This is an early entry from director Avery and animator Clampett with surprisingly fewer of the outrageous sight gags and surrealism which would be notable in their later works. The proceedings of the story are presented in a pretty straightforward way considering its creators. This tale of an anything but dysfunctional scarecrow family does, however, offer its own realism and environmental world, right down to their home furniture (pumpkin lamps, cornstalks and such) and even their clothing with patches (although the one on the son's trousers switches from one leg to another!). Altogether this was an exceptionally well animated cartoon with great colors that surprised me (for example, the green of the crow's feet-an odd but effective choice!). I was only familiar with it on tv in black and white and just only recently saw it this way, and it appears to have been restored. The music was incorporated effectively and the voice work also was remarkable. Elmore Vincent (later on "Little House on the Prairie") was the father but I'm not sure who played mom...it may have been one of a couple of women active in cartoon voice work at the time-Sara Berner usually played younger characters like the mouse Sniffles created by Chuck Jones. More likely it was Martha Wentworth, who voiced mom in the Harman-Ising three bears cartoons at MGM, and years later in the 1960's was Madam Mim in Disney's "Sword in the Stone"...but again, as it is not on record I'm not sure it was her. The young son is really the focus in the story here as he tries to stand up to and intimidate the crows...this voice was supplied by Tommy Bond, already known in the Our Gang (Little Rascals) shorts as Tommy, then later as Butch, who certainly managed to intimidate Alfalfa! The characterizations are strong in this short and the story has great pacing and cohesiveness. An outstanding work in every respect.
