I was heartily amused by user Foreverisacastironmess' reaction to this Silly Symphony. This user bemoaned the violence and sexual aspects of the cartoon, as well as the "poor animation." First off, this cartoon hails from the pre-code era of Hollywood, a time between 1929-1934 when filmmakers (of both live action and animated cinema) could get away with such violence and sexuality in their output before the installment of the Hayes' Code in 1934. This Disney cartoon, with its horny pirates and topless mermaids, is nothing compared to what the Fleischers were putting out with their surreal and much more risqué cartoons (check out The Old Man of the Mountain (1933)). Also, cartoons were not seen as purely kids' stuff back in the early 1930s and Disney certainly did not have the "magical, family friendly" label they would earn in the 1950s, which explains the adult content.
As for the "poor animation," you are talking about the early 1930s after all. Not that I think the animation in this is bad, of course. It's not top-of-the-line for 1932, but the water effects are impressive and I've certainly seen worse animation, even today.
All in all, I can understand the previous user's distaste for the violent ending (though I personally feel no sympathy for the pirates, who were essentially a murderous bunch of would-be rapists), but to give it such a low score for THAT? I cannot help but think that is unfair.
As for the "poor animation," you are talking about the early 1930s after all. Not that I think the animation in this is bad, of course. It's not top-of-the-line for 1932, but the water effects are impressive and I've certainly seen worse animation, even today.
All in all, I can understand the previous user's distaste for the violent ending (though I personally feel no sympathy for the pirates, who were essentially a murderous bunch of would-be rapists), but to give it such a low score for THAT? I cannot help but think that is unfair.