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IMDbPro

The Old Mill Pond

  • 19361936
  • ApprovedApproved
  • 8m
IMDb RATING
5.4/10
254
YOUR RATING
The Old Mill Pond (1936)
  • Animation
  • Short
  • Music
The fish and frogs gather at the old mill pond to hear a jazz concert. Performers include caricatures of Cab Calloway, Fats Waller, and tap dancer Bill Robinson ("Bojangles").The fish and frogs gather at the old mill pond to hear a jazz concert. Performers include caricatures of Cab Calloway, Fats Waller, and tap dancer Bill Robinson ("Bojangles").The fish and frogs gather at the old mill pond to hear a jazz concert. Performers include caricatures of Cab Calloway, Fats Waller, and tap dancer Bill Robinson ("Bojangles").
IMDb RATING
5.4/10
254
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • Hugh Harman(uncredited)
  • Writers
    • Norm Blackburn
    • Jonathan Caldwell(story)
  • Stars
    • Norm Blackburn(uncredited)
    • The Four Blackbirds(uncredited)
Top credits
  • Director
    • Hugh Harman(uncredited)
  • Writers
    • Norm Blackburn
    • Jonathan Caldwell(story)
  • Stars
    • Norm Blackburn(uncredited)
    • The Four Blackbirds(uncredited)
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 8User reviews
  • See production, box office & company info
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Nominated for 1 Oscar
      • 1 nomination total

    Photos9

    The Old Mill Pond (1936)
    The Old Mill Pond (1936)
    The Old Mill Pond (1936)
    The Old Mill Pond (1936)
    The Old Mill Pond (1936)
    The Old Mill Pond (1936)
    The Old Mill Pond (1936)
    The Old Mill Pond (1936)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Norm Blackburn
    • Variousas Various
    • (uncredited)
    The Four Blackbirds
    • Vocalistsas Vocalists
    • (uncredited)
    • Director
      • Hugh Harman(uncredited)
    • Writers
      • Norm Blackburn
      • Jonathan Caldwell(story) (uncredited)
    • All cast & crew
    • See more cast details at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Cab Calloway, Fats Waller, 'Bill "Bojangles' Robinson', Louis Armstrong, Stepin Fetchit, Ethel Waters and The Mills Brothers are caricatured.
    • Alternate versions
      Re-released in abbreviated form by Soundies Distributing Corporation on March 2, 1942 under the title "Hot Frogs."
    • Soundtracks
      Down By the Old Mill Stream
      (uncredited)

      Written by Tell Taylor

      Performed by studio orchestra

    User reviews8

    Review
    Top review
    8/10
    Musical/jazz fun with amphibians
    Love animation, it was a big part of my life as a child, particularly Disney, Looney Tunes and Tom and Jerry, and still love it whether it's film, television or cartoons.

    Know Hugh Harman for his cartoons that have a cute approach with a lot of sentiment. There have been times where this approach has been done sweetly and charmingly, there have also been other times where it can be too cutesy and cloying. 'The Old Mill Pond' is one of the former for me. It is cute and charming, but there is not as much cutesy sentiment as other Harman cartoons and it's more humorously entertaining than most.

    'The Old Mill Pond' caricatures famous musicians of the time, and much of the caricatures are done with respect. They are stereotypes and not all are subtle, but personally found nothing to be offended by (there are far worse, more blatant and more insensitive inclusion and writing of stereotypes in animation). A large part of the fun was recognising the caricatures and this is one of not many caricature cartoons where none went over my head.

    Animation is rich in detail for design and backgrounds, vibrant in colour and crisp. Composer for the prime-era 'Tom and Jerry' cartoons and regular Tex Avery composer Scott Bradley provides a lush and atmospheric music score. The songs are just awesome and performed with such liveliness.

    Characters here engage and despite their appearances are not too cutesy. They are not personality-deprived either. Pacing is energetic enough if needing a little more extra kick in some parts.

    For all those outstanding qualities they are not quite enough to disguise that the story is one that is immediately forgotten by the viewer quickly and it's best to keep it that way. There's nothing new about it, not much of one at all and it's not hard to tell where it's all going to go.

    With all that being said, 'The Old Mill Pond' is a nicely done and underrated cartoon. 8/10 Bethany Cox
    helpful•0
    0
    • TheLittleSongbird
    • Feb 17, 2018

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • March 7, 1936 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Happy Harmonies (1935-1936 Season) #7: The Old Mill Pond
    • Production company
      • Harman-Ising Productions
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      8 minutes
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.37 : 1

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