Chicken Little

Try The Fun

11/11/2023

Transcript

00:00 Seeing Walt Disney's name on an animated version of the famous fable Chicken Little might lead

00:07 you to expect a cartoon in the Silly Symphony series.

00:10 But there's nothing lighthearted about this version of the story.

00:13 Instead, it's a wartime parable about listening to rumors and falling prey to persuasive leaders

00:19 who have their own sinister agendas.

00:21 Originally, the studio planned to show Foxy Loxy reading Adolf Hitler's book Mein Kampf

00:26 to make sure no one missed the point.

00:29 But it was decided to downplay the obvious Nazi imagery.

00:38 Even so, there's no mistaking the purpose of this 1943 cartoon.

00:41 And there's no way to misinterpret its grim finale.

00:44 Chicken Little is one Disney cartoon that parents might want to see for themselves before

00:49 deciding if it's appropriate for their kids.

00:51 [music]

00:59 [music]

01:22 Our story takes place in a nice, cozy little farmyard.

01:27 The characters, in order of their appearance, are Cocky Locky, head man, chicken inspector,

01:34 supervisor of egg production.

01:36 A good guy to know nowadays.

01:39 This is Henny Penny and the local rocking chair brigade.

01:44 Always ready to poke their beaks into everybody's business instead of sticking to their knitting.

01:49 Here we have them at the bridge table.

01:51 Who are they plucking to pieces now?

01:54 Let's listen in.

02:00 Sound just like people, don't they?

02:03 Now we see them at Madame Poulet's beauty coop, getting the popular red henna rinse.

02:13 This is Turkey Lurkey and the smart set, who spend all day discussing what is wrong with

02:18 the world.

02:23 There's this element too, the jitterbirds, a pretty feather brain crowd.

02:30 [music]

02:49 And here are Goosey Poosey and Ducky Lucky and all the other gay ducks.

02:54 A thirsty lot, always around where there's something to drink.

02:59 Now, last but not least, here is Chicken Little, playboy and yo-yo champ.

03:06 A little shy on brains, but a good egg as chickens go.

03:13 As our story continues, we find all our fine-feathered friends happy and contented.

03:18 And why not?

03:19 Didn't they have a big strong fence protecting them?

03:22 But wait a minute, what's this?

03:28 Aha, it's Foxy Loxy, the poultry fancier.

03:33 Looks like he's taken an interest in our little community, a culinary interest.

03:38 So why doesn't he just jump in and help himself?

03:40 Do you suppose it's because of the high fence or the locks on the inside or the farmer's

03:47 shotgun?

03:48 But I'm not a fox for nothing.

03:52 Besides, there's more than one way to pluck a chicken.

03:55 Psychology.

03:57 Why should I just get one when I can get them all?

04:01 Quote, "To influence the masses, aim first at the least intelligent."

04:05 Unquote.

04:07 Now let's see, who looks nice and stupid?

04:11 Docky Locky, Turkey Lecky, Ducky Lucky, Goosey Poosey, Penny Penny, Chicken Little.

04:21 Hmm, he looks nice and stupid.

04:27 Quote, "If you tell them a lie, don't tell a little one, tell a big one."

04:38 Unquote.

04:40 Shh.

04:43 Shh.

04:46 Hmm.

04:48 Hmm.

05:14 This is the voice of doom speaking.

05:18 Special bullet, flash, the sky is falling.

05:21 A piece of it just hit you on the head.

05:23 Now be calm, don't get panicky.

05:27 Run for your life!

05:30 The sky is falling.

05:38 The sky is falling.

05:40 A piece of it just hit me on the head.

05:42 The sky is falling, hurry, hurry.

05:46 Come everybody, the sky is falling.

05:49 The sky, the sky is falling.

05:51 There you are, you see, just like I told you, hit me on the head.

05:55 Sure enough, oh my goodness, how awful, what'll we do?

05:58 We'll all be killed.

05:59 Now look here, look here, what's all the fuss and feathers?

06:02 Something awful has happened.

06:04 A piece of the sky fell down and hit me on the head.

06:07 A piece of the sky?

06:09 Ha ha ha ha, nonsense, it's just a hunk of wood.

06:13 Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha.

06:15 Guess that's the end of your stew, Mr. Foxy Loxy.

06:19 All right now folks, break it up.

06:21 Back to business as usual.

06:23 Oh, wise guy, huh?

06:30 I'll fix him.

06:31 Let's see now.

06:32 Ah, here we are.

06:34 Quote, "Undermine the faith of the masses and their leaders."

06:38 Unquote.

06:39 Well, I suppose Cocky Loxy knows what he's talking about.

06:42 Well, yes, he ought to know.

06:45 Ahem, but listen girls, suppose he's wrong.

06:48 He's only human, you know, and if he should happen to be wrong, we'd all be killed.

06:52 Ah ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha.

06:55 Ahem.

06:57 And now in my opinion, Cocky Loxy shows definite totalitarian tendencies.

07:02 He's trying to dictate to us.

07:04 We can judge for ourselves whether the sky is falling or not.

07:07 [music]

07:11 Say, fellas, I hear old Cocky Loxy's been hitting the match lately.

07:15 Yeah, he's full of corn.

07:17 His brain is pickled.

07:19 [music]

07:22 Uh oh, there it goes, the whispering campaign.

07:25 [music]

07:29 Say, sister, you hear about Cocky Loxy?

07:32 He ain't got all his marbles.

07:33 Ain't it awful?

07:35 Oh, definitely, my dear.

07:37 Wow, what a wolf.

07:39 Did you hear? Cocky Loxy is wallowing in corn.

07:42 I hear he's quite a chicken chaser.

07:45 No, you don't say so.

07:47 There's no fowl like an old fowl.

07:49 He's not the cock of the walk anymore.

07:51 What?

07:53 Not the cock of the walk anymore.

07:56 Quote, "By the use of flattery, insignificant people can be made to look upon themselves as born leaders." Unquote.

08:03 Now's your chance, kid.

08:05 They'll listen to you now.

08:06 You were born to be a leader.

08:08 Go do it.

08:09 [music]

08:11 Listen to me, everybody.

08:12 I'm your new leader.

08:14 I'm gonna save your lives.

08:15 I'm gonna tell you what to do.

08:17 Don't listen to that pip squeak.

08:19 The sky isn't falling.

08:20 I tell you, it is too falling.

08:22 And I tell you, it isn't.

08:23 It is too.

08:24 All right, if the sky is falling, why doesn't it hit me on the head?

08:28 [music]

08:32 Chicken Little's right.

08:34 What'll we do?

08:35 Oh, Chicken Little, you've got to help us.

08:37 Psst.

08:38 Run to the cave.

08:40 Oh, oh yeah.

08:41 Yeah, that's it, to the cave.

08:42 To the cave.

08:44 To the cave.

08:45 Hurry, hurry, hurry.

08:47 [music]

09:08 Dinner is served.

09:10 [music]

09:13 Don't worry, folks.

09:14 This all turns out all right.

09:17 Mmm.

09:19 Delicious.

09:23 Hey, wait a minute.

09:24 This isn't right.

09:25 That's not the way it ends in my book.

09:27 Oh yeah?

09:29 Don't believe everything you read, brother.

09:32 [music]

09:40 [BLANK_AUDIO]

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