A young Judean boy tries to sell his beloved old donkey to someone who would care for him as much as he does.
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Title: The Small One (1978)
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Cast
| Complete credited cast: | |||
 |
Sean Marshall | ... | Boy (voice) |
|
|
William Woodson | ... | Tanner (voice) |
| Olan Soule | ... | Father (voice) (as Olan Soulé) | |
| Hal Smith | ... | Auctioneer (voice) | |
| Joe Higgins | ... | Guard (voice) | |
| Gordon Jump | ... | Joseph (voice) | |
| Rest of cast listed alphabetically: | |||
|
|
Small One | ... | Donkey (voice) |
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Plot Summary
|
Add Synopsis
Storyline
A young boy must part with his beloved donkey, named "Small One". When he takes him into town to sell him, the only person who wants to buy him is the tanner. When all hope seems lost in finding a kind master, Small One leads his master back to the tanner's shop where he is willing to sacrifice his life. A miracle happens, and he is bought by Joseph to carry Mary to Bethlehem. Written by <hunk@prodigy.net>
Parents Guide:
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Details
Country:
USALanguage:
EnglishRelease Date:
15 December 1978 (USA) See more »Also Known As:
Der Esel von Bethlehem See more »Company Credits
Show more on
IMDbPro »
Technical Specs
Sound Mix:
Mono (RCA Photophone Sound Recording)Color:
Color (Technicolor)
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Composed by Don Bluth
Performed by Thurl Ravenscroft (uncredited)
See more »
Did You Know?
Soundtracks
The Merchant's SongComposed by Don Bluth
Performed by Thurl Ravenscroft (uncredited)
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This little Disney movie is advertised as a holiday classic, but a person who does not know the Christian story will probably not notice the connection to the traditional tale. Even for those who know the story, it is not clear until the end how it connects.
The animation is well-done, and there are many nods toward the complexity of life. The young boy looks just like Mowgli, of "The Jungle Book," but has a completely different mien (and personality). He is loving and caring, especially toward an old donkey that has outlived his usefulness in the family business.
There is a change I noticed in one of the songs from the original version on VHS to the DVD version. Where crooked bankers sang, "We simply cheat a little if we must!" on the VHS version, it has been changed to "We work a little harder if we must!" on the DVD version. (I prefer the original...)