Polar Trappers

Disney short with Donald Duck and Goofy as animal trappers in Antarctica ("We don't know why we catch them but we bring them back alive," Goofy sings). This is the first cartoon where Donald and Goofy appear together without Mickey. Most of the cartoon deals with Donald trying to catch a penguin because he's tired of eating beans. Meanwhile Goofy is trying (and failing) to capture a walrus. Lots of funny gags in this one. The "march of the penguins" is the highlight. The animation is wonderful, particularly those gorgeous colors. The music is very lively and cheerful. The voice work from Pinto Colvig and Clarence Nash is flawless. Disney was a cut above anyone else in animation in the 1930s and cartoons like this one are prime examples of why.

This is a semi-funny cartoon from Disney, featuring Donald and Goofy in the polar ice-caps. Goofy is having troubles with this bait as a walrus stole his fish bucket and Donald is trying to make a meal out of penguins by disguising as one and luring a parade of them back to his camp.

There are some funny moments here and there in the cartoon; I especially liked the part where Goofy is trying not to let the icicles fall on him. The "Parade of the Wooden Soldiers" song that Donald plays to lure the penguins to follow him is pretty catchy - a song you would love to tap your toes to.

Not a bad Donald and Goofy cartoon.

Grade B-

Maybe Polar Trappers is not quite one of Disney's very best, however it is a cartoon that I am very fond of. The idea is simple, but is effective in that. Also as much as I do like Mickey, when the trio were together or individually I always found Goofy and especially Donald funnier characters. Goofy and Donald are here as a duo, when you discover that before watching it just screams of comedy gold. And it is exactly that, although like with other cartoons with just the duo I find Donald to be the stronger character(I just love the gag where he dresses up in a black tuxedo to impersonate a penguin and manages to fool a female penguin) Goofy is just as likable and his big gag with the icicle-covered cave was just as inspired. It isn't all funny though, Donald fooling the penguins in Pied Piper-style is exceedingly cute and the finale is one of those crash-landing action-packed ones. The animation is full of colour and smoothness, and the music especially in the penguin impersonation gag and the march of the penguins really helps to enhance the action. The sound effects are also well-incorporated, with the best being that of the baby penguin's tears evolving into the snowball. In conclusion, a great cartoon that works beautifully. 10/10 Bethany Cox

We have two plots here. Goofy is trying to trap arctic creatures to bring back to a zoo. So his efforts are benign. The problem is that many of these creatures have no interest in being captured. Most of Goofy's problems happen in a cave whose ceiling is filled with icicles. Donald Duck has been up there for a long time, living on beans, so when he spots some cute penguins, he thinks he has found dinner. Hi efforts are to no avail.

Polar Trappers (1938)

*** (out of 4)

Goofy and Donald Duck are trappers in Antarctica who are a tad bit hungry. In order to get some food in their bellies, Donald decides to dress up as a penguin in hopes to catch one or more. While this is going on Goofy gets into a battle with a walrus. This animated short isn't a great film by any stretch of the imagination but it's got the typical high quality that you'd come to expect from Disney during this period. The highlight of the film is without question the scene where Donald dresses up as a penguin and joins a line of them in hopes of scoring dinner. There was another great scene where Donald fantasies about a cooked penguin yet calls it a chicken while the animated drawing is a cooked turkey.