Walt Before Mickey

I must admit reading all these reviews I don't understand all the hate. I understand it's a very low budget movie and being about Walt Disney we expect a little more. This movie is not actually made by Disney. It focuses on Walt Disney's struggles and how he would never give up. Myself being a huge Disney fan found it very interesting. I don't think I would watch it again, but I'm glad I watched it I thought it was decent.

After watching this movie, I have very mixed feelings. A part of me loved the movie for its story and the atmosphere. The other part of me is disappointed because I don't feel like it fulfilled its true potential. Many of the characters felt shallow and without depth, and the actors were just acting. There wasn't too much feeling in their performances, and the dialogue never felt natural or relaxed.

But to be honest, I'd easily watch it again. I don't know why, I just didn't think it was THAT bad. Many people put a lot of hours and hard work behind this movie, the least I can do is try to appreciate it for what it is and see the positive sides of it.

I have to confess, I'm a sucker for true stories of people overcoming great odds to do worthwhile stuff. And when you consider the obstacles (Disney's father was actually a lot stricter and demanding than the movie depicted) and the lovable creations he gave the world, done with groundbreaking methods and an undying focus on quality, I of course am drawn to watch this movie. It was, as some of the other reviewers noted, slightly disappointing in some ways...where maybe it missed some humanity in favor of melodramatics. I think it was a little too focused on the details of the financial challenges of the early years (half as much time would have been good). And on the flip-side, there were very telling stories from his childhood, published in well-regarded biographies, that weren't even mentioned...things that obviously fueled his passion to eventually create the happiest place on earth.

But on the other hand, the piece that seemed the most incredulous to me (the mouse that seemed to be more of a friend than a pet) turns out to be real (based on authorized biographies and accounts of the family). However, it looks like the scene in the alley with the cop was made up, which gets back to the unnecessary dramatics that aren't nearly as compelling as the truth.

All in all, I agree with the other reviewers that it's the actual true story that is the draw...not so much the handling of it. (Possibly a larger budget would have helped.) At any rate, because of the amazing heart, vision, tenacity, and legacy of the person, it's still worthwhile (for me) to watch.

While I love the idea about Walt Disney's life before he and Ub Iwerks came up with Mickey Mouse, I am a little apprehensive about wholly endorsing this or any other film. After all, the Disney Corporation has carefully sanitized Walt and created an idealized image of the man over the years. Don't get me wrong...he was a GREAT man...but Disney has had a history of over-idealizing the guy...and, conversely, some jerks have tried to make money saying Walt was practically the Antichrist (I've read two smear books like this)! So exactly how true all the details are...well, that's not an easy thing for me or anyone to say. But it was entertaining and at least mostly true (if not completely true). I know that Walt's father was not the nicest man on Earth and Walt did have a horrible time financing his initial films...so at least these and many other details rang true in the picture.

The movie is a dramatization of Walt's struggles mostly from when he first went to work as an animator. His earlier life is only alluded to very briefly. It's a shame, as I was interested in his life before he became a professional animator. Some of the film was very close to Walt's life (such as his struggles with money and financing as well as his staff and Oswald being stolen by Mintz) and some of it just seemed patently absurd--such as Walt keeping a pet mouse in his pocket as an adult (I sincerely doubt this is true) and Walt not holding a grudge against Mintz for stealing and almost destroying him (this could not be true). As for the second case, Walt was famous for holding grudges and after finally setting a long and costly strike with animators in the early 40s, he promptly fired many of these people and vowed to not rehire them! The film also idealizes his relationship with Iwerks who left Disney for several years in the 1930s to start his own studio...and this isn't mentioned. Still, if you don't mind being given 'the party line' the film is enjoyable and MOSTLY truthful...mostly.

As a Disneyphile of sorts, there was no way I was going to miss watching this film on the big screen even though I had to travel two hours via the Interstate through Kansas to the Kansas City metro area (appropriately enough since that is where Disney started his animation company) to get to the nearest theater showing it. The trip was worth it for me personally, but the film itself may disappoint others. Its quality is uneven; it needs the sort of polish and texture that the Disney organization would be able to give it. Don't expect something like "Savings Mr. Banks," the Disney film that dealt with Disney's struggles to get "Mary Poppins" made toward the end of his life. While the story of "Walt Before Mickey" is itself engaging, and the plotting, pace and dialogue not all that bad, the editing is uneven, the cinematography is uninspired, and the acting is just this side of wooden and amateurish. However, Thomas Ian Nicholas saves the day, practically carrying the entire film on his performance alone. His acting is earnest and sympathetic to the persona of a young and struggling Walt Disney; and the character he creates is believable and likable. In the final analysis, the film will never win any awards, but it has a lot of heart and wins the approval of those, like myself, who wish to see Disney (and the Disney legacy) treated in the sort of fair, even-handed, and yet respectful manner he deserves.