THE PUMPKIN IS SINGING! DEAR GOD! THE PUMPKIN IS ALIVE! KILL IT!
I mean, oh look. Betty Boop as Cinderella. Isn’t that cute. Although the part where her underwear inches up reminds me that these cartoons were really more for adults than children. Don’t get me wrong. Fleischer cartoons who directed and produced this were animation marvels which is why Disney were their rivals.
In this ten minute short, Betty Boop (as a red head in order to show one of the first Fleischer cartoons in color) sings of being a “poor Cinderella” and her rather stylish fairy godmother fixes her up. She gets to the ball in her backless dress, dances with a prince who’s mustache looks upside down, and barely gets out before midnight at which time she has to walk home with her pumpkin and vermin.
The prince dramatically languishes as maidens in the kingdom fail to fit in the glass slipper. My favorite is when a girl’s big toe grows a face and gives her a sad expression. Betty Boop claims the slipper and prince. However, I can’t help being distracted by her happily ever after. Her prince is a rather boring children’s book illustration brought to life and she’s Betty Boop. Her head is bigger than his torso and yet she’s only half his height. I mean, love is love, but why can’t animation draw more interesting princes.