Fun and Fancy free
Fun and Fancy Free is a 1947 animated feature produced by Walt Disney and released by RKO Radio Pictures on September 27, 1947. It was one of the "package films" (feature-length compilations of shorter segments) that the studio produced in the 1940s. It is the 9th animated feature in the Walt Disney Animated Classics series, and the fourth package film by Disney.
The "Mickey and the Beanstalk" portion of the film was the last time Walt Disney voiced Mickey Mouse, as he was too busy working on other projects to continue voicing the famous character. Disney replaced himself with sound effects artist Jimmy MacDonald.
This film features two segments: Bongo and Mickey and the Beanstalk. Jiminy Cricket first appears inside a large plant in a large house, exploring it and singing "I'm a Happy-go-Lucky Fellow" until he happens to stumble upon a doll, a teddy bear, a record player, and some records, and sets it up to play the story of Bongo.
Bongo
This segment is based on an original story by Sinclair Lewis, following a circus bear cub who wishes to live free in the wild. Bongo escapes and soon realizes through his adventure that he must prove himself in order to earn his freedom. He also forms a romantic relationship with a female bear cub in the wild.
Bongo is narrated by Dinah Shore. However in the re-release and single version of Bongo, Cliff Edwards (as Jiminy Cricket) narrated and sang the story.
Mickey and the Beanstalk
This segment is an adaptation of Jack and the Beanstalk with Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, and Goofy as peasants who discovered temperamental Willie the Giant's castle in the sky through the use of some magic beans.
Mickey and the Beanstalk was narrated by Edgar Bergen in live-action sequences, who, with the help of his ventriloquist's puppets Charlie McCarthy and Mortimer Snerd, told the tale to child actress Luana Patten at her birthday party.
Mickey, Donald and Goofy lived in a place called "Happy Valley", which was plagued by a severe drought, after a golden harp who sang to make people happy, was stolen from a nearby castle in Happy Valley. The residents had nothing to eat except one loaf of bread; in a memorable scene the bread was cut into paper-thin slices. After Donald attempted to kill their cow with an axe, Mickey traded in their beloved animal for magic beans. Donald threw the beans in a fit of rage, and they fell through a hole in the floor. That night, the beanstalk sprouted and it carried their house upward as it grew. Climbing the gigantic beanstalk they entered a magical kingdom of equal scope, and entering the castle, Mickey, Donald and Goofy helped themselves to a sumptuous feast. This roused the ire of Willie the Giant, who is able to transform himself into anything. When they were spotted by Willie, Mickey spotted a fly-swatter and asked Willie to demonstrate his powers, by turning into a fly. Willie initially suggested turning into a pink bunny, but when he agreed to their request, he turned into a pink bunny anyway, and spotted Mickey, Donald and Goofy with the fly-swatter. Disappointed, Willie captured Mickey, Donald, and Goofy and locked them in a box. Mickey however escaped. It was up to Mickey to find the key and rescue them, with the help of the singing golden harp. Once freed, the hapless heroes returned the golden harp to her rightful place and Happy Valley to its former glory, killing the giant by chopping down the beanstalk.
The cartoon ends with Willie the Giant stomping through Hollywood looking for Mickey Mouse. Before the scene closes, Willie notices The Brown Derby restaurant and picks up the building looking for Mickey. Willie notices the restaurant looks like a hat, places it on his head, and stomps off with the HOLLYWOOD lights blinking in the background.
Directed by Jack Kinney (animation)
Bill Roberts (animation)
Hamilton Luske (animation)
William Morgan [disambiguation needed] (live-action)
Produced by Walt Disney
Written by Homer Brightman
Eldon Dedini
Lance Nolley
Tom Oreb
Harry Reeves
Ted Sears
Sinclair Lewis (original author of Bongo)
Starring Cliff Edwards
Edgar Bergen
Luana Patten
Walt Disney
Clarence Nash
Pinto Colvig
Billy Gilbert
Anita Gordon
Dinah Shore
Studio Walt Disney Productions
Distributed by RKO Radio Pictures, Inc.
Release date(s)
September 27, 1947
Running time 73 minutes
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