While not one of my absolute favourite Mickey Mouse cartoons, it is for me one of the better cartoons of his set in the barnyard. The beginning with the cats listening to the radio struck me as unnecessary, though the very opening shot is fun. The supporting characters such as Clarabelle and Horace don't have all that much to do, but seeing them is a pleasure by itself. The kittens though are really cute and mischievous and come very close to stealing the show. But it is Mickey's short, here he drives the plot and his kindly manner introducing everything, his interplay with the kitten and his facial expression at the end is a joy. The cat is a fun character and is a big part of why the chaotic ending is so hilarious. We see Pluto also briefly, and while you expect him to either cause chaos or come to the rescue we just get an early shot of him and then he disappears. A little disappointing but considering the main crux of the short perhaps necessary also. The gags are very funny, especially the kittens coming up through the floorboards, Mickey using horseshoes for chimes, Horace playing the saw and Mickey cutting the piano in half with Clarabelle still playing it. The animation is crisp and clean, the pacing is lively and the music enhances the action splendidly. Overall, a fun, great ride. 9/10 Bethany Cox
Review of The Barnyard Broadcast
