Lend a Paw (1941)
Lend a Paw Review
Lend a Paw is a 1941 Disney Oscar winning animated short film starring Pluto and Mickey Mouse. It is such a charming, really good short.
Pluto rescuers a kitten, but is soon starting to get annoyed by how much attention the kitten receives. The premise here is ripe for some emotional as well as humorous parts and the film does succeed because it is so endearing too. Mickey is good here, but it is Pluto who is the highlight as his character is really well put to use. And I loved his relationship with the kitten and his good/bad struggle that is perfectly presented with that classic, funny 40s angel/devil dynamic.
Lend a Paw isn’t perfect, not by a long shot. The humor should have been better as this is far from a funny cartoon. And the biggest flaw is the conclusion where Pluto’s angel is the reason why Pluto acted rightly whereas it would have been much more powerful had it been his decision. That was disappointing. But apart from that, everything else is pretty good with the animation being great and the pacing also being excellent. It deserved its Oscar in my opinion.
