The Cactus Kid

The Cactus Kid is not one of my favourite Disney cartoons, but it is still an interesting and humorous one. The basic story is very familiar, very reminiscent of Galloping Gaucho except in Mexico this time. There are differences however, Mickey is a more endearingly meek version than his bravado version in Galloping Gaucho for example. The animation is great however, you can actually see and feel Mickey's mix of courage and fear. The music is just as energetic as ever and does well in enhancing the action, the horse chase at the start cleverly has Horace galloping in time to the music. There are some great scenes, with the standouts being the shoot-out in the dark and Pete falls off the cliff and goes up and down like an accordion. The climatic chase sequence is nothing new strictly speaking, but still has some exciting action. All three characters are on top form, Mickey still has some depth to him especially in the animation, Minnie is just as likable and Pedro(Pete, interesting also that this is the first cartoon where you see his peg leg) is an entertaining foil. All in all, not a favourite but still recommended. 8/10 Bethany Cox

This cartoon begins with a very impressive bit of animation for 1930. Not only are the backgrounds painted very nicely, but with the foreground the way it was drawn, the cartoon has a nice 3-D effect--something you would not expect for the era.

In this film, Mickey and Minnie are in Mexico and a Pete-like Mexican bandit provides the foil. When the guy attacks Minnie, it's Mickey to the rescue. Filled with lots of great old time cartoon violence and fun, this one isn't hampered by the excessive music that many early Mickey cartoons were saddled with--and as a result is more watchable. Nice stuff.

Mickey finds himself down old Mexico way as he approaches a cantina where Minnie tends bar. He does some fancy dancing but grabs her nose and the next thing you know, everything that isn't bolted down comes flying at him. Also, to make matters worse, Pete shows up and puts the moves on Minnie. There is quite a shootout in the dark and Pete and Minnie ride away. Mickey and his horse pursue them. Lots of dancing and the usual ending.

A Walt Disney MICKEY MOUSE Cartoon.

Mickey Mouse - THE CACTUS KID - must try to save cantina hostess Minnie from the foul clutches of bandito Peg-leg Pete.

Although Disney used this basic plot formula many times, this little black & white film is still fun to watch. The South of the Border soundtrack propels the action right along. Horace Horsecollar plays the Kid's faithful steed; Walt Disney provides Mickey's squeaky voice.

Walt Disney (1901-1966) was always intrigued by drawings. As a lad in Marceline, Missouri, he sketched farm animals on scraps of paper; later, as an ambulance driver in France during the First World War, he drew figures on the sides of his vehicle. Back in Kansas City, along with artist Ub Iwerks, Walt developed a primitive animation studio that provided animated commercials and tiny cartoons for the local movie theaters. Always the innovator, his ALICE IN CARTOONLAND series broke ground in placing a live figure in a cartoon universe. Business reversals sent Disney & Iwerks to Hollywood in 1923, where Walt's older brother Roy became his lifelong business manager & counselor. When a mildly successful series with Oswald The Lucky Rabbit was snatched away by the distributor, the character of Mickey Mouse sprung into Walt's imagination, ensuring Disney's immortality. The happy arrival of sound technology made Mickey's screen debut, STEAMBOAT WILLIE (1928), a tremendous audience success with its use of synchronized music. The SILLY SYMPHONIES soon appeared, and Walt's growing crew of marvelously talented animators were quickly conquering new territory with full color, illusions of depth and radical advancements in personality development, an arena in which Walt's genius was unbeatable. Mickey's feisty, naughty behavior had captured millions of fans, but he was soon to be joined by other animated companions: temperamental Donald Duck, intellectually-challenged Goofy and energetic Pluto. All this was in preparation for Walt's grandest dream - feature length animated films. Against a blizzard of doomsayers, Walt persevered and over the next decades delighted children of all ages with the adventures of Snow White, Pinocchio, Dumbo, Bambi & Peter Pan. Walt never forgot that his fortunes were all started by a mouse, or that simplicity of message and lots of hard work always pay off.

Minnie sure fought with Mickey a lot in the earlier cartoons like this one, not liking his dance moves at first, but warmed to his many clever styles and piano skills.

There is much catchy music in this one including the Can-Can, set to the galloping chase between Mickey and Peg-Leg Pete, whom had kidnapped Minnie.

A clever little cartoon, overall.

Grade B+