Ben and Me (1953)

User Rating:

7.7/10   

Director:

Hamilton Luske

Writers:

Robert Lawson (original story)
Bill Peet (story)

Release Date:

10 November 1953 (USA)

Genre:

Animation | Comedy | Family | Short

Plot:

A mouse tells the story of how he guided Benjamin Franklin to success and prominence.

Plot Keywords:

Mouse | Kite | Declaration Of Independence | Newspaper | Benjamin Franklin

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar.

Cast

Sterling Holloway

...

Amos Mouse (voice)

Runtime:

21 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Certification:

USA:Approved | USA:Passed (National Board of Review) | USA:G (1975)

Company:

Walt Disney Productions

Trivia:

When originally released to theaters, this 21-minute cartoon short was double billed with the Walt Disney film The Living Desert (1953) as a 90-minute package deal.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: While Amos is writing his contract for him and Ben to go over, he clearly writes the word "binding" in a completely different text format.

Quotes:

Tom Jefferson: I've been racking my brains, working day and night, but it's no use! I'm stuck!
Ben Franklin: But Red, I thought it was finished.
Tom Jefferson: It is, it is, Ben, but I don't like the beginning. It just doesn't sound right. Listen to this: The time has come when we the people of these colonies...
Ben Franklin: Yes, yes?
Tom Jefferson: No! No! Not big enough! How about this: Now is the time when we the people...
Ben Franklin: Well, um...
Tom Jefferson: No! No! Not strong enough! Uh... The time is at hand when we the people mu... Oh! You see what I mean, Ben? If I could only find the words...
Amos Mouse: [whispering] Psst! Ben! How about our contract?
Ben Franklin: [whispering] No, Amos. Not now.
Amos Mouse: [whispering] Yes! Now, or I'm leaving!
[...]

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "The Governor & J.J.: Ben and Her (#2.2)" (1970)

Entertaining, enjoyable and somewhat fictional history lesson about Benjamin Franklin

This is by far one of the cutest animated "history" lessons anyone can watch or show to children. Of course it is fictional with a mouse as the hero and main character but does present the founding of our nation and the writing of the constitution in a very entertaining matter. Amos is really portrayed as the hero in place of Benjamin Franklin, with Franklin portrayed as somewhat of a bumbling, "absent-minded" professor type. We are also shown some of Benjamin Franklin's inventions as well as some of his famous sayings scattered throughout the short movie. We do have a video version of this and I believe it is still available. I highly recommend this very entertaining and educational 25 minute feature by Disney at his best.