A Disappointing Continuation

Close shines in drama with strong language, adult themes.

The film's masterful storytelling did its job. The message was clear. No need to overdo.

Story: It's very simple but honestly that is fine.

This is a fairly exciting Disney cartoon where Mickey and Minnie were kidnapped and tied up by Peg-Leg Pete and his crew on his ship. However, Mickey breaks free and what results is a semi-amusing sword fight between him and Pete. Nice black and white animation and a somewhat fast-paced story, but with lesser humor and a predictable climax.Grade B-

Here's one of my favorite Mickey cartoons from 1934. As I said a few times, I am quite terribly particular about that - a favorite cartoon short from a particular year. In the story, Mickey and Minnie were captured by Pete and his band of pirates. When Pete was making advance at Minnie, Mickey breaks free from his bonds and duels with the pirate captain. That's I'll tell you. Watch and see how it ends.I really love this cartoon. Though I did found it odd that Mickey and Minnie didn't have any dialogue, except for Pete and his pirate crew; Minnie did scream too. The funniest part is when a pirate repetitively sings "The captain's got a girl" in a falsetto voice.

This is a Mickey Mouse cartoon produced by the Disney studio. There will be spoilers ahead:This is a rousing short with pirates, kidnapping, a damsel in distress and heroism on the briny deep. The short begins with a pirate crew singing while they work. They move from singing about life on board ships to "The captain's got a girl!" repeated ad nauseam, with a caricature of a sailor prancing around waving a lace hankie and singing in a falsetto for good measure. It is during this that we learn that the captain is Pegleg Pete, who orders the crew to go below decks.We then see inside the cabin that Mickey and Minnie are captives, tied up and at Pete's "mercy". Pete only has eyes for (and designs on) Minnie, which allows Mickey time to get loose and come to her rescue. There are some really good animated sequences in here, with the best bit of business having to do with an unexpected and problematic addition to Pete's pegged leg. This creates all sorts of problems and situations for Pete and leads to some very good gags.The crew is drawn by the commotion and proves wholly inadequate to the task of subduing one mouse, but then, this is a Mickey Mouse short, after all, so it couldn't really be otherwise. Mickey wins the day and saves his lady fair, who actually acquits herself rather well in her own defense. The ending is rather sweet and charming.This short is available on the Disney Treasures Mickey Mouse In Black and White, Volume Two. Both the set and the short are well worth finding. Most recommended.

Shanghaied (1934) is fun as all get out. Mickey is never more entertaining than when he's the underdog action hero and that is precisely what he is here.The short wastes no time to get us into the action, starting in medias res with Mickey and Minnie tied up and at the mercy of pirate captain Pete. Just as Pete tries forcing himself on Minnie, Mickey breaks free of his ropes and the two rivals engage in a hilarious duel with gags galore. The humor is well thought out and rivals the likes of Buster Keaton and Harold Lloyd.Not particularly or groundbreaking, but Shanghaied is still tons of fun. The entertainment factor has not eroded with time.