The Key

This Soviet animated short tells the story of a child who is magically granted life-long happiness. His Grandfather is concerned that happiness unearned is a problem, and seeks guidance from a friend who is an inventor with a lab full of robots. The robots can't agree on whether easy happiness is a blessing or a curse, so the Grandfather embarks on a magical journey to determine the possible consequences.

This is fantasy, morality tale and Soviet ideology all rolled into one. Animated in a flat, sketchy style common to the 1960s, the themes nonetheless remain timely. At almost an hour, it's possibly too long for this type of story, but it comes to a satisfying, quite touching conclusion. Lots going on and lots to like.