This short was one of a series of shorts starring Molly Moo Cow. They were done toward the end of the Van Beuren studios existence and are uneven, ranging from just okay to awful. But Van Beuren's output was generally in those ranges. It was probably the weakest studio regularly producing short animation in what is commonly considered "the Golden Age" for the animated short. Only the Iwerks studio comes close to them in the race for last place (actually, that's not very fair to Iwerks). I want to discuss some details, so this is a spoiler warning:
Molly Moo Cow washes to shore on an island, the one occupied by Robinson Crusoe. Much of the short is Crusoe extolling the virtues of the solitary life, Molly trying to ingratiate herself to Crusoe and Crusoe trying to get rid of her. He finally succeeds-just before cannibals come ashore, capture Crusoe and dump him in a pot. From the time they grab him Crusoe is yelling for help (from whom is unclear, given that he wants the island to himself). Molly hears his cries for help and turns around to try and save him (given the fact that he repeatedly shot at her earlier, she has a most generous nature).
She manages to drive the cannibals off before Crusoe becomes the main course and Crusoe reluctantly agrees to let her stay (such gratitude!) but asks Molly what they can do to make things work. Molly dons black-face and Crusoe immediately exclaims, "Friday!". Thus all ends well-at least until Crusoe decides the fare on the island is bland and decides a hamburger would hit the spot. For Van Beuren completeists or cartoon collectors like me!
Molly Moo Cow washes to shore on an island, the one occupied by Robinson Crusoe. Much of the short is Crusoe extolling the virtues of the solitary life, Molly trying to ingratiate herself to Crusoe and Crusoe trying to get rid of her. He finally succeeds-just before cannibals come ashore, capture Crusoe and dump him in a pot. From the time they grab him Crusoe is yelling for help (from whom is unclear, given that he wants the island to himself). Molly hears his cries for help and turns around to try and save him (given the fact that he repeatedly shot at her earlier, she has a most generous nature).
She manages to drive the cannibals off before Crusoe becomes the main course and Crusoe reluctantly agrees to let her stay (such gratitude!) but asks Molly what they can do to make things work. Molly dons black-face and Crusoe immediately exclaims, "Friday!". Thus all ends well-at least until Crusoe decides the fare on the island is bland and decides a hamburger would hit the spot. For Van Beuren completeists or cartoon collectors like me!