Rudolf Ising and Isadore “Friz” Freleng | Young and Healthy / 1933 [animated cartoon]

finding his place

by Douglas Messerli

 

Rudolf Ising and Isadore “Friz” Freleng (directors) Young and Healthy / 1933 [animated cartoon]

 

      The movie begins with the entire court announcing his majesty’s entry, as first his buglers, followed the hot dog, a brush attached to its tail, and a young pansy, tossing out flower petals and repeating the pansy cry “Woo,” from time to time. The King follows.

     Poor roly-poly King Louis, absolutely bored by playing out his role, dozes after momentarily playing with his jack-in-the-box with Jimmy Duarte head which springs into action whenever he wants a good laugh or desires to be distracted from his wife’s attacks.

     She demands that he awaken and plan for the royal ball, but the King, so distressed by the fact that his broken toy has spoken its last words (“I’m mortified”), bursts into tears.

     Looking out the window, he sees children at play and quickly envies them, deciding to join them in the fun. He does so, while the queen, observing his pleasures, screams for Louis to return to his throne. Meanwhile, the children invade the castle, spinning the queen around in her bustle until the dress has ridden up to her mid-riff, leaving her only in her pencil-thin leggings.

     The King himself trips and rolls down the staircase right into the royal fountain, spitting up fish like a sculpted fountain figure who finally found its home.

      Ising and Freleng would return to homosexual jokes and puns in their numerous cartoons throughout their careers.

      The major song here, sung by the Queen, her courtiers, and the children is “Young and Healthy” backed up by the Rhythmettes. The King shares those feelings only when he plays with the kids.

 

Los Angeles, April 21, 2023

Reprinted from My Queer Cinema blog (April 2023).