Steamboat Willie (1928) User Reviews

Mickey's cruel streak

[ackstasis · 7/10 · 8 December 2008]

'Steamboat Willie (1928)' is often erroneously touted as the first Mickey Mouse film, though that title actually goes to 'Plane Crazy (1928).' The source fuelling this common misconception is probably an episode of "The Simpsons," which places the origin of Itchy the Mouse in a 1928 short called 'Steamboat Itchy,' obviously a parody of this cartoon. Interestingly, 'Steamboat Willie' was itself a parody, spoofing the latest Buster Keaton release, 'Steamboat Bill, Jr. (1928),' though the connection stretches little beyond the title and the general story setting. In this Walt Disney short, Mickey Mouse takes charge of a river steamboat, much to the annoyance of Captain Pete the cat, who spitefully casts him aside. But Mickey is not to be outdone in nastiness. Far removed from the pleasant, wholesome Mickey that more recent generations enjoyed, this little mouse cares only for numero uno, inflicting pain and displeasure on a series of farm animals in order to provide music for his own amusement.

First there's the laughing parrot, which cops a bucket and a large potato to the head. Then a goat is cranked by the tail to provide music ("Turkey in the Straw") from a guitar it has swallowed. A cat is swung around by its tail, a goose throttled about the throat, and a piglet viciously booted. For a children's cartoon, 'Steamboat Willie,' directed by Walt Disney and Ub Iwerks, certainly has some mean-spirited humour, though I also noticed similar elements (though not quite to this extent) in some later Disney shorts, like 'Gulliver Mickey (1934).' Let's not forget Minnie Mouse, of course, who suffers treatment for which she could today sue for sexual harassment! The jokes may be crude, and the animation perhaps even more so, but this cartoon delivers a bucket-full of laughs, and it's easy to see why this little rodent became one of the most beloved characters in cinema history. If you're a fan of Mickey Mouse, or Disney in general, this is one steamboat you can't afford to miss.

Disney in the beginning - indecent exposure, cruelty to animals, workplace harassment, and maybe even...

[AlsExGal · 8/10 · 24 October 2020]

... the end of Buster Keaton's career? This cartoon was released at the end of 1928, eight months after the release of Buster Keaton's final independent film - Steamboat Bill, Jr. Why should somebody shell out money for Keaton to take a chance with life and limb with his wonderful acrobatics when Walt could draw a mouse that could do all of those antics, not show up late to the set, not require lunch breaks, and come back for the next film/cartoon fresh as a daisy and uninjured?

I don't know if the similarity between the title of this cartoon and Buster's last independent creation is anything but coincidence, but I wonder. Always worth a look to see the wonderfully creative Walt at work in the beginning. He would shake his head at what his company is outputting as product today. But I digress.

Highly recommended for the film history angle.

This is film that makes Disney, 'Disney'. This short film is very influential to all of modern animation

[ironhorse_iv · 8/10 · 19 March 2016]

In 1928, Walt Disney was in a bind, after losing the rights to his character, Oswald the Lucky Rabbit to film producer, Charles Mintz & Universal Studios. Added to this problem, was the fact, that he was getting sued by animators, Otto Messmer & Pat Sullivan, because of his other creation, Julius the Cat of 'Alice Comedies' fame, having similarity with Messmer's 'Felix The Cat' character. It was here, that animator, Walt Disney was looking for a new character to get him, out of this mess. One of his new ideas was Mickey Mouse, original named Mortimer Mouse, a character based off the old drawing sketches of "Ike the Mouse" from the 'Alice Comedies', which in return is based on a mouse that Disney had adopted as a pet, while working in his Laugh-O-Gram studio in Kansas City. With help of animator/co-business partner, Ub Iwerks who designed most of Mickey's physical appearance, Walt Disney was able to evolve the character what we know as today as the universal symbol of his company. This move to Mickey Mouse pretty much help save Walt Disney's career, as the character became beloved by many of his fans. Being one of the most significant and important films in American Cinema; 1928's 'Steamboat Willie' is best known film of the character of Mickey Mouse. Nevertheless, many people believe, even today, that this 8 minute animation short, was Mickey Mouse's first appearance, in truth, it wasn't. Mickey was first feature in 1929's 'Plane Crazy'. 'Steamboat Willie' wasn't even the second film to feature Mickey Mouse, as 1929's 'The Gallopin' Gaucho" was made before that. However, since both of those short film wasn't released to the public, until after 'Steamboat Willie' was released. 'Steamboat Willie' was technically, Mickey Mouse & Minnie Mouse's debate to the audience. Another reason for 'Steamboat Willie' success, was the fact, that it was the first cartoon that had post-produced synchronized soundtrack (of music, dialogue, and sound effects). Yet, it wasn't the first cartoon to have sound. Dave and Max Fleischer's Inkwell Studios produced 19 sound cartoons, as part of the Song Car-Tunes series (1924-1927), with 1926's 'My Old Kentucky Home' being the first, however, their cartoon wasn't synchronized like 'Steamboat Willie'. Also, 'Steamboat Willie' wasn't the first movie to have synchronized dialogue, as some people think it was. That credit goes to the live action, musical 1927's 'The Jazz Singer' for doing that. Also, this isn't the first cartoon, in which, Mickey Mouse first speaks words. That honor goes to 1929's 'The Karnival Kid' when his first spoken words were "Hot dogs, Hot dogs!". It's also surprising to hear that his first words wasn't, the voice of Walt Disney, but composer, Carl Stalling who did most of the music in the early Mickey Mouse shorts. Despite all that, 'Steamboat Willie' was one of the few films to be released twice in one year (July 29, 1928, in limited release and then re-released on November 18, 1928 with sound). It was one of the most popular films at the time. The title of the film is a parody of the Buster Keaton film, 1929's Steamboat Bill Jr. which itself is a reference to the song by Arthur Collins; which this short is famous for using. I love the tunes of "Steamboat Bill" & "turkey in the straw". I just wish, Mickey Mouse wasn't so mean-spirited on using the animal on the steamboat as musical instrument. That's a lot of animal abuse. For a short animation film, the movie doesn't really have, much of a plot, besides Mickey Mouse gathering up farm animals to put on the boat; but for an early film, it's alright. It was entertaining enough for 8 minutes. It's funny to hear that when this short film was release, this cartoon was paired with the 1928's crime drama movie 'Gang War'. Wow! What an odd pair! You'll never see that, a family friendly cartoon being paired with a gangster film, in these days. It's also hilarious to see that most movie patrons at the time walked away talking about this cartoon, more than the movie. It really shows, how influence, it was, to people. For the Walt Disney Company, the film was so important for their company, that the company lobbied the US Congress successfully for an extension of copyright protection by twenty years, when the copyright for "Steamboat Willie" was to expire in 2003. Because of this law, "Steamboat Willie" will not enter the public domain until 2023. Who knows, it might never enter the public domain? Seeing how much, power, the Walt Disney Company got since then. In the end, I kinda don't want it to be, public domain, but don't mind, if it is. After all, The Walt Disney Company has really done a good job on film restoration. It looks as good as it first came out in 1928. Very sharp. Barely any scratches or film dust on the original black and white film. I just don't want to see a crappy version of this film out there, trying to sell a buck. Even if that happens. It's nice to see the film was selected for preservation in the United States' National Film Registry for being deemed "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant'. That's pretty cool to hear that it will last for at least, a couple of generations. Overall: It's is an excellent cartoon which still holds up well. I highly recommended watching if you're a huge fan of the Magic Kingdom. You will love it!

The Little Mouse That Could

[Ron Oliver · 10/10 · 26 April 2003]

A Walt Disney MICKEY MOUSE Cartoon.

STEAMBOAT WILLIE, a mischievous little rodent, neglects his pilothouse and frolics his way into cinematic history.

On 18 November 1928, a struggling young genius debuted the world's first successful cartoon with synchronous sound. There would be no looking back for either Walt Disney or his alter ego Mickey Mouse. Financial struggles would remain, but essentially the world was their oyster bed and Mickey would eventually rival Chaplin as the most recognizable cultural icon of the century.

As entertainment, STEAMBOAT WILLIE is still fun to watch, featuring fine work by animator Ub Iwerks and showing a Mickey with all the passions & indifference of a small child. He must deal with a tyrannical skipper (Pete, without his peg leg; he had been appearing in Disney cartoons since February of 1925), a wisecracking parrot (in a few years it would be a Duck) and a cute little Mouse named Minnie. Together the two rodents rather callously make music on the live bodies of a goat, cat, goose, piglets & cow (a precursor of Clarabelle) - all of whom happened to be conveniently on board the steamship. Audiences howled for more and the pattern was set for the subsequent Mouse cartoons of the next few years.

******************************

Walt Disney (1901-1966) was always intrigued by pictures & drawings. As a lad in Marceline, Missouri, he sketched farm animals on scraps of paper; later, as an ambulance driver in France during the First World War, he drew comic figures on the sides of his vehicle. Back in Kansas City, along with artist Ub Iwerks, Walt developed a primitive animation studio that provided animated commercials and tiny cartoons for the local movie theaters. Always the innovator, his ALICE IN CARTOONLAND series broke ground in placing a live figure in a cartoon universe. Business reversals sent Disney & Iwerks to Hollywood in 1923, where Walt's older brother Roy became his lifelong business manager & counselor. When a mildly successful series with Oswald The Lucky Rabbit was snatched away by the distributor, the character of Mickey Mouse sprung into Walt's imagination, ensuring Disney's immortality. The happy arrival of sound technology made Mickey's screen debut, STEAMBOAT WILLIE (1928), a tremendous audience success with its use of synchronized music. The SILLY SYMPHONIES soon appeared, and Walt's growing crew of marvelously talented animators were quickly conquering new territory with full color, illusions of depth and radical advancements in personality development, an arena in which Walt's genius was unbeatable. Mickey's feisty, naughty behavior had captured millions of fans, but he was soon to be joined by other animated companions: temperamental Donald Duck, intellectually-challenged Goofy and energetic Pluto. All this was in preparation for Walt's grandest dream - feature length animated films. Against a blizzard of doomsayers, Walt persevered and over the next decades delighted children of all ages with the adventures of Snow White, Pinocchio, Dumbo, Bambi & Peter Pan. Walt never forgot that his fortunes were all started by a mouse, or that childlike simplicity of message and lots of hard work always pay off.

the other landmark short film of 1928

[Quinoa1984 · 10/10 · 8 July 2000]

While in France as Germaine Dulac created a benchmark of short-subject, cinematic surrealism with The Seashell and the Clergyman, Walt Disney and his collaborator Ub Iwerks in America worked on Steamboat Willie, the most prominent of the early synchronized sound cartoons (it was revealed that this was not the first, contrary to other reports). It's also one of the more successfully simplistic and funny of the Mickey Mouse shorts (still in a silent-film way- the only sounds are little irks and bleeps from the Mickey and the animals). It also goes by fairly quickly for its less-than-ten minute run, if only by how quick and dopey the gags are.

But in these minutes one gets the immediate sense of how much fun Disney has with his characters, and how the newfound use of sound changes how his creation uses the animals as musical tools. There's no story to speak of, just random things that happens and occurs because of Mickey (err, Steamboat Willie) on this boat on a river. And like the better Mickey Mouse shorts, his lack of speaking acts as an advantage. It's a must-see if you haven't seen it as a kid, but if you have it might still be worth another look.

The Most Historic Moment in Animation?

[Michael_Elliott · 21 July 2015]

Steamboat Willie (1928)

**** (out of 4)

I think it's quite fair to say that STEAMBOAT WILLIE is the most important animated film in history. While it wasn't the first Mickey Mouse short (it's the third) it is the one that really turned him into a superstar and it took Walt Disney into a while new level unlike anything we've ever seen. The story is pretty simple as Mickey decides to whistle and dance his way throughout the boat. Yes, whoever would have guessed that by simply whistling this little mouse would become a part of cinematic history? Not only is this film historic but it's also quite excellent in its own right. The film has a certainly charm and good-hearted feel to it that it's impossible not to smile with it and it's even more impossible not to want to join in on the whistling. There are countless highlights here but my favorite has always been the sequence where the cow is too small to get loaded onto the boat so Mickey must do something to put meat on his bones.

Disney steams ahead.

[morrison-dylan-fan · 7/10 · 2 September 2015]

Despite having heard of the movie for years,I have somehow never got round to taking a look at Mickey Mouse's (sound) debut.With a poll on IMDbs Classic Film board for the best titles of 1928,I decided that it was time to finally get on the steamboat.

The plot:

Driving the steamboat with a belief that he is the real captain of the ship, Mickey Mouse annoys the real captain Pete,who boots Mickey off the bridge and sends him below deck. Falling down the stairs,the ships parrot laughs at Mickey. Wanting to put the parrot in its place,Mickey throws a bucket over the bird.

View on the film:

Closely working with composers Wilfred Jackson & Bert Lewis,writers/directors Ub Iwerks and Walt Disney (who also does the voices) brilliantly make the score part of the story,with Mickey and Minnie use of animals as musical instruments allowing for some very funny slap-stick comedy.Drawing in a broad manner,Disney and Iwerks give the characters just enough detail so that the viewer can pick up Mickey's increasing swagger,as Mickey sets off into movie history.

Timeless

[TheLittleSongbird · 10/10 · 11 February 2010]

This 8 minute gem is not only timeless, but it is a cartoon milestone. It is Mickey's third cartoon, and one of his best ones too. It is a cartoon milestone because it was the first one with synchronised sound. And my goodness, even after 70+ years it is ever so good, and gives real additional weight to the narrative. The black and white animation is excellent, and the character features are convincing enough. The music is wonderful, I love the soundtrack, it does add to the fun the cartoon has, no matter how thin the story sometimes is. And the cartoon is funny! So many memorable moments, like the cow's teeth being used as an xylophone and its udder as a bagpipe. The characters are also engaging, Mickey and Minnie two landmark Disney characters are well voiced by Walt Disney, and Pete serves well as "the villain of the piece". All in all, "Steamboat Willie" is just a timeless gem that everybody should see at least once. 10/10 Bethany Cox

Once We Get Past The Iconic Musical Number And It's Mark As The Third 'Mickey Mouse' Short What Is Left To Offer?

[Spencer-Staggs · 6/10 · 17 June 2021]

I watched 'Steamboat Willie' today and wondered to myself "What is so good about this? What is so good about a mouse going around and cruelly abusing all the other animals aboard the vessel?" I would suppose that it's just because of it's mark in cinematic history, but other than that what does the film have to offer us? In short: nothing. We watch Mickey help Minnie aboard the steamboat, but then we see him go around and abuse the animals aboard the steamboat. Whether he's grabbing a bird by it's neck, drowning a parrot, or even pulling baby piglets' tails it all leads to, well, nothing. I got nothing out of this film and I'm not quite sure who did.

slight mistake in Mickey history

[JV-6 · 10/10 · 1 July 2005]

Steamboat Willy was not the first cartoon to feature Mickey Mouse. The first film to star America's friend was "Plane Crazy". "Plane Crazy" was released May 15th 1928 in Hollywood California,in the silent movie format. "Steamboat Willy" was released November 18th 1928 as a SOUND movie (it was also released July 29th 1928 as a silent film). Thus making "Steamboat.."the first SOUND film of Mickey but NOT the first film for the little American Mouse. While many game shows have used the question: "What was the first appearance of Mickey Mouse?" The true answer is "Plane Crazy" not "Steamboat Willy". These dates can be checkout on IMDb under "release dates".

Fun bit of animation history

[briancham1994 · 7/10 · 27 July 2022]

Steamboat Willie was one of the most influential works in early animation history, pairing sound effects with animated action for extra fun. The characters sound alive and their actions have more impact. Most of the short is made to show off the new use of technology, so it focuses heavily on a musical theme, which pays off but gets a bit repetitive. Not to mention, it seemed a bit callous to use animals as instruments, no matter how fun the slapstick. Best viewed in historical context.

Excellent cartoon which still holds up well

[llltdesq · 9/10 · 3 August 2014]

This is the first sound Mickey Mouse short. There will be spoilers ahead:

This short is well known as the short which made Mickey Mouse famous. In point of fact, both Plane Crazy and The Gallopin' Gaucho are listed as having earlier release dates by The Encyclopedia of Disney Animated Shorts. This was the first one released as a sound cartoon. That likely explains why many think it was the first.

This is, in many ways, a standard animated short of the late 1920s. The sound and the animation quality distinguish it from Terrtytoons, but the gags would feel quite at home in any Terrytoon of the period. The gags largely involve various animals.

A cow (Clarabelle in her larval state) is loaded on the steamboat after being filled out with hay. This is the kindest thing done to an animal during the short Most of the others become musical instruments, even the cow! Mickey is the primary source for these acts. The gags are actually done with effectiveness for the most part. A rather obnoxious parrot gets his comeuppance on two occasions and deserved worse.

This short has been released a number of times on DVD and is well worth seeking out. Most recommended.

Steamboat Willie chugs along with whistling musicality and mousy antics.

[TheMovieDiorama · 7/10 · 28 November 2018]

This was it. The conceptualisation of Walt Disney's mascot. His greatest creation. His pioneering anthropomorphic mouse, Mickey. Excluding 'Plane Crazy', this was his first outing to be distributed on a large scale. With Disney and Iwerks sharing directing, producing, writing and animating duties, it was sure to be a success. Surprisingly, it still holds up well today. Mickey Mouse pretends to be a steamboat captain, however Pete arrives and ensures Mickey is performing his correct duties. From slicing potatoes to picking up livestock. The cartoon itself has aged beautifully, with the drawings still visually appealing and smooth as the reel continuously flips. The detailed environment and character features enabled plenty of colour to burst through, despite being black and white. This also being Disney's first sound synchronised cartoon, including both character sounds and a musical score. With that, Disney himself showcased the imaginative use of synchronised sound by including various scenes of musical improvisation. Mickey himself casually drums with some wooden spoons, whistles his infamous "Steamboat Bill" tune and flail a cat round by the tail. Blatant animal cruelty aside (it was a different time...), these scenes unfortunately detract from an actual plot and resort to random segments being stringed together just to experiment with sound effects. It does make the whole cartoon feel somewhat derivative and unmemorable. Minnie Mouse also seemed pointless, should've focused on the rivalry between Mickey and Pete. However, for a cartoon from 1928 that is a milestone in cinematic history, it holds up well. Brimming with personality and child-friendly humour. It's the conception of both Mickey Mouse and Walt Disney's fame as the animation giant to beat.

Mickey Mouse, Sadist.

[WitnessToIt · 1/10 · 26 January 2023]

An absolutely abhorrent cartoon , I was shocked to see this today and see the abuse Mickey shows towards animals.

I see at least one other reviewer on here finds this appalling and I am glad I'm not alone.

The bit with swinging the cat around by the tail had me in disbelief, and yes it continued with other animals, including a mother pig whose baby piglets were feeding on before; this was a nightmare of a cartoon to watch.

It's almost hard to believe that this is the beginning of the whole Walt Disney company; and that Mickey was chosen to be their 'cute' little trademark.

I don't want to hear how this is great because it is historically significant; that does not equal it being good.

This was no doubt an influence on the Itchy and Scratchy cartoons on the Simpsons (along with Tom and Jerry, of course).

Pure garbage.

Even after 80 years, this is still a charming little film

[planktonrules · 10/10 · 29 October 2008]

STEAMBOAT WILLIE is an amazingly important film to our cinema history. This second appearance of Mickey Mouse (following the silent PLANE CRAZY earlier that year) is probably his most famous film--mostly because it was so ground-breaking. This is because it was the first sound cartoon. While you don't yet hear Mickey speak, there are tons of sound effects and music throughout the film--something we take for granted now but which was a huge crowd pleaser in 1928.

Now if this were just an important historical film, it would be worth seeing--especially to lovers of animation. However, after seeing the short again after about 25 years, I was amazed at how timeless the film actually is. While Mickey and Minnie behave a bit odd compared to the characters we have grown to love (thanks mostly to the kooky mind and talent of animator Ub Iwerks), there is an infectious charm about the film. It's just adorable seeing Mickey playing "Turkey in the Straw" in a highly imaginative (if occasionally cruel) way. Clever and a real crowd-pleaser--this film still ranks among Mickey's best films even after 80 wonderful years.

A New Era in Cartoon History

[laishers · 8/10 · 4 January 2001]

This era was not just the dawn of sound in cartoons, but of a cartoon character which would go down in history as the world's most famous mouse. Yes, Mickey makes his debut here, in this cheery tale of life on board a steamboat. The animation is good for it's time, and the plot - though a little simple - is quite jolly. A true classic, and if you ever manage to get it on video, you won't regret it.

Mickey`s first movie

[action-6 · 6 September 2000]

"Steamboat Willie" is Mickey`s first movie, and was released way back in 1928. It is an atmospheric piece of movie history, and is a must see for every Disney-fan out there. If you don`t like Disney, you probably won`t like this movie.

A great debut for Mickey Mouse and it`s the first cartoon. As an old Disney-fan, I think that this is a brilliant movie. 10/10

The 3rd Film for Mickey and Minnie

[Rainey-Dawn · 7/10 · 11 May 2021]

It is said that Steamboat Willie (1928) is Mickey and Minnie's first film - that is not true. The first film the pair was in is a short called 'Plane Crazy (1928)' and the second film for them is 'The Gallopin' Gaucho (1928)'. Steamboat Willie is actually the third film for both Mickey and Minnie. Steamboat Willie is still an important film for Disney because it's the first time synchronized sound was used.

The animation is fairly cute as Mickey is first mate to the cruel Captain Pete and a lot of frolicking is going on. The short is worth watching if you are interested in some Disney history.

7/10.

Happy 75th Birthday Mickey

[rossrobinson · 10/10 · 15 November 2003]

Mickey Mouse is now 75 years old. He was created by Walt Disney, a famous creater, producer, director etc: I love the Disney Movies because it is great fun watching the cartoon movies. Altogether Walt Disney i think is the king of the creations, Everyone has got to love this creations and the movies by Walt Disney. Thank you Walt for all the classic characters you made.

Not only is this Mickey's first appearance...

[Mightyzebra · 7/10 · 20 April 2008]

... But it is also Minnie's and Pete's too! Yes, the grumpy captain may not look like Pete, but it is! Mickey and Minnie are the best characters, both of them are very sweet and likable. Interestingly, Minnie is more of a lady in this than what she usually is today and Mickey is less than considerate in this than he is now. Pete is still the same old meanie, but he looks a bit different.

In this famous episode, on board a little steamboat, Mickey, Minnie and some side characters have a great deal of fun and a great deal of annoyances. Even in their first appearances, the three main characters are very developed.

I quite like this episode, although overall I prefer the Mickey Mouse in the future. I like the animation, the steamboat and music theme, the clever gags - and of course, Mickey and Minnie!

Like many early cartoons, this is very random, Walt came up with a very basic plot and just added gags to "gear" it along. There is also a parrot side character who is very annoying and rather unnecessary. These are the things I do not like about it.

Another interesting thing about this episode, that a colour version has not been made for it (or if it has, I've never heard about it)!

Anyone who just enjoys Mickey Mouse and Disney will enjoy this.

History Made

[Seamus2829 · 8/10 · 18 August 2008]

No doubt about it. This is the animated short that put Uncle Walt on the map of success. When Walt's older brother,Roy suggested that the next Mickey Mouse short should include sound, Walt jumped at the chance. The result:Steamboat Willie was a runaway hit for 1928. It was, after all, the first animated short subject with a synchronized sound track (mostly music & sound effects,as dialog was minimal). Not to sound like a wet blanket, but the short is far from perfect. Animation prior to 1935 was creaky & rather herky jerky (but once equipment made improvements,and better artistic techniques came about,the rest was smooth sailing),and the sound was primitive (Disney wanted to use the then well known RCA Sound System,or the Western Electric Noiseless sound system,but was refused by both firms,prompting Disney to use the Photophone system that P.A. Powers was experimenting with at the time). The plot (there's an actual plot line here?)concerns Mickey (as the aforementioned Willie)is the pilot of a steamboat, that is terrorized by Black Pete (Captain Pete to you),and decides to have a jam session on ship, using the various animals on board as musical instruments (ASPCA, take notice). If you don't think too much about the technical shortcomings, Steamboat Willie can be eight minutes of fun (and a piece of history).

The first Mickey Mouse cartoon.

[OllieSuave-007 · 7/10 · 8 June 2015]

This is supposedly the first Mickey Mouse cartoon, released in July 1928 and animated in black and white (the silent version of the cartoon Plane Crazy, starring Mickey and Minnie, was released in May 1928). Mickey's first appearance ever is piloting a steamboat, while trying to entertain his passenger, Minnie Mouse. He does so by using stuff from the boat as instruments - very clever and witty.

This is definitely not one of the more funny, magical or exciting cartoons you've come to expect from Mickey. This is more of a musical short with no dialog. Thrown into the mix is the mean Captain Pete the Cat, the annoying parrot and the cranky goat.

Though not one of the best Mickey cartoons I've seen, it does deserve praise for its clever sound effects, charming animation and characters and catchy music. It's a good beginning to a long list of Disney cartoons, animated films and television programs.

Grade B

The first animated film with sound

[Coolguy-7 · 10/10 · 27 December 1999]

This was the first Mickey Mouse cartoon released and the first cartoon with sound. It was based on a silent movie called "Steamboat Bill, Jr." starring Buster Keaton. Back in this early Mickey short, Mickey did not talk nor did he have gloves. He could just whistle and play music. The song that he played was "Turkey in the Straw" using several barnyard animals as musical instruments. He plays a cow's teeth as a xylophone and he plays a nursing sow's teats like an accordion keyboard. Captain Pete, however, is very mad and makes Mickey peel potatoes in the galley. Pete's parrot flies up to the window and orders him to peel the potatoes. Mickey throws a half-peeled potato at the parrot and laughs, thus closing the cartoon. I was able to get this cartoon on tape and I really like it. I think the Disney shorts are much better than the feature length movies.

Classic

[cesbanbelubo21 · 7/10 · 22 December 2020]

This shorty movie is very classic. And very nice..Pete(Bafo) is very different

Animation has come a long way...

[J-Train · 5/10 · 14 April 2001]

This is not, as a number of others have said, Mickey Mouse's first cartoon. It was actually his third. This was his first -sound- cartoon. In any case it's still an important landmark in animation. This is fun to look at if only for nostalgia and to see how far the medium has come since this short was made in 1928. There really isn't a story to speak of but there are a few laughs. Worth seeing if you are a fan of Disney, Mickey, or just animation in general.