Little Problems

Papa Bear reads a book on how to bring up boys. It urges understanding, kindness, and being the youngster's pals. Of course, that's not easy to do because the Terry Bears are, well, kids.

Which is my essential problem with the entire series: the boys are esssentially boys, and Papa Bear is essentially a middle-class father. Except for the brown fur, they might be humans, and therefore what's the point in making it a cartoon?

This is not to denigrate the decent if unexceptional gag work, the good visuals, and the pleasant score by Terrytoons musical director Philip Scheib. But given that it needn't be a cartoon, what's there to make it worthwhile as one?

'Little Problems' (1951)

Opening thoughts: The Terry Bears theatrical series was not an inherently bad one as an overall whole. While it did become repetitive, which was true of most of the studio's theatrical series, some of the cartoons were quite decent and the characters (named after Paul Terry himself) started off promising. It is not Terrytoons' best theatrical series (Heckle and Jeckle) but not one of the studio's worst either (most from the late-50s onwards).

'Little Problems' is one of the quite decent Terry Bears cartoons. As far as Terrytoons' variable 1951 output goes, 'Little Problems' is not one of the best, which are pretty much all the Heckle and Jeckle cartoons. It is also not one of the worst, not like 'Spring Fever' and 'Injun Trouble'. If anything, it is one of the in the middle cartoons like the Roquefort and Percy cartoons. A cartoon that does plenty right, but also has some major problems and ones concerning areas that are crucial.

Bad things: Starting with the faults, it is very thin story wise and what there is of it is very formulaic and runs out of gas in momentum too early when the cartoon runs out of ideas.

Some of the way Papa Bear is treated did get a bit too cruel later, in a way that was not warranted.

Good things: However, a lot is good. The music, a consistent good thing, is so lovely to listen to and there is such an uplifting vibe hearing it because of the snappy character it has. The animation impresses every bit as much, it is vibrantly coloured, quite smooth in drawing and transitions, doesn't look static or simplistic and the attention to detail is good.

The cartoon is not gag deprived (maybe there could have been more) and while none of them are original or hilarious they are at least well timed and amusing. The two titular characters have cute exteriors but are slightly less malicious versions of Heckle and Jeckle in bear form, they are far from bland though and they were amusing and not annoying. Papa Bear is the best character and the most relatable, he is incompetent and easily frustrated (thankfully not taken to extremes here, they were in later cartoons) but he clearly loves his family and has good intentions. While his antics are predictable and lacked variety later when 'Little Problems' ran out of ideas, they were amusing to watch. Mother Bear is in no way missed.

Concluding thoughts: Overall, decent.

6/10.