Voices of Clarence Nash, Thurl Ravenscroft, Max Smith, and the Mellomen
Directed by Hamilton Luske
Music and Lyrics by Buddy Baker
Disney's last three shorts with Donald Duck were actually twenty-minute educational specials. Donald In Mathmagic Land was nominated for Best Documentary Short Subject in 1959, prompting Disney to put their popular duck into more of the same. Long-time Disney composer Baker had success with his score for Mathmagic Land and provided a full-on musical for this one, including vocal songs for voice actor and singer Ravenscroft and his group the Mellomen. How does this discussion of the importance of the wheel in society look today? Let's begin with the Spirits of Progress as they show us typical cave-duck Donald (Nash) and explain why he's important and find out...
The Story: The senior Spirit (Ravenscroft) insists that Donald is the one who invented the wheel after he sees a tiger roll down a hill. He and his hipster son Junior (Smith) take him through 3,000 years of transportation history, then show him other uses of the wheel, from jukeboxes to oil derricks. Donald doesn't mind dancing with a pretty lady, but the traffic and machines overwhelms him. Even if it's not him, the senior Spirit still reminds him of just how important wheels are to our lives.
The Animation: This would be one of Disney's first productions in their new Xerox process, ably demonstrated by the simpler, sketchier backgrounds and Donald's thin-line design. They make use of something called Sodium Screen Processes that allow Donald to share the frame with that very human dancer. That sequence still looks pretty good, with Donald dancing around the lady, but the chroma-key that shows the outlines of the Spirits is a lot more obvious nowadays.
The Song and Dance: While not as brilliant as Mathmagic Land, this one does have its own charms. Baker's jazz score is genuinely catchy, especially "The Principle of the Thing." No wonder he worked for Disney until well into the 90's. Ravenscroft and Smith's witty narration generally explains the concepts being discussed well, and Donald has a few funny gags in the beginning and with the live-action dancer in the jukebox. It's also interesting to be reminded how important the wheel was and remains to our everyday lives, and how this has changed through history.
Favorite Number: We open and close with Junior's scatting and his father explaining why "The Inventor of the Wheel" is such a big deal. "Wheels of Progress" covers transportation history, from Donald's simple cart on wooden wheels to modern automobiles on rubber tires. The two clicking gears Donald rides provides the backdrop for Junior and Senior's "The Principle of the Thing" as they show Donald the science behind how the gears move. We get three different types of music - slinky cool jazz, country hoedown, and classical ballet - as a dancer in costumes representing each steps prances with Donald on the disc in a jukebox. "Wheels, Wheels, Wheels" is the background for the sequence depicting Donald's typical day in the future and how everything from lawn mowers to satellites in space.
Trivia: Was released with The Parent Trap in theaters.
What I Don't Like: This seems like a bit of an odd choice for Donald. There was never anything especially educational about him or his original shorts. Nor has all of the information given dated well. Though wheels remain important in transportation and in the production of many things, digital technology has stopped them turning in other industries. Junior's hipster argot in a few spots may be as hard for modern viewers to decipher as it is for Donald and his father.
The Big Finale: Donald's three educational shorts are truly unique and are worth checking out for those looking for something a little bit different from Disney or their most famous Duck.
Home Media: Alas, this can currently only be found on the limited edition and super-rare Chronological Donald Vol 4 Walt Disney Treasures set that is ridiculously expensive on Amazon. Your best bet is checking used venues or looking around for it on Dailymotion.
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