Cartoon a Day: The Dish Ran Away with the Spoon

The Dish Ran Away with the Spoon
1933
Directed by Rudolph Ising
Available on: Looney Tunes Golden Collection Vol. 6

If you've been following my "Cartoon a Day" adventures from the beginning, you know that I started this to be sure to do something each day that I know brings me joy. Cartoons bring me joy, and this one did especially. It's not that this is an amazing achievement in animation, but what a wonderful world it creates. My friends, in this cartoon dishes wash themselves! Can you imagine anything more wonderful?

In this short, which no doubt takes it's cues from Disney's Silly Symphonies series, the plates, silverware, pots and pans are having a regular pool party in the kitchen sink. And, just like the title suggests, the spoon has eyes for a cute little dish. Like many early cartoons, this one has some great moments and others that seem very crude.

The last few minutes of the film has some good gags but is also pretty weird. I guess the animators felt they needed a bad guy so a glob of dough that looks kind of like Gollum starts terrorizing the dish. It's pretty unnecessary but does lead to some fun bits, such as a popcorn popper that becomes a cannon.

Now then, I think I'll leave this cartoon playing in the kitchen tonight and see if my dishes can take a hint.