This French film was made during the German occupation. Oddly, despite this, 1943 was a good year for their film industry, with such films as this one and LE CORBEAU.
The film is told mostly without words, so it can be enjoyed by just about anyone. It begins with a wildly futuristic cruise ship being readied for its first flight...and yes, I meant flight. This ship has huge balloons--making it sort of like a zeppelin-ship hybrid! And, since it is so modern, it also comes with a crew of robots. The problems begin when a young boy follows his curious dog into the ship. Accidentally, the boat is launched and soon the robots come alive--and recognize the boy as a stowaway--and try to throw him off--despite the ship being high in the sky.
The animation is very different than what was coming from Hollywood at the time. It's much more artistic and has a rather art deco look as well. It isn't necessarily better or worse than other cartoons of the day--just distinctly different. Overall, it's a sweet little cartoon and well worth seeing due to its inventiveness.
