The Klondike Kid (1932) is not only my favorite Mickey Mouse short cartoon, but also my favorite animated short period. There are funnier cartoons and there are more inventive and aesthetically pleasing ones, but few have the warmth and feel-good factor of The Klondike Kid. obviously inspired by Charlie Chaplin's The Gold Rush (1925), this short has the same feel of the best of the Little Tramp's adventures.
Mickey and Minnie's relationship has never come across as sweetly as it does here. In the world of the short, they're both lonely souls who find comfort and companionship in each other. That their innocence is contrasted with the seedy atmosphere of the Klondike bar Mickey works in makes the relationship feel more poignant. It really reminds you of a time when Mickey and Minnie were more than merely brands on an overpriced Valentines Day T-shirt.
Unlike his goofier modern incarnation, the Pegleg Pete in this cartoon serves an actual threat (don't get me wrong though, I do love today's sillier Pete as well). When he stalks into the bar with his pistols a-blazing, it makes for a striking effect. Pete shoots the lights out and as he fires at random in the darkness, the room is briefly illuminated by the flickering gunfire. It really stands out and still comes across as a cool effect even today.
Of course, Pete takes a shining to Minnie and kidnaps her, leading to the obligatory climactic chase sequence. There are gags aplenty, all imaginative and funny. The ending shot manages to be emotional as well as amusing.
Much attention is given to Steamboat Willie (1928) and The Brave Tailor (1938), but it is a shame that The Klondike Kid is not often ranked up there with those classics. It certainly deserves it.
