The Wise Little Hen (1934)

The hen is looking for someone to help her plant her corn. Peter Pig and Donald Duck both feign belly aches to get out of the chore. So, with help from her chicks, she plants it herself. ... See full summary »

Director:

Wilfred Jackson (uncredited)

Stars:

Florence Gill, Clarence Nash

Cast

Uncredited cast:
Florence Gill	...	Wise Little Hen (voice) (uncredited)
Clarence Nash	...	Donald Duck / Peter Pig (voice) (uncredited)

Storyline

The hen is looking for someone to help her plant her corn. Peter Pig and Donald Duck both feign belly aches to get out of the chore. So, with help from her chicks, she plants it herself. Harvest time comes; again, Peter and Donald claim belly aches. She cooks up a variety of corn dishes, and heads over to Peter and Donald, but before she can open her mouth, they already have their belly aches. Once she asks, they are miraculously "cured" but all she gives them is castor oil, for their belly aches.

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Plot Keywords:

corn | hen | harvest | chick | castor oil | 

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Genres:

Animation | Short | Comedy | Family | Musical

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

7 June 1934 (USA)

Also Known As:

A Galinha Esperta

Company Credits

Production Co:

Walt Disney Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

8 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Donald Duck makes his debut as a supporting character in this cartoon. The original premiere date (June 9th, 1934) has been declared Donald Duck's birthday.

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Quotes

Donald Duck: Who me? Oh, no! I've got a belly ache!

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Connections

Referenced in Kingdom Hearts Re: Chain of Memories (2007)

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Soundtracks

Help Me Plant My Corn
Music by Leigh Harline
Lyrics by Larry Morey

User Reviews

View on "The Wise Little Hen"

"The Wise Little Hen," this cartoon from 1938 is a very good carton for being so early in our time. It is a very short film, but for being so short it is really catchy in many ways. From it bringing back your childhood days to the music that is played is really addicting you can not stop watching it. The story is actually a really good story and also can be put in to now day's perspective very easily. This short film is not the best that I have ever seen but if you look at it; it is one of the best cartoons I feel I have ever watched.

The first thing to bring up is the sound that is in this short film, and how it goes along with the short film very well. The music is very catchy and after you hear it you can not get it out of your head. The music is very up beat and goes along with what is going on in the film. When the little hen is walking with her babies and looking for someone to help the words are very uplifting and happy. But when the hen asks the pig and the duck for some help and she realizes that they are not going to help the voice of the singer goes into a deeper more depressing tone. After that though when the hen keeps walking the music goes straight to back to being happy. When she is done asking them if they can help her and them telling her no her and her babies go to the field and start planning. This part of the story the beat gets really catchy when the baby hens go up and down and move they move along with the beat. This is an important part of the film and is the reason I think that you can not stop watching it. It is just like a song most people like songs that have a good beat and the words go along real well with the beat. It is the same way with a movie, but instead of the words being with the beat it is what you're seeing that is in beat with the music. The last part about the music is when the pig and duck find out that the hen did not really give them any corn to eat the beat is kind of funny and goes along with the disappointment that they are feeling.

The plot to this short film is another big reason that you can really comprehend this story, and put it into things that have happened to you. Every one that I know has gone through what the hen goes through at least once in their life. You always think that you have friends and they will be there for you, but the truth is they are always just looking out for there selves. This is the same thing that the hen goes through; every time she asked the pig and duck to help her they did not want to because they thought it would not help them out at all. Then when the hen comes and asks them if they could help her eat her corn instead of planting it they were more than welcome to. Before though when they saw that the hen was starting to walk towards them they starting acting sick again because they thought that she was going to ask them to help her do something. But when they find out that she is going to feed them they starting acting all nice to her. What the hen does next is what most people should do when they face this situation, she puts a prank on the pig and duck. When they open up the bowl that the hen had gave them, which they thought was going to be corn, they find out that it is only stomach medicine. I think just about every person can put this into perspective about a time in their life. That is why I think this is such a good short film and also a very addictive one. Most might say it is just because of the music but I promise if they really sit down and think about it that they will understand that this is a big reason too.

Overall though this a great short film and it is also a little bit funny, especially when the hen says the simple word "corn" in her very hen-like voice. Behind all of that though the main reasons I liked this film and thought that is was addicting was mostly because of the music and the story line. The music being very up beat and catchy, and then the story line really fitting into what I have gone through in life. If you have never watched this short film I suggest you do so but be careful it is kind of addicting, and you might want to watch it a couple more times. Last, though this film will make you laugh a little bit and it will also bring back the younger side of your life.