Disney film incorporating several animated shorts with live-action tour of Walt Disney's studio in Burbank, California. Robert Benchley gives a colorful "performance" as a guest of Walt's (who makes a cameo), meeting animators and storyboard-editors while pitching the movie idea of a shy dragon. This picture, more a playful stunt than a memorable entry in the Disney canon, features some gorgeous animation and a lovely switch from black-and-white to color early on. It's more likely to appeal to nostalgia-crazy grown-ups however, instead of restless kids. Look for appearances by Goofy, Donald Duck, Bambi, and...Alan Ladd?! **1/2 from ****
33 Reviews
Adorable but I think this will appeal best to an older audience.
planktonrules25 September 2011
I am sure a lot of younger folks watching it will be disappointed. That's because the story of the "Reluctant Dragon" only makes up a tiny portion of this movie. So, if you expect to see a full-length cartoon, you are in for a big surprise.
The film is a behind the scenes look at the Disney Studio, though I must confess that it's VERY heavily orchestrated to give a happy look to the workers--even though at the time a VERY divisive strike was taking place. To make this image of one big happy family, many of the animators and other workers at the studio are actually portrayed by actors! This is dishonest but interesting as you see a very young Alan Ladd pretending to be a Disney animator! In addition, you'll see the prolific character actor John Dehner along side Ladd--but you might not recognize Dehner, as he's VERY skinny here! However, I must confess that despite being a faux look, many of the techniques were real and it still was very satisfying to watch.
This is all part of an over-arching story involving the witty Robert Benchley. His wife nags him to go talk to Walt Disney about making a cartoon out of his story, "The Reluctant Dragon". But, Benchley's heart isn't in it and he mostly just wanders about the studio--watching the workers doing their craft and interacting with them. In addition, you see a rough version of a cartoon about a genius baby and, at the end, the story of this dragon--which is downright adorable. In fact, the film is worth seeing just to see this great dragon tale--it's among the studio's best work, albeit short in length.
The whole package is great--well worth seeing--especially if you are interested in the craft of animation. And, some of the scenes are shot in some of the most vivid color of the era. A nice film in every way--just not what the kiddies might be expecting!
The film is a behind the scenes look at the Disney Studio, though I must confess that it's VERY heavily orchestrated to give a happy look to the workers--even though at the time a VERY divisive strike was taking place. To make this image of one big happy family, many of the animators and other workers at the studio are actually portrayed by actors! This is dishonest but interesting as you see a very young Alan Ladd pretending to be a Disney animator! In addition, you'll see the prolific character actor John Dehner along side Ladd--but you might not recognize Dehner, as he's VERY skinny here! However, I must confess that despite being a faux look, many of the techniques were real and it still was very satisfying to watch.
This is all part of an over-arching story involving the witty Robert Benchley. His wife nags him to go talk to Walt Disney about making a cartoon out of his story, "The Reluctant Dragon". But, Benchley's heart isn't in it and he mostly just wanders about the studio--watching the workers doing their craft and interacting with them. In addition, you see a rough version of a cartoon about a genius baby and, at the end, the story of this dragon--which is downright adorable. In fact, the film is worth seeing just to see this great dragon tale--it's among the studio's best work, albeit short in length.
The whole package is great--well worth seeing--especially if you are interested in the craft of animation. And, some of the scenes are shot in some of the most vivid color of the era. A nice film in every way--just not what the kiddies might be expecting!
"You can't draw an elephant too dumb for me."
utgard1430 December 2014
The film stars Robert Benchley as a man whose wife encourages him to pitch an idea to Walt Disney about adapting a children's book into a movie. So Benchley goes to the Disney Studios, where he wanders around and gets a behind-the-scenes look at the animation process. He's treated to a brief bit of Donald Duck, Bambi, and the storyboarding of a cartoon in production called Baby Weems. He also gets to watch a new Goofy cartoon, How to Ride a Horse. Then he meets Walt Disney and gets to see a 20-minute cartoon based on the book Benchley wanted to be adapted, The Reluctant Dragon.
The first 20 minutes or so of the live-action part of the movie is in black & white then it changes to beautiful Technicolor. It's a nice time capsule that shows us the goings-on at the Disney Studios back in the day and how they made cartoons. I found a lot of this fascinating. I absolutely loved the "paint mill" part! Robert Benchley is always funny. Walt Disney himself appears (wearing a groovy suit). Alan Ladd, Frances Gifford, and Frank Faylen all play Disney employees. The two major cartoons are the Goofy short and The Reluctant Dragon itself. The Goofy short is amusing.
The Dragon cartoon, which is I imagine why most people went to see this, is about a boy who befriends a shy, poetry-spouting dragon that doesn't like to fight. Well, for some reason, the boy is intent on getting the dragon to fight elderly knight, Sir Giles. Even after Sir Giles and the dragon meet and realize they both have a love of poetry in common, the boy still pushes for the fight. Finally the fight takes place, sort of, with Sir Giles and the dragon putting on a show for the villagers. I have to admit I didn't get the point of most of this. Why was the boy so intent on getting the dragon, whom he seemed to genuinely like, to fight? Once Sir Giles proposes the idea of faking the fight, he seems okay with it. So what was the point of pushing for the fight in the first place? Just let the dragon be! I know I'm probably looking too closely at it but it just seemed weird to me. Anyway, it's easy to see why this story wasn't enough for its own feature. It's animated nicely and has a sweet charm and humor about it, but the story needed reworking for sure. The dragon is impossible to dislike. Love his "Ode to Upside-Down Cake."
This movie was a flop at the time of its release, which is understandable. It was a very different kind of movie for Disney. Still, it's a joy to watch if you like little glimpses back in time as well as great old Technicolor and some nice cartoons. There are no hidden Pinocchios here or anything but they are pleasant with lovely animation. Robert Benchley is great fun. This probably isn't for everybody, and will especially turn off people expecting it to be a feature-length cartoon, but I liked it.
The first 20 minutes or so of the live-action part of the movie is in black & white then it changes to beautiful Technicolor. It's a nice time capsule that shows us the goings-on at the Disney Studios back in the day and how they made cartoons. I found a lot of this fascinating. I absolutely loved the "paint mill" part! Robert Benchley is always funny. Walt Disney himself appears (wearing a groovy suit). Alan Ladd, Frances Gifford, and Frank Faylen all play Disney employees. The two major cartoons are the Goofy short and The Reluctant Dragon itself. The Goofy short is amusing.
The Dragon cartoon, which is I imagine why most people went to see this, is about a boy who befriends a shy, poetry-spouting dragon that doesn't like to fight. Well, for some reason, the boy is intent on getting the dragon to fight elderly knight, Sir Giles. Even after Sir Giles and the dragon meet and realize they both have a love of poetry in common, the boy still pushes for the fight. Finally the fight takes place, sort of, with Sir Giles and the dragon putting on a show for the villagers. I have to admit I didn't get the point of most of this. Why was the boy so intent on getting the dragon, whom he seemed to genuinely like, to fight? Once Sir Giles proposes the idea of faking the fight, he seems okay with it. So what was the point of pushing for the fight in the first place? Just let the dragon be! I know I'm probably looking too closely at it but it just seemed weird to me. Anyway, it's easy to see why this story wasn't enough for its own feature. It's animated nicely and has a sweet charm and humor about it, but the story needed reworking for sure. The dragon is impossible to dislike. Love his "Ode to Upside-Down Cake."
This movie was a flop at the time of its release, which is understandable. It was a very different kind of movie for Disney. Still, it's a joy to watch if you like little glimpses back in time as well as great old Technicolor and some nice cartoons. There are no hidden Pinocchios here or anything but they are pleasant with lovely animation. Robert Benchley is great fun. This probably isn't for everybody, and will especially turn off people expecting it to be a feature-length cartoon, but I liked it.
What ho! Quite so!
Bondorf3915 January 2004
God, I love this film. It's just such fun.
At the time this film was made, Disney was primarily known for his animation but was positively itching to branch out into live-action. This is his first venture into "traditional" filmmaking. The story concerns comedic actor Robert Benchley (whose "How To" film series inspired many classic Goofy shorts) who, at the urging of his wife, searches the Disney studio top to bottom trying to sell Walt on the idea of making a movie about Kenneth Grahame's "The Reluctant Dragon" (Grahame's masterpiece "The Wind in the Willows" wouldn't become a Disney film for many years yet.) On the way he meets voice actors, musicians, animators (one played by Alan Ladd) and even Donald Duck and Goofy. When he finally finds Walt, he is shocked to see that his story has already been produced as one of Disney's most charming animated shorts.
Needless to say, this film is pretty dated in the age of "Toy Story" and "Finding Nemo" (I refuse to put the Dreamworks' "S" word in the same category as these two features) but the interesting thing is how many of these tried-and-true practices remain in effect to this day.
Surprisingly, this live-action film is ideal for animation fans. Not so much for the "How does it work?" element, but just the thrill in being immersed in that world. From sound effects recording to paint application. And Benchley's funny, let's not forget that.
At the time this film was made, Disney was primarily known for his animation but was positively itching to branch out into live-action. This is his first venture into "traditional" filmmaking. The story concerns comedic actor Robert Benchley (whose "How To" film series inspired many classic Goofy shorts) who, at the urging of his wife, searches the Disney studio top to bottom trying to sell Walt on the idea of making a movie about Kenneth Grahame's "The Reluctant Dragon" (Grahame's masterpiece "The Wind in the Willows" wouldn't become a Disney film for many years yet.) On the way he meets voice actors, musicians, animators (one played by Alan Ladd) and even Donald Duck and Goofy. When he finally finds Walt, he is shocked to see that his story has already been produced as one of Disney's most charming animated shorts.
Needless to say, this film is pretty dated in the age of "Toy Story" and "Finding Nemo" (I refuse to put the Dreamworks' "S" word in the same category as these two features) but the interesting thing is how many of these tried-and-true practices remain in effect to this day.
Surprisingly, this live-action film is ideal for animation fans. Not so much for the "How does it work?" element, but just the thrill in being immersed in that world. From sound effects recording to paint application. And Benchley's funny, let's not forget that.
dressed up Disney studio tour
SnoopyStyle21 December 2014
Humorist Robert Benchley is at home. His wife convinces him to sell the rights for his story 'The Reluctant Dragon' to Walt Disney. She drags him to the studio and leaves him there. He wanders around the studio and discovers the animation process along the way. Finally he meets Walt Disney himself.
This starts as a black and white live action fictional drama. The fact that it's not animation made it less than successful originally. However it's fascinating to see where Disney began and what it looked like. It's a studio tour dressed up as a little story. This is terrific as a time capsule and a fun way to see how it was made. This is probably a good movie to show new hires at the time. After 25 minutes, the movie turns into technicolor with some animation. Goofy has a cartoon about how to ride a horse. The final section has the Reluctant Dragon cartoon. This movie has a bit of historical values but as a story, this is rather bland.
This starts as a black and white live action fictional drama. The fact that it's not animation made it less than successful originally. However it's fascinating to see where Disney began and what it looked like. It's a studio tour dressed up as a little story. This is terrific as a time capsule and a fun way to see how it was made. This is probably a good movie to show new hires at the time. After 25 minutes, the movie turns into technicolor with some animation. Goofy has a cartoon about how to ride a horse. The final section has the Reluctant Dragon cartoon. This movie has a bit of historical values but as a story, this is rather bland.
It's interesting
mitsubishizero4 July 2019
Warning: Spoilers
It's interesting watching this. It feels like several movies combined into one. The movie starts out in black in white only to go into color for a time before going back to black and white. The story's about Robert Benchley trying to sell the rights of the titular book to Walt Disney Studios at the advice of his wife. As he tries to sell the rights of the book he also tours the studio where he and the viewer see how cartoons were made at the time. It shows Clarence Nash performing his Donald Duck voice even teaching him how to do it as well as the animators working on future Disney movies such as Dumbo as well as 4 shorts including the titular one.
The movie's more of a mockumentary and as is it's interesting. Some of the jokes are dated but the animation's amazing. The color added to the film gives it new life which's cool. Too bad it never stays that way. The short itself is ok. It may not be a classic but as is, it's interesting to watch and if you like some of Disney's obscure movies i'd say check it out.
The movie's more of a mockumentary and as is it's interesting. Some of the jokes are dated but the animation's amazing. The color added to the film gives it new life which's cool. Too bad it never stays that way. The short itself is ok. It may not be a classic but as is, it's interesting to watch and if you like some of Disney's obscure movies i'd say check it out.
Not really enjoyable - unless it's watched in context
fjhuerta-25 January 2004
I can see why the public was less than amused with this movie by Walt Disney (yeah, I can see people thinking they were cheated out of their movie ticket). It has very poor animation, and lots of corny live-action stuff.
BUT... when watched along the rest of the tin DVD box (Behind the Studios), the movie becomes a joy to behold. The whole animation process is shown as a nice overview of what people had to go through just to get a 10 minute short ready. Absolutely amazing!
BUT... when watched along the rest of the tin DVD box (Behind the Studios), the movie becomes a joy to behold. The whole animation process is shown as a nice overview of what people had to go through just to get a 10 minute short ready. Absolutely amazing!
the classic Disney animated movie that's... a documentary for animation buffs!
Quinoa19847 June 2016
Warning: Spoilers
This is a curious picture in that it's the one feature made during the "classic" Disney animated period (before/during/just after WW2) that might not be that appealing to children. I say 'might' since I can't say for certain for all kids; I think if I saw this when I was younger, it would be a delight, but then it's a movie made for people who may want to know all of THIS that Disney did was possible. It's a hybrid of documentary, ridiculous narrative with a man named Robert Benchley, and actual cartoons.
It's actually a treat to watch for a number of reasons, the first being that it shows the process of a Disney animated movie, a short or feature or whatever. You get to see here the voice actors - as soon as Clarence Nash came on doing Donald Duck my face lit up - and then on to how all of the synchronized sound is out together for the audio effects (hint: there are a LOT of them), and then down to things that most of us take for granted like how paints are made and how the camera works (the multi-plane one that was in heavy use at the time). There's also some character demonstrations and even a clip for the sync-sound portion where we see a portion of Dumbo with the Casey Jr train, only it's much longer and may be its own short which is very charming on its own.
The whole narrative thrust of the movie is so slight that I'm sure the director and whoever was behind this movie barely paid attention to it, where Benchley has an idea to give to Disney for The Reluctant Dragon, gets on to the Disney lot and tries to find good ol' Walt and then gets distracted by every single department. Any time the movie stops to give heed to Benchley it's unfunny and stops dead in its tracks. It might just be because I don't know about Benchley (was he popular at the time, probably, I see he has a list of acting credits), but it doesn't really matter and it kills the real momentum of the piece. I suppose the thought was if it was a straight documentary instead of this man as a 'travel guide' it would be more dry. I'm not sure it would've been since everything to do with how a cartoon gets made - including the storyboard segment on Baby Weens which is pure delight - is fascinating.
Ironically by the time the movie gets to the full Reluctant Dragon cartoon (surprise/spoiler: Disney's one appearance is in the projection room about to screen the finished short, wop-wop), it's slightly a let-down. It's charming enough and has its moments, but it's too long at 20 minutes and as a short it starts to drag in the middle. I think if you're a kid coming to this today you should know the whole feature isn't a cartoon (oddly enough on the DVD release it just comes with the cartoon and a few other shorts so I guess that was forward thinking on Disney's part), but if you love the old process of animation, from drawing to paints to inking to character work (look at how they use that baby for inspiration!) it's a treat. I mean, where else will you get to see Donald Duck show us all how he walks!
The notable thing about this short cartoon directed by Wolfgang "Woolie" Reitherman (who would go to direct many of the notable Disney movies of the 60's and 70's and was part of the "9 Old Men"), is that it features a few pieces of key animation from The Jungle Book several years before the film while *also* featuring some shots which are clearly taken from older Disney movies (I counted Dumbo and Peter Pan, though I'm sure there are bits from others I missed).
It may be that I notice such things after a lifetime of seeing these things, but I think even if you're only somewhat familiar with the animation it will come up as 'hey, wait a minute, that's Dumbo and his mom, isn't it?' All the same it's a cute short - not much more, but the story, about a tiny elephant who is looked on as a pain in the butt for the other larger elephants and gets into mishaps with a tiger (only to later save them all by, again the Dumbo connection, fighting a mouse that they adults are all scared of), is a charming and substantive story of standing up for yourself against odds even if you're smaller or weaker or whatnot.
It is slight, it is silly, and it feels like an early trial run for The Jungle Book long before Balloo and Bagheera and when Khan looked like a rag-doll version of a tiger. It's fine, it's just not anything highly memorable, aside from its cribbing of shots from other Disney movies (perhaps, no, surely, as a way of cutting corners costwise).
It's actually a treat to watch for a number of reasons, the first being that it shows the process of a Disney animated movie, a short or feature or whatever. You get to see here the voice actors - as soon as Clarence Nash came on doing Donald Duck my face lit up - and then on to how all of the synchronized sound is out together for the audio effects (hint: there are a LOT of them), and then down to things that most of us take for granted like how paints are made and how the camera works (the multi-plane one that was in heavy use at the time). There's also some character demonstrations and even a clip for the sync-sound portion where we see a portion of Dumbo with the Casey Jr train, only it's much longer and may be its own short which is very charming on its own.
The whole narrative thrust of the movie is so slight that I'm sure the director and whoever was behind this movie barely paid attention to it, where Benchley has an idea to give to Disney for The Reluctant Dragon, gets on to the Disney lot and tries to find good ol' Walt and then gets distracted by every single department. Any time the movie stops to give heed to Benchley it's unfunny and stops dead in its tracks. It might just be because I don't know about Benchley (was he popular at the time, probably, I see he has a list of acting credits), but it doesn't really matter and it kills the real momentum of the piece. I suppose the thought was if it was a straight documentary instead of this man as a 'travel guide' it would be more dry. I'm not sure it would've been since everything to do with how a cartoon gets made - including the storyboard segment on Baby Weens which is pure delight - is fascinating.
Ironically by the time the movie gets to the full Reluctant Dragon cartoon (surprise/spoiler: Disney's one appearance is in the projection room about to screen the finished short, wop-wop), it's slightly a let-down. It's charming enough and has its moments, but it's too long at 20 minutes and as a short it starts to drag in the middle. I think if you're a kid coming to this today you should know the whole feature isn't a cartoon (oddly enough on the DVD release it just comes with the cartoon and a few other shorts so I guess that was forward thinking on Disney's part), but if you love the old process of animation, from drawing to paints to inking to character work (look at how they use that baby for inspiration!) it's a treat. I mean, where else will you get to see Donald Duck show us all how he walks!
The notable thing about this short cartoon directed by Wolfgang "Woolie" Reitherman (who would go to direct many of the notable Disney movies of the 60's and 70's and was part of the "9 Old Men"), is that it features a few pieces of key animation from The Jungle Book several years before the film while *also* featuring some shots which are clearly taken from older Disney movies (I counted Dumbo and Peter Pan, though I'm sure there are bits from others I missed).
It may be that I notice such things after a lifetime of seeing these things, but I think even if you're only somewhat familiar with the animation it will come up as 'hey, wait a minute, that's Dumbo and his mom, isn't it?' All the same it's a cute short - not much more, but the story, about a tiny elephant who is looked on as a pain in the butt for the other larger elephants and gets into mishaps with a tiger (only to later save them all by, again the Dumbo connection, fighting a mouse that they adults are all scared of), is a charming and substantive story of standing up for yourself against odds even if you're smaller or weaker or whatnot.
It is slight, it is silly, and it feels like an early trial run for The Jungle Book long before Balloo and Bagheera and when Khan looked like a rag-doll version of a tiger. It's fine, it's just not anything highly memorable, aside from its cribbing of shots from other Disney movies (perhaps, no, surely, as a way of cutting corners costwise).
An overlooked gem
bosscain19 January 2004
Reluctant Dragon is best viewed in the Disney Treasures Behind the Scenes DVD.this story combined with baby weems and Goofys "how to ride a horse" make this a magical treat for all ages,Timeless Disney classic.The live action scenes of the original voices of Donald Duck and Clara Cluck are a rare joy to see.
Ah, so this is how they make animated films!
mark.waltz18 December 2023
Warning: Spoilers
Probably not, but it's a nice thought as Robert Benchley, the author of "The Reluctant Dragon ", arrives at Disney studios with his wife Nana Bryant to pitch it and gets a tour of the studio to boot. I instantly recognized Florence Gill as the woman who sings like a chicken in the Alice Faye musical classic "Every Night at Eight", and didn't realize that she was the obscure Disney animated character Clara Cluck. Benchley gets a view of behind the scenes of putting in the sound for a cartoon, a black and white sequence involving a talking train, quite entertaining.
Some gorgeous Technicolor takes over for a brief Donald Duck moment, then a visit to the painting department. Benchley's preparing to visit Disney but finds Bambi instead. So obviously you know this isn't going to be all about the dragon, basically an extended promotional film about how the studio works, with a few animated sequences tossed in, but mostly live action. Definitely of interest to film historians, but short on a plot to be of much interest to modern children. Well, this is Disney, where dreams happen, and an uninterested kid today could be a film historian or cartoon animator tomorrow.
Some gorgeous Technicolor takes over for a brief Donald Duck moment, then a visit to the painting department. Benchley's preparing to visit Disney but finds Bambi instead. So obviously you know this isn't going to be all about the dragon, basically an extended promotional film about how the studio works, with a few animated sequences tossed in, but mostly live action. Definitely of interest to film historians, but short on a plot to be of much interest to modern children. Well, this is Disney, where dreams happen, and an uninterested kid today could be a film historian or cartoon animator tomorrow.
A Behind the Scenes Studio Tour Disguised as a Feature Film
elicopperman11 June 2020
Warning: Spoilers
One of the most interesting oddities from the Disney studios was an experimental package feature that acted as more of a tour of the studio's many behind the processes, back when Walt himself was still around, called The Reluctant Dragon. Part of why it's not remembered as much as other Disney classics is because it was released not long after the infamous animators strike of '41, down to the film being picketed at movie theaters by strikers. Even nowadays, the film has fallen into obscurity amongst other Mouse House features both old and new. Nowadays, looking at it, there's just as much to hate about it as there is to love.
The essential "plot line" focuses on humorist Robert Benchley going to the Disney studio to sell the rights of the book The Reluctant Dragon to Walt Disney, and most of what happens afterwards are numerous stumblances on the Disney studio operations. These include a life drawing class, the vocal and sound recording studios, the camera room, the ink & paint room, the storyboard department, etc. Based on that, it's clear that The Reluctant Dragon really isn't a movie as much as a hastily put-together collection of studio work and separate short films, not helped by an endless amount of filler. What's even worse is that the movie was actually rushed into production faster than Dumbo so Walt could regain some of the financial losses of his ambitious flops like Pinocchio and Fantasia, and many of the Disney crew shown in the film were actually actors hired without anyone knowing (again, bad timing knowing the film's release). In many ways, the film feels more like some propagandic facade showing the Disney animation studios as a happy, coherent family (the movie must hold up better than I thought).
However, what does at least save the film from being a complete waste of time are the aforementioned behind the scenes processes. Some Disney and animation fans will find amusement in seeing how Walt's features were made back in the day, especially during the traditional days before digital filmmaking. Also, of the few Disney artists that were actually featured in the film include legends like animators Ward Kimball, Norm Ferguson and Fred Moore, voices Clarence Nash (Donald Duck) and Florence Gill (Clara Cluck), and even some of the miscellaneous staff as well. Lastly, the shorts shown consist of a storyboarded cartoon called Baby Weems, about an intelligent baby who proves to be more of a genius than that of Einstein and FDR, a brief segment featuring the Casey jr. train from Dumbo, and a Goofy cartoon which kickstarted his famous How To series. While coming in out of left field and maybe dragging on a bit, at least these shorts provide the necessary entertainment needed for a rendezvous trip like this, especially compared to Robert Benchley's annoying remarks.
Now as for The Reluctant Dragon property itself, it's not until the picture's last third when it finally shows up as an animated featurette, and for a short flick, it's got its charm. Really, it's more of a vehicle for pure goofiness, as it tells the tale of a boy who discovers this flamboyant dragon who isn't threatening in the least, and even the knight chosen to challenge it, Sir Giles, is quite fluttery and love for reciting poetry. One can tell the crew must have had a lot of fun on this feature, as the character animation is very bold, dynamic and even balletic given the dragon's comical presence and the liveliness of the whole ordeal. It also has the length covered pretty well, for if this was the length of a feature, it most likely would have slogged on even more than the whole feature does. In fact, one may wonder why Walt didn't just release the film as its own separate short to place in a theater before the real presentation begins. Even if this film was done to show the public how the MouseHouse cartoons were made, a single documentary would have been more reasonable.
In the end, The Reluctant Dragon is mainly just an excuse to show how the Disney features were made back in uncle Walt's time, and that may be all you'll get out of it. Even the shorts themselves can just be watched separately from this, not unlike the vast majority of Disney package features. Given that this film brought almost nothing but trouble upon its release and it doesn't even stand the test of time, then you know it's best left as one of the awkward relatives amongst the Disney vault family. Needless to say, either just watch the cartoons separately or just trust the historians for once in your life.
The essential "plot line" focuses on humorist Robert Benchley going to the Disney studio to sell the rights of the book The Reluctant Dragon to Walt Disney, and most of what happens afterwards are numerous stumblances on the Disney studio operations. These include a life drawing class, the vocal and sound recording studios, the camera room, the ink & paint room, the storyboard department, etc. Based on that, it's clear that The Reluctant Dragon really isn't a movie as much as a hastily put-together collection of studio work and separate short films, not helped by an endless amount of filler. What's even worse is that the movie was actually rushed into production faster than Dumbo so Walt could regain some of the financial losses of his ambitious flops like Pinocchio and Fantasia, and many of the Disney crew shown in the film were actually actors hired without anyone knowing (again, bad timing knowing the film's release). In many ways, the film feels more like some propagandic facade showing the Disney animation studios as a happy, coherent family (the movie must hold up better than I thought).
However, what does at least save the film from being a complete waste of time are the aforementioned behind the scenes processes. Some Disney and animation fans will find amusement in seeing how Walt's features were made back in the day, especially during the traditional days before digital filmmaking. Also, of the few Disney artists that were actually featured in the film include legends like animators Ward Kimball, Norm Ferguson and Fred Moore, voices Clarence Nash (Donald Duck) and Florence Gill (Clara Cluck), and even some of the miscellaneous staff as well. Lastly, the shorts shown consist of a storyboarded cartoon called Baby Weems, about an intelligent baby who proves to be more of a genius than that of Einstein and FDR, a brief segment featuring the Casey jr. train from Dumbo, and a Goofy cartoon which kickstarted his famous How To series. While coming in out of left field and maybe dragging on a bit, at least these shorts provide the necessary entertainment needed for a rendezvous trip like this, especially compared to Robert Benchley's annoying remarks.
Now as for The Reluctant Dragon property itself, it's not until the picture's last third when it finally shows up as an animated featurette, and for a short flick, it's got its charm. Really, it's more of a vehicle for pure goofiness, as it tells the tale of a boy who discovers this flamboyant dragon who isn't threatening in the least, and even the knight chosen to challenge it, Sir Giles, is quite fluttery and love for reciting poetry. One can tell the crew must have had a lot of fun on this feature, as the character animation is very bold, dynamic and even balletic given the dragon's comical presence and the liveliness of the whole ordeal. It also has the length covered pretty well, for if this was the length of a feature, it most likely would have slogged on even more than the whole feature does. In fact, one may wonder why Walt didn't just release the film as its own separate short to place in a theater before the real presentation begins. Even if this film was done to show the public how the MouseHouse cartoons were made, a single documentary would have been more reasonable.
In the end, The Reluctant Dragon is mainly just an excuse to show how the Disney features were made back in uncle Walt's time, and that may be all you'll get out of it. Even the shorts themselves can just be watched separately from this, not unlike the vast majority of Disney package features. Given that this film brought almost nothing but trouble upon its release and it doesn't even stand the test of time, then you know it's best left as one of the awkward relatives amongst the Disney vault family. Needless to say, either just watch the cartoons separately or just trust the historians for once in your life.
A very sweet overlooked mini classic
TheLittleSongbird1 October 2009
While not necessarily a childhood favourite, The Reluctant Dragon is very sweet and engrossing as well as easy to like. The animation is lovely, very colourful and nice to look at, fairly simplistic in its construction but very nice all the same. The music is very pleasant, very playful and sweet. I really liked the characters here, the reluctant dragon himself is very lovable, and I admit I mistook his voice actor for Ed Wynn when I first saw this. And the little boy's voice reminds me of the voice of Pinnocchio in the Disney film of the same name. Sir Gyles, despite not being in it very much, is a good character. The poetry is great too; the script isn't the best in the world, but all the same it is a sweet and thoroughly enjoyable mini-classic. 9/10 Bethany Cox
The Reluctant Dragon review
JoeytheBrit23 April 2020
Robert Benchley proves to be an engaging guide in a movie that provides a rare insight into how Disney's favourite characters make it to the screen. Ironically, these scenes are more entertaining than the cartoon interludes - although the camp title character, who's more interested in dancing and reciting poetry than burning villages, is something of a hoot.
Slightly more than 118 seconds of this film . . .
pixrox112 February 2022
Warning: Spoilers
. . . is included as a "Bonus Feature" on disc #2 of the CHRONOLOGICAL DONALD 2004 DVD set. Does this Donald Duck-focused clip suggest that it is worth your time to watch THE RELUCTANT DRAGON in its two-hour entirety? In a word, no.
eye-popping look at the Disney process
didi-58 April 2004
This little classic spends just short of an hour touring the Disney Studios in the company of Robert Benchley, the humorist who acts like a big kid in a candy store (and is thus the perfect guide for something like this).
We see how the cartoons are made, moving from the recording studio - where the real-life voices of Donald Duck and Clara Cluck sing an aria - through to clay models of the characters to be animated - the sound effects dept. (we see the full Casey Junior sequence, some of which ended up in 1941's 'Dumbo') - the scenario department (we see a whole cartoon - Baby Weems - in storyboard format) - the animation department (we see a cartoon feature on riding a horse, and see Donald Duck showing us how he walks) - and much more. There's also a neat segue from black and white to Technicolor.
'The Reluctant Dragon' is a book which Benchley hopes to pitch to Disney, only to find the film has already been made; the last 20 minutes of this feature is the cartoon about the (rather camp) dragon, and a classic bit of Disney work.
The whole movie is engrossing and a fantastic overview of the state-of-the-art work being done by the Disney Studios at the beginning of the 40s.
We see how the cartoons are made, moving from the recording studio - where the real-life voices of Donald Duck and Clara Cluck sing an aria - through to clay models of the characters to be animated - the sound effects dept. (we see the full Casey Junior sequence, some of which ended up in 1941's 'Dumbo') - the scenario department (we see a whole cartoon - Baby Weems - in storyboard format) - the animation department (we see a cartoon feature on riding a horse, and see Donald Duck showing us how he walks) - and much more. There's also a neat segue from black and white to Technicolor.
'The Reluctant Dragon' is a book which Benchley hopes to pitch to Disney, only to find the film has already been made; the last 20 minutes of this feature is the cartoon about the (rather camp) dragon, and a classic bit of Disney work.
The whole movie is engrossing and a fantastic overview of the state-of-the-art work being done by the Disney Studios at the beginning of the 40s.
Good...
RosanaBotafogo19 May 2021
I liked the initial part more, with the live-action, in black and white with the backstage of Disney production with the participation of Disney artists Donald Duck, Goofy, and the cutest of all, the baby genius, the animation of the Dragon is cute, but not as interesting and captivating when the first half...
The Reluctant Dragon
FKDZ7 May 2023
The Reluctant Dragon is a decent trip back in time, with some fun animations and a lot of 40s humor. If you were looking for a more genuine look behind the scenes though this isn't it. It's heavily scripted, to the smiling people walking outside and every word that's said.
There's not a lot to say about this. I went into it hoping for a bit of a behind the scenes look of WDP and how they actually make it all, but it stays very light on depth and just shows you the bare minimum.
The main character that takes you through is alright, but didn't click with me. Might just be the age of the show. It's fairly bland and the humor is slapstick.
The animations featured here are decent. But none of them have made a lasting impact. Also if I were interested in this to see Walt Disney for a couple minutes, well, you get about 10 seconds. So yeah.. expected a bit more from this.
There's not a lot to say about this. I went into it hoping for a bit of a behind the scenes look of WDP and how they actually make it all, but it stays very light on depth and just shows you the bare minimum.
The main character that takes you through is alright, but didn't click with me. Might just be the age of the show. It's fairly bland and the humor is slapstick.
The animations featured here are decent. But none of them have made a lasting impact. Also if I were interested in this to see Walt Disney for a couple minutes, well, you get about 10 seconds. So yeah.. expected a bit more from this.
Sadly forgotten but very fun!
jonconnormustlive-4629811 February 2018
The Reluctant Dragon is about a childlike children's book author who goes to Walt Disney Studios to see about having his book adapted into a cartoon, his adventure through the studio gives a look at how they created cartoons back in the 40's.
Seeing cartoons in process is very interesting in itself, it features a cast of many known Disney talents including the original voice of Donald Duck, it's a treat seeing how these Disney Legends did what they did.
Then you add in the animated bits, shorts like Baby Weems, How to Ride a horse Starring Goofy, and of course The Reluctant Dragon. These shorts are very funny, they each deserve a viewing on their own.
It's a shame how few people have even heard of this Disney film. If you can get your hands on the Adventures of Ichabod & Mr. Toad with Fun & Fancy Free Blu-ray this film is included as well.
All around I give it two thumbs up!
Seeing cartoons in process is very interesting in itself, it features a cast of many known Disney talents including the original voice of Donald Duck, it's a treat seeing how these Disney Legends did what they did.
Then you add in the animated bits, shorts like Baby Weems, How to Ride a horse Starring Goofy, and of course The Reluctant Dragon. These shorts are very funny, they each deserve a viewing on their own.
It's a shame how few people have even heard of this Disney film. If you can get your hands on the Adventures of Ichabod & Mr. Toad with Fun & Fancy Free Blu-ray this film is included as well.
All around I give it two thumbs up!
My Favourite Disney Mini Classic!
P-Mac-200818 June 2006
I enjoyed all the Disney cartoons when I was at a really young age. I used to rent the Mini Classics out of my local video store. As soon as I saw this particular cartoon, I knew that this would be the all-time best in my opinion. It's a fantastic cartoon.
The characters breathe life into the story, and are not what you would expect. If you think the Dragon is going to be a ferocious beast, you're wrong. He's just a shy, fun and flamboyant creature who loves to recite poetry, drink tea and sing songs. He steals each scene. Sir Giles and the Boy are also brilliant supporting characters.
The animation is a sight to see. There is so much detail. It's extraordinary to see a cartoon from the Forties that has amazing colour. It's very good for its time.
The most important thing about this cartoon is the message of not putting people into their anticipated stereotypes. Just because the main character happens to be a dragon doesn't mean he will be ferocious. The same goes for Sir Giles. He is apparently a dragon slayer, yet he is portrayed as an old man with the same interest as the Dragon, which is poetry. He seems like someone who has never slain a dragon before, yet is praised for being something he is not.
I really recommend this. It's warm and funny, and will entertain people of all ages. I'm 16 now, and I am still in love with this film. The Reluctant Dragon is the best of the Walt Disney Mini Classics, and if you want to see it, I can happily tell you that it is now part of the Disney Fables DVD series, paired with Mickey and the Beanstalk.
The characters breathe life into the story, and are not what you would expect. If you think the Dragon is going to be a ferocious beast, you're wrong. He's just a shy, fun and flamboyant creature who loves to recite poetry, drink tea and sing songs. He steals each scene. Sir Giles and the Boy are also brilliant supporting characters.
The animation is a sight to see. There is so much detail. It's extraordinary to see a cartoon from the Forties that has amazing colour. It's very good for its time.
The most important thing about this cartoon is the message of not putting people into their anticipated stereotypes. Just because the main character happens to be a dragon doesn't mean he will be ferocious. The same goes for Sir Giles. He is apparently a dragon slayer, yet he is portrayed as an old man with the same interest as the Dragon, which is poetry. He seems like someone who has never slain a dragon before, yet is praised for being something he is not.
I really recommend this. It's warm and funny, and will entertain people of all ages. I'm 16 now, and I am still in love with this film. The Reluctant Dragon is the best of the Walt Disney Mini Classics, and if you want to see it, I can happily tell you that it is now part of the Disney Fables DVD series, paired with Mickey and the Beanstalk.
Disney Cabinet Curio
nycruise-112 May 2008
After filming the live-action sequences of "Fantasia" and hurting for a "feature release" following the financial fiascos of the aforementioned feature, presumably Disney rushed this into production (with most of it live-action, it not only cost less than a fully-animated counterpart of equal length, it took much less time to complete).
It purports to tell the story of how Disney animated cartoons are made, but, courtesy of a disclaimer at the beginning of the movie, it turns out to be more fiction than fact.
Various processes - like sound recording, paint-mixing, cell-photographing, multi-planing, etc - are all upended for the sake of humor (in one instance, a complete cel of Donald Duck comes to life, in another instance, the sound effects crew creates an "unplanned" cacophony by knocking over all the equipment).
More to the point is that the sequences are not just staged, but they employ professional actors (such as Alan Ladd!) portraying Disney animators and other staff (although in certain instances, actual animators such as Woolie Reitherman and Ward Kimball make appearances).
The "Baby Weems" sequence is often commended by many for being innovative and the forerunner of the UPA-style that would dominant the art of animation in the 1950s, but the fact is that "Weems" is nothing more than a sleek, streamlined version of a "leica reel" (a film which combines the pre-recorded soundtrack with the animators' storyboard sketches, as a way of assessing how story pacing and timing are before *before* any time and effort are spent creating fully-animated sequences). The story is cute, the drawings are more fully- rendered than they would be in a genuine Leica reel so they are nice to see, but "innovative"? I don't think so.
The Goofy "How-to" sequence is okay (I never cared for the "How-To" series, but I know a similarly-themed version in "Saludos Amigos" with Goofy trying to be a Gaucho is funnier).
The title short - "The Reluctant Dragon" - is cute and funny. I don't think it rates as a classic, but because it is such a rarely-viewed piece it needs to be watched by all Disney-philes.
Considering its historic value, this movie is hardly a waste of time. It's just not one that deserves repeated viewings.
It purports to tell the story of how Disney animated cartoons are made, but, courtesy of a disclaimer at the beginning of the movie, it turns out to be more fiction than fact.
Various processes - like sound recording, paint-mixing, cell-photographing, multi-planing, etc - are all upended for the sake of humor (in one instance, a complete cel of Donald Duck comes to life, in another instance, the sound effects crew creates an "unplanned" cacophony by knocking over all the equipment).
More to the point is that the sequences are not just staged, but they employ professional actors (such as Alan Ladd!) portraying Disney animators and other staff (although in certain instances, actual animators such as Woolie Reitherman and Ward Kimball make appearances).
The "Baby Weems" sequence is often commended by many for being innovative and the forerunner of the UPA-style that would dominant the art of animation in the 1950s, but the fact is that "Weems" is nothing more than a sleek, streamlined version of a "leica reel" (a film which combines the pre-recorded soundtrack with the animators' storyboard sketches, as a way of assessing how story pacing and timing are before *before* any time and effort are spent creating fully-animated sequences). The story is cute, the drawings are more fully- rendered than they would be in a genuine Leica reel so they are nice to see, but "innovative"? I don't think so.
The Goofy "How-to" sequence is okay (I never cared for the "How-To" series, but I know a similarly-themed version in "Saludos Amigos" with Goofy trying to be a Gaucho is funnier).
The title short - "The Reluctant Dragon" - is cute and funny. I don't think it rates as a classic, but because it is such a rarely-viewed piece it needs to be watched by all Disney-philes.
Considering its historic value, this movie is hardly a waste of time. It's just not one that deserves repeated viewings.
A Cinematic Tour (literally) de Force Pseudo Tour Of Disney's Original Burbank Studio.
johnstonjames9 December 2010
Warning: Spoilers
EEK! a mouse! this movie is so off the wall and gets trippier every time i see this weird little piece of Disney nostagia. it probably doesn't deserve 10 stars like 'Fantasia' or some of the other Disney feature length classics from the 40's, but it's so good and such excellent cinema, not to mention a classic gem, that i had to give it the very best rating.
this film really is a pseudo tour of the original Burbank studio (i consider the Burbabk studio to be Walt's first because he didn't create the Hyperion building he only leased it). it's not a real documentary or actual tour, it's really live-action, animated entertainment in disguise. it's main goal seems to be to entertain the viewer than actually inform them on the real life workings of the studio. almost every process they depict is fictionalized to some degree.
and the whole effect is very entertaining. not to mention very magical, whimsical and colorful. they really make the 1940's Burbank studio seem like a fairy tale fantasy world. the film even has a magical switch from B&W to color a la 'Wizard of Oz'. and the scene where Clarence Nash and the voice of Clara Cluck perform is hilarious and fun. the film's central character, Robert Benchley playing himself, is bumbling and funny doing his usual comedy routines. and of course, there is an appearance by a thirtyish looking Walter E .
the title cartoon 'Reluctant Dragon', is some of the funniest and best animation ever produced by the studio. the animation is every bit as accomplished and imaginative as any 'Silly Symphony'.
every Christmas (dont know why xmas)i sit down and watch this and am always amused. it's one of cinema's best photographed and clever, psychedelic mind blowers.
this film really is a pseudo tour of the original Burbank studio (i consider the Burbabk studio to be Walt's first because he didn't create the Hyperion building he only leased it). it's not a real documentary or actual tour, it's really live-action, animated entertainment in disguise. it's main goal seems to be to entertain the viewer than actually inform them on the real life workings of the studio. almost every process they depict is fictionalized to some degree.
and the whole effect is very entertaining. not to mention very magical, whimsical and colorful. they really make the 1940's Burbank studio seem like a fairy tale fantasy world. the film even has a magical switch from B&W to color a la 'Wizard of Oz'. and the scene where Clarence Nash and the voice of Clara Cluck perform is hilarious and fun. the film's central character, Robert Benchley playing himself, is bumbling and funny doing his usual comedy routines. and of course, there is an appearance by a thirtyish looking Walter E .
the title cartoon 'Reluctant Dragon', is some of the funniest and best animation ever produced by the studio. the animation is every bit as accomplished and imaginative as any 'Silly Symphony'.
every Christmas (dont know why xmas)i sit down and watch this and am always amused. it's one of cinema's best photographed and clever, psychedelic mind blowers.
A Fabulous, absolute classic in its own unique way!
john-ruffle6 December 2004
"The Reluctant Dragon" is one of the most fascinating "one off", genre-bending children's films ever made. The historical aspect of the film, giving as it does, an insight into the 1940s Disney studio empire, sets it apart, with the actual appearance of Walt Disney himself really topping it off. The colour sequences are a (deliberately) totally stunning example of the Technicolor process.
I've seen it several times, normally with my young children as an early "rite of passage". This time, however, I'm digging it out to show my film students, who are looking at CGI. Not all things filmic change, as a side by side comparison of this film with "The Making of Ice Age" can verify, for instance. Maybe I'll make some more in-depth comments once I've seen the film again.
Meanwhile, all I have to do is actually locate my video copy of the film... lurking not too reluctantly, I hope, in the storage space under my stairs...
I've seen it several times, normally with my young children as an early "rite of passage". This time, however, I'm digging it out to show my film students, who are looking at CGI. Not all things filmic change, as a side by side comparison of this film with "The Making of Ice Age" can verify, for instance. Maybe I'll make some more in-depth comments once I've seen the film again.
Meanwhile, all I have to do is actually locate my video copy of the film... lurking not too reluctantly, I hope, in the storage space under my stairs...
- Two years later, and I have finally located my VHS copy of this film! Now to watch it with my 8 year old son, and then maybe I'll add some insight from his perspective here in this review! If you found this 'mini-review' helpful, then please checkout my full length IMDb reviews, written for post-viewing discussion with live audiences. This postscript added 21st June 2006.
Neglected Disney Classic
Aleck-323 October 2000
I happened upon this film during a late night when nothing else was on TV, and couldn't have been happier that I came across it.
In this, we're taken behind-the-scenes of Disney studios circa 1941, and given a humorous (and, I'm sure, highly fictionalized) tour of the studio and its various departments. While I've always been a fan of Disney's animation, I'd never been given a glimpse of the animators themselves, and I always thought that they deserved to be as well known as the Warner Brothers stable of talent. Well, here they're given a chance to hog the spotlight (as Disney himself doesn't show up until the final few moments of the film) and show off their talents.
Not only is this a good chance for you to see how some of your Disney favorites were brought to screen, the linking device with comic Robert Benchley is charming throughout, and the attitude is more than a little self-deprecating (playing up the notion that one is indoctrinated into the "Disney way of life" in working for the Mouse, Benchley's guide is portrayed as a militarily-garbed, wormy little walking Disney Rule Book). The animation itself is great (as is usual for Disney of this vintage) and the live-action work is funny in a way that most Disney live-action works aren't. All of this adds up to a most rewarding, and highly neglected, classic from the Vaults of Disney.
In this, we're taken behind-the-scenes of Disney studios circa 1941, and given a humorous (and, I'm sure, highly fictionalized) tour of the studio and its various departments. While I've always been a fan of Disney's animation, I'd never been given a glimpse of the animators themselves, and I always thought that they deserved to be as well known as the Warner Brothers stable of talent. Well, here they're given a chance to hog the spotlight (as Disney himself doesn't show up until the final few moments of the film) and show off their talents.
Not only is this a good chance for you to see how some of your Disney favorites were brought to screen, the linking device with comic Robert Benchley is charming throughout, and the attitude is more than a little self-deprecating (playing up the notion that one is indoctrinated into the "Disney way of life" in working for the Mouse, Benchley's guide is portrayed as a militarily-garbed, wormy little walking Disney Rule Book). The animation itself is great (as is usual for Disney of this vintage) and the live-action work is funny in a way that most Disney live-action works aren't. All of this adds up to a most rewarding, and highly neglected, classic from the Vaults of Disney.
Walt Disney Pictures Presents: Walt Disney Studios
Hollywood_Yoda17 September 2023
What category would this film be categorized as; documentary, comedy, animation or what? Its a hard title to put any one genre on, and its unlike any documentary made at the time, or maybe even since. The premise is that of an actual story of a man visiting a film studio to present an idea, but turns into a semi-documentary-like film by the end, with a splash of animation and comedy thrown in.
To call the entire film "The Reluctant Dragon" is somewhat misleading as the segment in question is only about twenty minutes in length, which is 1/4th of this entire film. Nonetheless, its an interesting look into the Disney studio with Mr. Benchley, no matter how misleading. If you're simply looking to just watch the short, which is also called "The Reluctant Dragon," its available separately.
To call the entire film "The Reluctant Dragon" is somewhat misleading as the segment in question is only about twenty minutes in length, which is 1/4th of this entire film. Nonetheless, its an interesting look into the Disney studio with Mr. Benchley, no matter how misleading. If you're simply looking to just watch the short, which is also called "The Reluctant Dragon," its available separately.
Great for History of Animation Buffs
atleverton19 February 2023
In my quest to watch all of Disney's films chronologically, I have to say that this was the first I actually kind of liked. It starts out in black and white with a woman reading a children's story, and she says that it would make a great Disney picture. The woman and the man then travel to the Disney Studio, where he takes a tour around the place while trying to meet Walt Disney. When the tour happens, it then switches to colour. It's good because it gives you a sort of idealized sense of what it took to make animation back in those days. And the way that animation is explained is quite clever. There's one scene where Donald Duck comes to life and explains how he is moving, which caused me to chuckle. There's another scene where a classically trained opera singer is about to sing and duck noises come out of her throat. So that's also fun. The film is a bit marred by its history. There are a few racist caricatures inside the film, and it was released during a time when animators who worked for Walt Disney were on strike. There's probably no better depiction of the process of producing animation from its time. So I highly, not reluctantly, recommend it.
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