This short is a definite commentary on the Depression more than anything else. Felix has started his own social welfare program--handing out free gold from his goose to all the people of his town. However, the jerk, Captain Kidd*, wants it all for himself and steals the amazing bird. So, it's up to Felix to rescue his pet and save the day.
I am a fan of the early Felix the Cat cartoons. I am talking about the silent ones they made from 1919 to about 1929. The films were, more than anything else, fun--with a strange surrealistic style about them. Felix was a joker--and occasionally a bit of a jerk--and I liked it that way. Well, the series petered out in the talking picture era--mostly because the cartoons lost their zip. The surrealism was gone and the cartoons became dull. A few years after their initial demise, Van Beuren Studios attempted to revive the series. Now considering that they only made three Felix cartoons, you can pretty much guess what the public thought. As far as I am concerned, the public got it right. Although the Van Beuren cartoons looked a lot better (with color and really nice animation), they changed Felix--making him a nice-guy. The public didn't want a nice-guy--they wanted FELIX! And, even though there was a strong welfare component to this film, even Depression era folks didn't take to the films.
So what is there to like about this film? Well, the animation is probably the best of the three Van Beuren films. Also, I liked how Felix caught up with the boat--that was something the old Felix would have done. But otherwise, it's just a pretty film with absolutely no humor about it at all...none.
*It's interesting how movies often feature Captain Kidd. As a history teacher who taught about pirates, I think it's odd how he is often talked about when he was actually one of the most pathetic and unsuccessful pirates in history. He didn't even willingly become one! He served with the British Navy and was sent to capture pirates. However, his crew mutinied and forced him to piracy. His career as a pirate only lasted about a year or so--then was caught and, much later, executed.
