Mickey's Fire Brigade

Just about every studio has seen the visual possibilities inherent in doing cartoons involving firemen and fires. This is one of the early ones and it works exceedingly well. While I don't know that they started here, a number of the standard gags are here and they work to perfection. Disney was basically firing on all cylinders during this period and was more or less the only studio on top of the mountain in 1935, given that Fleischer was starting a slow fade, though still doing good work, as the new Code's requirements began taking its toll on the Betty Boop series. Warner Brothers and MGM were not yet as good as Disney or Fleischer and Lantz didn't really hit his stride until Andy Panda and Woody Woodpecker came along. Disney was king and precise, very technically excellent shorts like Mickey's Fire Brigade were the result. Disney spent more time and effort on a seven-eight minute cartoon than some studios took with their feature films! Great cartoon (and very funny) well worth watching. Most highly recommended.

I don't know about anybody else but this is one of my favourite Mickey Mouse cartoons. And it is not just because Mickey, Goofy and Donald, who delight in everything they are in are together. Speaking of this trio, they are wonderful, they still have their warm personalities and all are funny. They are further advantaged by some fun voice work from Walt Disney, Pinto Colvig, Clarence Nash and Evia Allman.

The story is also a lot of fun, the cartoon is quite short but it is never dull and goes at a cracking pace. The animation is excellent too, very vibrant in the backgrounds and the characters move convincingly. Also technically, Mickey's Fire Brigade is very impressive. The music is rousing and energetic.

Where Mickey's Fire Brigade really works is in its humour. For me, this is one of the funniest Mickey-Donald-Goofy cartoons, I couldn't count the number of times I was laughing so much, so much so my sides got sore quite quickly. The writing brought a smile to my face, while the sight gags such as Mickey's fight with the water hose, Donald's battle with flames and Goofy being incinerated in the fire truck furnace(bizarre but it still worked) are well and truly spectacular.

So all in all, technically polished and hilarious in its humour, Mickey's Fire Brigade is a definite winner. 10/10 Bethany Cox

Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck and Goofy are firemen. A house is in fire and instead of fighting the fire the fire is fighting them. This Disney short is packed with a lot of action. It is funny sometimes, especially the little sequences with Goofy. Enjoyable.

This is a rare cartoon that features all three of Disney's biggest stars: Mickey, Donald and Goofy. Here, they are fire fighters trying to save a boarding house and rescue the singing Clarabelle Cow.

But of course, as with any Disney cartoon with slapstick comedy, fighting the fires weren't a piece of cake and the flames literally fight back, which I thought was a little too incredible and silly as you want our heroes to win. But, it's still pretty entertaining. I especially liked Donald Duck, in his earlier roles, shouting and swinging at the live flames using his hot-fiery temper! Goofy was as goofy as ever, being the first to spot the oblivious Clarabelle Cow, and Mickey Mouse just tried too hard to control the fire engine!

One of the funniest earlier Mickey, Donald, Goofy cartoons.

Grade B

Mickey, Donald, and Goofy are firefighters who are given the task of putting out the fire in a big house. They are undaunted as they incompetently battle the flames. Clarabell the cow is taking a bath and refuses to listen. It is doubtful that there is anything left of the house in the end, but it's an action packed, constantly moving feature that never wavers.