into the animation?
5. The device of Donald receiving the three gifts and opening them and entering into them?
6. The story of the penguin and the humour of penguin society at the South Pole, his sailing up the map of South America, the little moral of his longing for home?
7. The gauchito and his trying to be a gaucho, the flying donkey, the humour of the race and the way that it was visualised? and the humorous narrative poem? the happy ending?
8. The vitality of Baia Baia and Brazilian dance, landscapes, rhythms?
9. The comparison with Mexico and the various dances? The stories about the children and Christmas? Donald and Joe on the magic carpet flying through Mexico etc.?
10. The Latin American dancers, both men and women, bands and the music? The glamour? Donald acting like an American wolf? The special effects, for example the dance with the cactus plants?
11. The avant garde type art illustrating the music and its growing acceptance over the decades? The skill of this type of animated art judged in retrospect? An entertaining and imaginative Disney film?
