| Traffic Troubles | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Directed by | Burt Gillett |
| Produced by | Walt Disney |
Production company | |
| Distributed by | Columbia Pictures |
Release date |
|
Running time | 7:33 |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
Traffic Troubles is a Mickey Mouse short animated film first released on March 7, 1931, as part of the Mickey Mouse film series. [1] It was the twenty-sixth Mickey Mouse short to be produced, and the second of that year. [2]
Mickey is driving an anthropomorphized taxicab in the city, and picks up an enormous pig who is so fat that he weighs down the car. An angry cat traffic cop browbeats Mickey for holding up traffic, and Mickey drives away as best he can. Mickey gets in a conflict with a tiny car driven by a dog, and cut each other off until the dog's car sinks into a water-filled pothole. Driving over rough road, the pig falls out of the car, and—after a rather violent parking job—Mickey discovers that his fare is gone.
For his next fare, Minnie Mouse is in a hurry to get to her music lesson, and the pair whistle and play the accordion during the journey. Mickey gets a flat, and has a hard time filling up the tire again. Peg-Leg Pete, wearing a top hat and ragged tuxedo, comes by driving a tricycle marked "Dr. Pep's Snake Oil". He insists on filling up the car with his miracle cure. The car instantly comes to life and speeds away, leaving Mickey behind. By the time he catches up with it, it's careening into a final disastrous crash through a barnyard.
According to animator Ben Sharpsteen, the short was inspired by an incident in which Walt Disney was fined by a traffic cop. [3]
Animator David Hand remembered drawing the scene of the taxicab blowing a tire several times for Disney, who wasn't satisfied and said that it didn't have enough exaggerated action. Hand finally drew a sequence so extreme and exaggerated that he thought Disney would get the point, but when Disney saw the sequence, he smiled, "There! You've got it! Why didn't you do it that way in the first place?" [4]
The short was used as the basis for a week-long story arc in Floyd Gottfredson's Mickey Mouse comic strip, published January 12–17, 1931. This was immediately after a week of strips inspired by another short, The Picnic . [5] The week of strips includes a gag cut from the film, with Mickey avoiding a ticket for parking in front of a fire hydrant by disguising the hydrant as a customer. [1]
In Mickey's Movies: The Theatrical Films of Mickey Mouse, Gijs Grob writes: "Traffic Troubles is a genuine gag cartoon without any songs or dances, but with fast action, plenty of gags building to a grand finale, and spectacular and flexible animation. A particular highlight is a funny scene in which a police officer asks Mickey many questions while silencing him at the same time... Traffic Troubles is the best Mickey Mouse film from 1931, and Mickey's first really great cartoon since Steamboat Willie ." [2]
On the Disney Film Project, Ryan Kilpatrick agrees: "All very well done and extremely funny. This may have been the funniest of the Mickey shorts so far." [6]
Variety (May 6, 1931): "Not so much talk and music in this one but plenty of action around a taxi. Neither above or below others in this series. Mickey Mouse has a cab which behaves in a human manner, jumping out of the way of other cars, etc. Some novelty derived from that and the way the car runs away in a fit after trying a tonic. Drawing well defined, photog clear and recording passable." [7]
The Film Daily (May 10, 1931): "Funny. The traffic problem is well handled by Mickey in this humorous release. Walt Disney has gathered a score of new and novel gags that are sure-fire laugh-getters. Mickey starts out as a taxi driver but finds travel somewhat difficult with a large hog as his fare. The action is fast and the synchrony and effects well done." [8]
Traffic Troubles was Disney's first cartoon to be featured at New York's Roxy Theatre. [1]
The short was released on December 7, 2004 on Walt Disney Treasures: Mickey Mouse in Black and White, Volume Two: 1929-1935 . [9]
The short was included in the TV shows The Mickey Mouse Club (season 1, episode 83) and Mickey's Mouse Tracks (season 1, episode 73). [10]
Wild Waves is a Mickey Mouse short animated film first released on December 18, 1929, as part of the Mickey Mouse film series. It was the fifteenth Mickey Mouse short to be produced, the twelfth of that year, as well as the last to be released by Celebrity Productions before Columbia Pictures took over distribution.
The Barn Dance is a Mickey Mouse short animated film first released on March 15, 1929, as part of the Mickey Mouse film series; it was the first of twelve shorts released during that year. It was directed by Walt Disney with Ub Iwerks as the head animator. The title is written as Barn Dance on the poster, while the full title is used on the title screen.
The Opry House is a 1929 Mickey Mouse short animated film released by Celebrity Pictures, as part of the Mickey Mouse film series. It was the fifth Mickey Mouse short to be released, the second of that year. It cast Mickey as the owner of a small theater. Mickey performs a vaudeville show all by himself. Acts include his impersonation of a snake charmer, his dressing in drag and performing a belly dance, his caricature of a Hasidic Jew and, for the finale, a piano performance of Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2 by Franz Liszt.
The Karnival Kid is a 1929 Mickey Mouse short animated film released by Celebrity Productions, as part of the Mickey Mouse film series. It was directed by Walt Disney and animated by Ub Iwerks, with music by Carl W. Stalling. It was the ninth Mickey Mouse short to be produced, the sixth of that year.
When the Cat's Away is a Mickey Mouse short animated film first released on May 3, 1929, as part of the Mickey Mouse film series. It was directed by Walt Disney and animated by Ub Iwerks and Ben Sharpsteen. It was the sixth Mickey Mouse short to be produced, the third of that year. In this cartoon, Mickey and Minnie are the size of regular mice, and Tom Cat is the size of a person.
Mickey's Choo-Choo is a 1929 Mickey Mouse short animated film released by Celebrity Pictures, as part of the Mickey Mouse film series. Ub Iwerks was the animator. It was the eleventh Mickey Mouse short to be produced, the eighth of that year, and was one of the series of early Disney cartoons that led Mickey Mouse to become a national fad by the end of 1929. Originally produced in black and white, this cartoon was one of 45 Mickey Mouse cartoons colorized by American Film Technologies in 1991.
Fiddlin’ Around is a 1930 animated short film produced by Walt Disney Productions and released by Columbia Pictures as part of the Mickey Mouse film series. It was the sixteenth Mickey Mouse short to be produced, the first of that year.
The Haunted House, also known as Haunted House, is a 1929 Mickey Mouse short animated film released by Celebrity Productions, as part of the Mickey Mouse film series. The cartoon was produced by Walt Disney Productions and distributed by Celebrity Productions. It was the fourteenth Mickey Mouse short to be produced, the eleventh of that year.
Jungle Rhythm is a Mickey Mouse short animated film first released on November 15, 1929, as part of the Mickey Mouse film series. It was the thirteenth Mickey Mouse short to be produced, the tenth of that year.
The Castaway is a Mickey Mouse animated short feature released on March 27, 1931, as part of the Mickey Mouse film series. It was the twenty-seventh Mickey Mouse short to be produced, the third of that year.
The Jazz Fool is a Mickey Mouse short animated film first released on December 21, 1929, as part of the Mickey Mouse film series. It was the twelfth Mickey Mouse short to be produced, the ninth of that year.
The Beach Party is a 1931 Mickey Mouse animated short film directed by Burt Gillett, produced by Walt Disney Productions and distributed by Columbia Pictures. It was the thirty-fourth short in the Mickey Mouse film series, and the tenth produced that year.
The Barnyard Broadcast is a 1931 Mickey Mouse animated short film directed by Burt Gillett, produced by Walt Disney Productions and distributed by Columbia Pictures. It was the thirty-third short in the Mickey Mouse film series, and the ninth produced that year.
The Moose Hunt is a Mickey Mouse short animated film first released on April 30, 1931, as part of the Mickey Mouse film series. It was the twenty-eighth Mickey Mouse short to be produced and the fourth of that year.
The Picnic is a 1930 American animated short film directed by Burt Gillett and produced by Walt Disney. It was first released on October 9, 1930, as part of the Mickey Mouse film series. It was the twenty-third Mickey Mouse short to be produced, the eighth of that year.
Fishin' Around is a 1931 American animated short film directed by Burt Gillett, produced by Walt Disney Productions and distributed by Columbia Pictures. It was the thirty-second short in the Mickey Mouse film series, and the eighth produced that year.
The Birthday Party is a Mickey Mouse short animated film first released on January 2, 1931, as part of the Mickey Mouse film series. It was the twenty-fifth Mickey Mouse short to be produced, the first of that year.
The Delivery Boy is a 1931 Mickey Mouse animated short film directed by Burt Gillett, produced by Walt Disney Productions and distributed by Columbia Pictures. It was the twenty-ninth short in the Mickey Mouse film series, and the fifth of that year.
The Fire Fighters is a Mickey Mouse short animated film first released on June 20, 1930, as part of the Mickey Mouse film series. It was the nineteenth Mickey Mouse short to be produced, the fourth of that year.
Pioneer Days is a Mickey Mouse short animated film first released on November 20, 1930, as part of the Mickey Mouse film series. It was the twenty-fourth Mickey Mouse short to be produced, the ninth of that year.
