I have always enjoyed Disney cartoons, and I have always liked Mickey Mouse. The Birthday Party is not one of his best, but even with a somewhat routine story it is a nice, entertaining cartoon regardless. The beginning is a little too slow and awkward for my tastes, and while it is a lovely, energetic song and the chemistry between Mickey and Minnie very sweet and inspired I did think the I Can't Think of Anything But Love, Baby was too long and slowed the cartoon down. However, the animation is great, with smooth backgrounds and Mickey's character design really shows that the animators were developing more over-time, and the music is jaunty and dynamic with each scene. I enjoyed the dance between Horace and Clarabelle, and was further pleased to see them highlighted(for a while until the TV series House of Mouse they faded into obscurity), and Mickey and Minnie are both likable characters. The gags are very funny and imaginative, the best being Mickey blowing out the candles and the cake blows into the chef's face, Percy Pig trying to hide under a chair unsuccessfully so Minnie puts a tablecloth and vase over him to disguise him and especially the whole finale with the xylophone coming to life. The whole dancing feel gives a joyous and totally fun quality to The Birthday Party, so excepting a slow start and an overlong if lovely musical number it is a cartoon worth looking for if never going to be one of the treasures. 7/10 Bethany Cox
