What They Can't Do These Days (3rd in a series)

Flush from the success of Snow White in 1937, as well as the continuing popularity of their short-form stars like Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck, Disney released two films in 1940: the experimental Fantasia, and this picture, more like "Snow" in its fairy-tale source and animation style. In other words, a safer bet.

There were some departures from the successful formula, however. All characters were "cartoony," except the magical Blue Fairy and the real Pinocchio at the end. Mixed with the humans were both talking animals and "pet" animals. Stromboli and the Coachman thought nothing of interacting with Honest John, the crafty fox. Of course, they were the villains of the piece.

What Disney kept was the sight gags, the character interplay, and especially the music. Pinocchio won two Oscars, for Best Song and Best Score. "When You Wish Upon A Star" not only won the Academy Award, but has become an all-time classic. The overall musical quality is of a par with Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, and helps the movie keep bouncing along.

The real Disney twist is the new breakout character, Jiminy Cricket. Jiminy would become a stock character for Disney for many years. He is also the star of this movie. He functions as narrator, viewer's entry and mouthpiece, and plot advancer, as well as chief singer. The other characters all have limitations. Gepetto is, well, not too bright. Figaro the cat and Cleo the fish are mute. The other speaking characters are villains, except the title character. Pinocchio, of course, is the feature, but the film really concentrates on the little guy as the visual and storytelling focus. Perhaps that is because the naive puppet's actions are not noble in the majority of the film, that the animators developed their insect creation more. Not until the end, when Pinocchio rushes to rescue Gepetto, does he draw the full limelight. Jiminy does not even enter the whale, as Pinocchio must prove himself without his conscience.

We do have several problems here, though. Like the huge plot holes. The Blue Fairy functions as plot device on three occasions, but why does Gepetto go off on a boat to look for Pinocchio? Yes, I suppose he had exhausted the land search, but why the sea? And it seems unlikely that Figaro and Cleo could have survived the exit from the whale. But, if you turn that analytical part of your brain off, this is a visually rich movie. The animation has a "storybook" feel, like "Snow" does. I don't know how else to explain it; their is just a look like old book illustrations of fairy tales. Either this was a Disney house style for movies, or there was a conscious attempt to imitate the artwork of the books where many fairy tales appeared.

It is not the pinnacle of Disney's work, but it is an excellent film.