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he film opens on a library scene and Basil Rathbone
narrates the tale of "The Wind in the Willows" (from the book by
Kenneth Grahame), about Mr. Toad, Squire of Toad Hall, whose love
for transportation vehicles is insatiable. His friends, Rat, Mole,
and MacBadger, try to help him when his mania leads to the loss of
the deed to Toad Hall and a charge of car theft. Toad is thrown in
jail but escapes only to learn that Winkie, the tavern-keeper, and
the weasels have taken over Toad Hall. With his friends, Toad
redeems his good name by recovering the deed to the estate. Toad
promises to reform, until he eyes a 1908 biplane. |
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Back in the library, Bing Crosby continues the narration with "The
Legend of Sleepy Hollow" (by Washington Irving), in which Ichabod
Crane, a new schoolteacher, arrives in Sleepy Hollow and captures
every lady's heart except for that of Katrina Van Tassel, daughter
of a wealthy farmer. Ichabod has his eye on the Van Tassel wealth,
but his attempts to woo Katrina disturb her bold suitor, Brom
Bones, who tries to scare Ichabod away with the tale of the
Headless Horseman. As Ichabod rides home that Halloween evening, he
encounters the terrifying phantom and is mysteriously missing the
next morning. While the townspeople spread rumors of Ichabod's
whereabouts, Katrina weds Brom. |
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This was the last of the several package pictures of the 1940s,
during which the Disney Studio had deep economic problems. Expenses
were lowered by reusing animation cycles from "The Old Mill" (1937)
and by patterning Katrina closely on Grace Martin from "The Martins
and the Coys." Henceforth, Walt Disney would be able to finance the
production of regular, one-story, animated features, beginning the
next year with "Cinderella." Its success ensured the continuation
of animation at the Disney Studio. |
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Directed by Jack Kinney, Clyde Geronimi, and James Algar.
Animators: Franklin Thomas, John Lounsbery, Oliver Johnston Jr.,
John Sibley, Hal King, Wolfgang Reitherman, Hugh Fraser, Harvey
Toombs, Marvin Woodward, Les Clark, and Hal Ambro. Starring: the
voices of Eric Blore (Toad), J. Pat O'Malley (Cyril, his horse),
and Claud Allister and Collin Campbell (Rat and Mole). 68 min.
Disney composer and this film's music director, Oliver Wallace,
himself took the role of Winkie. Songs include "Ichabod,"
"Katrina," "The Headless Horseman," and "The Merrily Song." |
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