The Simple Things

Mickey and Pluto decide to go fishing by the ocean. They have little success because Pluto has an encounter with a clam and Mickey with a seagull. What could have been the enjoyment of the simple things becomes an incredibly unpleasant day. The clam seems a bit over the top. I've never liked seagulls. Basically it's about two pleasant characters having their days ruined through no fault of their own.

The final Mickey Mouse theatrical short in the classic era. Also the last one made in Walt Disney's lifetime. The story is a very simple one. Mickey and Pluto are going fishing. Pluto gets into trouble with a clam and Mickey fights off a seagull trying to steal his bait. It's an enjoyable short albeit an unexceptional one. The colors are luscious and the animation is beautiful. A few funny moments here and there. Mickey's final line is bittersweet. My favorite part about the whole thing is that title song. I'm not sure who sang it but it's just lovely. This isn't one of the best Mickey or Pluto shorts I've seen but it is nice.

The Simple Things (1953)

*** (out of 4)

Delightful animated short from Disney has Mickey and Pluto going fishing but both are terrorized by some local creatures. Pluto comes under attack from a clam, which leads to Mickey and his bait coming under attack by a seagull. THE SIMPLE THINGS is best remembered today for being the final Mickey short during his classic early days. With that in mind, the historic aspect alone makes this here worth watching even though the actual short isn't the greatest that the mouse appeared in. Still, there are enough good moments and laughs here to make it worth sitting through with the highlight clearly being the sequence where the clam gets inside Pluto's mouth and causes him some trouble. As you'd expect the animation is extremely good and we're also treated to a good score.

In this Disney cartoon short, Mickey and Pluto go fishing by the beach (kind of makes you want to relax on a quiet, sunny day). Pluto has a run-in with a clam and Mickey's bait are chased by a hungry seagull.

As the Mickey's final cartoon in the Walt Era, the story could have been a lot better. It seemed that both Mickey and Pluto got the bad end of the stick in the plot, with Pluto getting the clam caught in his mouth and Mickey's fishing trip getting spoiled by the stupid, hungry and irritating seagull.

I remembered watching this cartoon as a kid and, while I enjoyed seeing Mickey and Pluto on screen, the seagull annoyed the heck out of me. Not one of the better Mickey cartoons.

Grade D---

Known for being Mickey Mouse's final cartoon, The Simple Things is a good if not entirely exceptional cartoon. The story is entertaining and crisply paced if routine, and the seagull gives a new meaning to the word obnoxious. On the other hand, the animation is clean and beautiful, colourful and vibrant in the colours and fluid in the backgrounds, and the music brims with energy. The cartoon is also funny if never hilarious. Mickey is as likable as ever, and Pluto still has his cuteness and energy, neither of which either character has really lost.

All in all, a well done, technically great and likable cartoon if not one of Mickey/Pluto's best. 8/10 Bethany Cox