Tubby the Tuba (1947)

Tubby the Tuba Review

Tubby the Tuba is a 1947 animated short film directed by George Pal. It is a solid, but hardly memorable cartoon.

A frustrated tuba wants to play a solo, but other instruments mock him. Then, with a help of a ridiculed frog, he manages to play his solo successfully to the shocked orchestra. This is a visually strong stop-motion short that benefits from excellent character designs in particular. The music is also well used and the sound is very good.

My issue here stems from the plot. I found the plot utterly uninspired and forgettable. The characters are underdeveloped, though the protagonist is cute and endearing enough. The film thus benefits from its audio-visuals that are impressive, but it needed more of a comedic side to it as it is lacking in gags throughout. It’s overly serious and too simplistic in its plot.

Tubby the Tuba is a somewhat forgettable Oscar nominee. Its animation and its score are great, but it is the plot that left a lot to be desired.

My Rating – 3.4