The Tortoise and the Hare

Just watched this Oscar-winning animated short on YouTube. Based on the classic Aesop Fable, the obnoxious hare challenges the shy tortoise to a relay race. If you're familiar with the tale, you know how it goes but this being animated, you get the hare causing some wind to blow as well as him stopping to chat up some feminine admirer fans while the tortoise keeps going. There are some amusing gags but nothing hilarious. Still, this was a pretty exciting cartoon from Walt Disney's Silly Symphonies and it spawned a sequel-Toby Tortoise Returns-that I did think was hilarious. Oh, and it's easy to see why Frank Tashlin thought the hare-eventually called Max in the sequel-was the inspiration for Warner Bros.' Bugs Bunny. So for all that, I highly recommend The Tortoise and the Hare. P.S. I first saw some of these scenes when The Disney Channel presented on their "DTV" program their version of The Doobie Brothers' "It Keeps You Running" with this as well as other Disney cartoon scenes for the music video.

This is one of Walt Disney's classic Silly Symphony shorts, adapting Aesop's classic fable about the slow Tortoise who triumphs over the speedy Hare in a race. Some characters were added to the story like audience members and the hare's cheerleaders to enhance the content of the cartoon.

I like how the hare was depicted as cocky and confident, sure that he will win the race, and how the tortoise was depicted as steady, humble and calm, not worrying about losing, just doing his part fair and square. This shows that arrogant, overly- confident and know- it-all people don't always have it their way, and that humble and quiet people can win the race!

Overall, a fun cartoon that serves a good balance of entertainment and moral lessons to the little ones.

Grade B+

The hare emerges from his tent like a boxing champion, the tortoise more like a lethargic geriatric - and the entire crowd assume this is a fait-accompli. Racing away, the hare even stops for a nap. His opponent politely tip-toes past him, only for him to be easily overtaken again and this time allowing the complacent hare time to flirt with some bunny girls watching from a wall, generally taking his victory as assured. He even plays himself at baseball and tennis and generally just shows off! Meantime, with just yards to go, the tortoise is approaching the finish line so the hare has to get a move on - else the unthinkable might happen! It's quickly paced if a little over-scored this animation, but the cocksureness of the hare and the steadfastness of the tortoise play out well in an engaging tale of never taking anything for granted - however confident you might be.

While Disney has all too often taken a classic and "cuted" it into inanity, this actually is a very good cartoon that still manages to retain the underlying message (while still being almost too cute for it's own good). Toby Tortoise is every kid who had to fade into the background to avoid being stuffed into a locker and manages to win out as much through being too lightly regarded as through his own determination. This won Disney it's third straight Oscar for Animated Short, a category they maintained a death-grip on until the early 1940's, when another mouse and his cohort started winning. Recommended.

A road race between a tortoise and a hare. Classic early Disney cartoon, although it's rating is probably due more to memories of multiple childhood viewings than quality.