The Barn Dance Review

The Barn Dance is a 1929 Mickey Mouse cartoon. It is such an unusual, singular entry.

So basically here Mickey wants to dance with Minnie but fails as he is so clumsy and eventually she leaves him for Pete. Now this was obviously made before the characters were firmly established and thus we have Pete who is good and well-mannered and Minnie who is actually pretty mean. The entire cartoon is way too mean spirited in its ending as she left Mickey devastated.

But that also makes it different from the rest of the entries in the series and I really liked seeing Mickey’s more human and flawed side. The score is pretty good and the animation has a couple of tricks up its sleeve too. I am talking about its delightfully surreal gags which were quite typical for the late twenties. I loved tying the knot on her leg and Minnie literally extending her nose to Mickey. The literal, exaggerated approach to the facial expressions and telling emotions here was quite unique and very funny.

The Barn Dance is too mean spirited, but memorable in its uniqueness with some superb, inventive gags.