Jack and the Beanstalk (1933)

Jack sells the family cow for magic beans which grow a vine into the sky.

Directors:

Ub Iwerks (uncredited), Shamus Culhane (co-director) (uncredited)

Storyline

Jack and his mother are the picture of poverty. They're starving and can't afford to eat or tend to the farm. Even the family goldfish is literally nothing but bones. Jack decides to sell the cow at the market. He is about to sell it to a butcher, but a stranger convinces him to buy magic beans instead. Jack's feels that he was cheated and punishes him for being so gullible. She throws the beans out the window where they are watered overnight by rain. In the morning, a tall vine has grown into the clouds. Jack climbs the beanstalk and encounters a giant and his giantess wife, who means to eat Jack. Jack narrowly escapes the wrath of the couple and takes with him the giant's treasures: a magical harp and a hen that lays eggs filled with coins.

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Plot Keywords:

cat | cow | fish | chicken | spider | 

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Genres:

Animation | Short | Comedy | Family

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

30 November 1933 (USA)

Also Known As:

Jack y la habichuela gigante

Company Credits

Production Co:

Celebrity Productions, Ub Iwerks Studio

Technical Specs

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Cinecolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Connections

Version of Jack and the Beanstalk (1917)

User Reviews

Strange but Fun Version

Jack and the Beanstalk (1933)

*** (out of 4)

This short was produced and co-directed by Ub Iwerks so you can expect to see some pretty strange visuals. The story is one everyone knows as young Jack and his mother are starving so she sends him to sell the cow but he instead trades it in for three magic beans. I'm sure most people are already familiar with the story so there's no point in going into great detail about it. If you're a fan of the story then you're going to find this to be a good telling. If you're a fan of Iwerks then you're really going to enjoy this thing, although at times it's a tad bit too dark for young kids. I really enjoyed the surreal aspect of the film because it's clear Iwerks wanted to throw in some darker moments. The stuff with Jack and his mom starving has a pretty good musical number with it and the visuals of the starving animals is something you certainly don't see in every version. The animation is extremely good and another added benefit is that it was shot in color. The color certainly helps bring much of the scenery to life.