''The Plowboy'' is a Mickey Mouse short animated film first released on June 28, 1929, as part of the '' Mickey Mouse'' film series. It was the eighth Mickey Mouse short to be produced, the fifth of that year.

Plot

As the title implies, Mickey is depicted as a farmer alongside

Minnie Mouse Minnie Mouse is a cartoon character created by The Walt Disney Company. As the longtime sweetheart of Mickey Mouse, she is an anthropomorphic mouse with white gloves, a bow, polka-dotted dress, white bloomers, and low-heeled shoes occasiona ...

. He is first seen with his horse while plowing a field. Then Minnie comes along with her cow. She has Mickey milk the cow for her. As he does, the cow starts licking him in an apparent sign of affection. Mickey doesn't seem pleased and replies by rolling up its muzzle with its own tongue. Mickey eventually manages to present Minnie with a full bucket of milk and proceeds forcefully to kiss her. Minnie's reply to this sign of affection is knocking his head with the bucket. At some point, the horse is stung by a bee, panics and starts galloping. By the time the horse calms down again, the plow has just broken. In the finale, Mickey resorts to using a pig as a plow.

Impact

Curiously, the short is considered mainly notable for the livestock it featured. Minnie's cow is considered to be Clarabelle Cow making her second appearance, and Mickey's plow horse is considered to be

Horace Horsecollar Horace Horsecollar is a cartoon character created in 1928 at Walt Disney Animation Studios. Horace is a tall anthropomorphic black horse and is one of Mickey Mouse's best friends. Characterized as a boastful show-off, Horace served as Mickey’s s ...

making his debut. Both characters became fully anthropomorphic in the 1930 short '' The Shindig'', where they were treated as Mickey and Minnie's friends rather than farm animals. By 1933, Disney Studio publicity referred to ''The Plowboy'' as Horace's first film. This short is also the first time Minnie Mouse is seen wearing her gloves.

Reception

The Film Daily ''The Film Daily'' was a daily publication that existed from 1918 to 1970 in the United States. It was the first daily newspaper published solely for the film industry. It covered the latest trade news, film reviews, financial updates, informatio ...

'' (July 28, 1929): "Splendid. The Disney studio is clicking right along on with its Mickey Mouse cartoon series. The animation is not only clever but packs an idea as well. The adventures of Mickey are not particularly important, but they are funny. A fine subject, replete with fun and laughs." ''

Variety Variety may refer to: Arts and entertainment Entertainment formats * Variety (radio) * Variety show, in theater and television Films * ''Variety'' (1925 film), a German silent film directed by Ewald Andre Dupont * ''Variety'' (1935 film), ...

'' (November 27, 1929): "Clever as to conception and sound effects, but as heard here faulty and well nigh inaudible. That it got laughs despite this is a testimonial. What was wrong can only be guessed. Before and after shorts played on Western Electric discs came through well. Needless to emphasize that if this was a matter of servicing Cinephone should give it prompt attention, even in a daily change grind. After the success of the first of this sound series at the Colony and Strand on Broadway, the distributors got an unusually big break. There is probably no cartoonist who personally or through assistants consistently has gotten so much originality into his stuff as Walter Disney. At this advanced stage of sound, mediocre reproduction calls for investigations, not alibis."

Home media

The short was released on December 7, 2004 on '' Walt Disney Treasures: Mickey Mouse in Black and White, Volume Two: 1929-1935''.

References

External links