Too much of everything

Just perfect...

All of these films share one commonality, that being a kind of emotional center that humanizes a cast of monsters.

By the time the dramatic fireworks start popping off, each one feels earned.

At slightly over 6 minutes, "Betty Boop's Big Boss" is one of the shorter Betty Boop cartoons and this one is from 1933, so also already way over 80 years old. Fleischer Studios made this one with Mae Questel, the most known Betty voice actress. Betty wants a job at an office and sings to the boss while moving lasciviously around him. Of course, she gets it, but the job wants a reward too for picking her for the job. So he may become a bit too much for Betty to handle. But the ending really made me wonder if it was all just one weird role play and the thousands of police men came for nothing really. It seems that way. And what is with that tower and how it changes his shape. Don't tell me they did not think of anything else when including this animation. A little film full of sexual references (and I keep reading "big boobs" and "big ass" in the title), which is not too common for the early 1930s I am sure. But sadly, it was not particularly funny or entertaining and I give it a thumbs-down.

Betty Boop's Big Boss (1933) *** (out of 4)A new secretary position opens up so Betty Boop goes to apply and uses her sexuality and looks to get the job. Once she has the job her obese boss begins to sexually harass her and soon the cops are called in. BETTY BOOP'S BIG BOSS is a very fast and at times very funny animated short that shows how at one time things like sexual harassment could be used for jokes and entertainment. There's certainly a lot of Pre- code material to be had in this short has Betty is climbing all over the man's lap to get the job. The action towards the end is quite good and there's no question that the animation itself is quite fun and creative. Fans of Betty will certainly enjoy the charm of this one.

I am just about 100% sure that you'll not be seeing "Betty Boop's Big Boss" on television….ever. That's because with modern sensibilities comes a heightened awareness of the evils of sexual harassment—and this cartoon seems to be endorsing sexual harassment! Because of this, I'd love to show it to my one daughter—she would likely have an apoplexy watching it! The film begins with Betty and many other women answering an ad. However, it soon becomes apparent that Betty's good looks have won her the job. She cannot type worth a darn but that doesn't matter—as the boss really only has whoopee on his mind. Betty resists and calls for help—and it soon arrives. However, in a VERY politically incorrect ending, it turns out Betty LIKES the sexual harassment and tells her helpers to get lost! Overall, while the message is rather smarmy, the quality of the animation is lovely. Plus the cartoon certainly will entertain…as well as offend and reinforce negative stereotypes. Oops.

A man posts a sign on a big building: 'GIRL WANTED: Top Floor, Female Preferred." Immediately, thousands of women cram in the building and go up to see the boss. Betty stands out from the crowd, shaking her hips and getting attention from the old man. "What can you do? he asks.She replies, in song, "Well, I'm not much in crowd but when you get me alone - yeoow - you'll be surprised." (This was pre-Code cartoon!) Here's the next line: "I don't know how to type, but if you take me home, you'll get a surprise." She follows with more of the same. She gets the old man worked up and he immediately gets rid of the rest of the women by pulling a level and they all drop the ground level!Betty keeps singing to the guy with these sexy, come-on lyrics so, of course, she is hired. Minutes later, when he makes a pass at her, she calls the cops. (Women!!!) After that is some of the wildest, most absurd scenes I've ever watched in a cartoon with a really crazy ending.This is a totally off-the-wall but very entertaining Betty Boop cartoon, one that certainly would not have been made from 1934 on, for either Code reasons up to 1967 and then for political correctness bias since then.