Donald Duck and the Gorilla

Last updated
Donald Duck and the Gorilla
Donald Duck and the Gorilla (1944).jpg
Theatrical release poster
Directed by Jack King
Story by Carl Barks
Bill Berg
Nick George
Jack Hannah
Jesse Marsh
Frank Tashlin
Roy Williams
Bill de la Torre
Produced by Walt Disney
Starring Clarence Nash
James MacDonald
Music by Oliver Wallace
Animation by Paul Allen
Jack King
Joshua Meador
George Nicholas
Charles A. Nichols
Judge Whitaker
Marvin Woodward
Layouts byBill Herwig
Backgrounds byMaurice Greenberg
Color process Technicolor
Production
company
Distributed by RKO Radio Pictures
Release date
  • March 31, 1944 (1944-03-31)
Running time
7 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

Donald Duck and the Gorilla is a Donald Duck short adventure horror monster film which was originally released in 1944. [1] It stars Donald Duck along with his three nephews; Huey, Dewey and Louie and Ajax, the killer gorilla. The 1930 Mickey Mouse cartoon The Gorilla Mystery has a similar plot involving a gorilla named Beppo who captures Minnie Mouse.

Contents

Plot

On a stormy night, Donald and his nephews overhear a radio announcer, Breckenridge, notify the listeners that a gorilla named Ajax has escaped from the city zoo. As a prank, Donald frightens his nephews with gorilla hands. Vowing revenge, the nephews dress up in a gorilla suit and sneak up behind Donald as he reads, taking a bite of Donald's lollipop. Donald, comparing the bite to the gorilla's fangs, runs away in fright.

At the same time, the real Ajax appears in front of the window and breaks into the house, causing the nephews to flee. Donald, now aware the nephews tricked him, chase the boys, running right into Ajax. Donald, assuming the gorilla is the nephews in disguise, discovers that this is the real gorilla. The radio announcer advises listeners to master wild animals by looking them straight in the eye. Taking the advice, Donald stares into the gorilla's eyes, seeing a tombstone destined for Donald, and flees.

Donald and his nephews sneak through the house, but the nephews first spill melted wax on Donald's tail before accidentally burning his rear. Donald, boiling with rage, sends the triplets away, but burns his hand on the now superheated doorknob.

Donald searches for Ajax, who is swinging from the rafters. After a stare-down, and at the urging of his tail, Donald runs away, beginning a chase. Donald briefly triumphs by tricking Ajax up a ladder, where he crashes through several floors of the house, ending in the attic. Ajax resumes the chase, with Donald using the ladder as stilts.

Donald is trapped in the dining room table, the leaves having flown into Ajax's hands. At the suggestion of the radio announcers, the nephews use tear gas in an attempt to stop Ajax, who begins to cry. However, Donald is also affected by the tear gas, and Ajax and Donald close the short by consoling each other.

Voice cast

Home media

The short was released on December 6, 2005 on Walt Disney Treasures: The Chronological Donald, Volume Two: 1942-1946 . [2]

Additional releases include:

VHS

Laserdisc

VCD

Television

In other media

The short is part of the stories that the characters see during the plot of the 2001 direct-to-video film Mickey's House of Villains .

See also

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References

  1. Lenburg, Jeff (1999). The Encyclopedia of Animated Cartoons. Checkmark Books. pp. 74–76. ISBN   0-8160-3831-7 . Retrieved 6 June 2020.
  2. "The Chronological Donald Volume 2 DVD Review". DVD Dizzy. Retrieved 13 February 2021.