Humorist Robert Benchley learns about the animation process at Walt Disney Studios while trying to find the great man himself to pitch him the idea of making a cartoon about a shy dragon.Humorist Robert Benchley learns about the animation process at Walt Disney Studios while trying to find the great man himself to pitch him the idea of making a cartoon about a shy dragon.Humorist Robert Benchley learns about the animation process at Walt Disney Studios while trying to find the great man himself to pitch him the idea of making a cartoon about a shy dragon.
Norman Ferguson
- Norm Ferguson
- (as Norm Ferguson)
Jim Luske
- Jimmy - Baby Weems Model
- (as Jimmy Luske)
Hamilton MacFadden
- Hamilton MacFadden
- (as Hamilton Mac Fadden)
Ernie Alexander
- Baby Weems' Father
- (voice)
- (uncredited)
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaThe Mickey Avenue/Dopey Drive signpost was built specifically for the movie, and was supposed to be removed afterward. It wasn't, and it still stands at the Disney studio.
- Crazy creditsThe animation credits include caricatures and signatures of the crew.
- Alternate versionsTypically releases of this film have the sequences How to Ride A Horse and the title featurette as separate films with the live action footage excised.
- ConnectionsFeatured in L'ami public numéro un: L'usine à rêves (1962)
Featured review
I happened upon this film during a late night when nothing else was on TV, and couldn't have been happier that I came across it.
In this, we're taken behind-the-scenes of Disney studios circa 1941, and given a humorous (and, I'm sure, highly fictionalized) tour of the studio and its various departments. While I've always been a fan of Disney's animation, I'd never been given a glimpse of the animators themselves, and I always thought that they deserved to be as well known as the Warner Brothers stable of talent. Well, here they're given a chance to hog the spotlight (as Disney himself doesn't show up until the final few moments of the film) and show off their talents.
Not only is this a good chance for you to see how some of your Disney favorites were brought to screen, the linking device with comic Robert Benchley is charming throughout, and the attitude is more than a little self-deprecating (playing up the notion that one is indoctrinated into the "Disney way of life" in working for the Mouse, Benchley's guide is portrayed as a militarily-garbed, wormy little walking Disney Rule Book). The animation itself is great (as is usual for Disney of this vintage) and the live-action work is funny in a way that most Disney live-action works aren't. All of this adds up to a most rewarding, and highly neglected, classic from the Vaults of Disney.
In this, we're taken behind-the-scenes of Disney studios circa 1941, and given a humorous (and, I'm sure, highly fictionalized) tour of the studio and its various departments. While I've always been a fan of Disney's animation, I'd never been given a glimpse of the animators themselves, and I always thought that they deserved to be as well known as the Warner Brothers stable of talent. Well, here they're given a chance to hog the spotlight (as Disney himself doesn't show up until the final few moments of the film) and show off their talents.
Not only is this a good chance for you to see how some of your Disney favorites were brought to screen, the linking device with comic Robert Benchley is charming throughout, and the attitude is more than a little self-deprecating (playing up the notion that one is indoctrinated into the "Disney way of life" in working for the Mouse, Benchley's guide is portrayed as a militarily-garbed, wormy little walking Disney Rule Book). The animation itself is great (as is usual for Disney of this vintage) and the live-action work is funny in a way that most Disney live-action works aren't. All of this adds up to a most rewarding, and highly neglected, classic from the Vaults of Disney.
- How long is The Reluctant Dragon?Powered by Alexa
Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
- Official site
- Language
- Also known as
- A Day at Disneys
- Filming locations
- Production company
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
Box office
- Gross US & Canada
- $872,000
- Runtime1 hour 14 minutes
- Aspect ratio
- 1.37 : 1
Contribute to this page
Suggest an edit or add missing content