Early animated films like this one are fascinating for many reasons. On one hand, we can clearly see the influence of theatrical traditions, which also shaped the storytelling of early silent-era cinema in general. In many ways, this is essentially a stick-figure version of a stage play-simple, direct, and heavily performance-driven.
But on the other hand, it highlights one of the defining traits that separates animation from live-action film: the freedom of imagination. Animated figures can do things real actors simply can't. Take, for example, a scene where one character grabs another by the foot and uses him like a hammer. It's absurd-and brilliant! This kind of exaggerated, surreal humor wouldn't become widespread until decades later, with the rise of iconic slapstick cartoons like Looney Tunes. And it took several more decades-and the development of advanced visual effects-for live-action films to achieve similar feats. These days, it feels like every Marvel superhero movie includes someone being swung around by the leg like a weapon.
The key point is this: humor and visuals like that wouldn't have been possible-at least not effectively-in early live-action film. That's what makes early animation so special: it opened the door to a whole new world of visual storytelling unrestricted by the physical limitations of real life.
