The Oily American (1954)
The Oily American Review
The Oily American is a 1954 animated short film from the Merry Melodies series. It is a very odd film.
Moe Hican, an Indian, has struck it rich. Oil has been found on his property, and he now owns an estate with oil rigs everywhere. Moe and his butler go on a hunting expedition, with the butler being hit with every instrument Moe uses to try to kill a pint-sized moose. This is a strange cartoon that introduces a forgettable Native American character who is just a stereotype and nothing else really.
The entire cartoon is repetitious in its structure and far from exciting or funny. I did like the animation and character designs with some moments feeling quite inspired, especially a couple of chases, but otherwise the character sizes felt very oddly disproportionate and the characters themselves are annoying.
The Oily American is one of the weaker Merry Melodies. Yes, it has its moments, but most of the cartoon is rough and odd.
