The Poet and the Peasant (1945)
The Poet and the Peasant Review
The Poet and the Peasant is a 1945 animated short film from Walter Lantz.
Woody Woodpecker and Andy Panda give a piano performance for an audience of barnyard animals. Yes, both of these classic characters appear in this short, and needless to say, it was an odd choice. Both were left underutilized, though memorable in some bits and pieces. I found the overall plot been there, done that, but the execution is pretty solid.
The animation is particularly strong and colorful, and it looks quite accomplished in character designs and polished overall. I also loved the use of classical music in its storyline, and some of the action, especially near the end was a lot of fun. Still though, most of the short is very unoriginal and uninspired as many other shorts had already done this barnyard animal orchestra type of plot many times before this one was released.
The Poet and the Peasant is a fine, though unoriginal Oscar nominee that benefits from a great score and strong animation.
