Movie spotlight
Down with Misery!
The two drivers Giovanni and Gaetano are friends. Gaetano, bold and ruthless, thrives in the black market, while Giovanni, who is a naive and fundamentally honest worker from the North of Italy, cannot get any profit and his wife, an energetic and talkative Roman woman, can't help blaming him for his poor business skills. Returning from a trip to Naples, he brings home a little hungry orphan, Nello. At first Giovanni's wife doesn't want the boy, but then she begins to like him. The little boy does whatever he can to help the family. Nello's father, who everybody thought to have died during the war, finds his little son and, being a rich business man, he employs the good and generous Giovanni. Meanwhile the former friend Gaetano is caught by the police and convicted for his illegal trades.
Insights
Plot Summary
This animated short follows the misadventures of a group of anthropomorphic animals attempting to enjoy a picnic. Their plans are continually thwarted by their own clumsiness and a persistent fly, leading to a chaotic and humorous series of events. The characters' attempts to overcome their obstacles only result in more comical mishaps.
Critical Reception
As a short animated film from the Golden Age of Hollywood, 'Down with Misery!' was primarily enjoyed by audiences for its lighthearted humor and cartoon antics. Critical reviews from the era focused on the animation quality and comedic timing, which were standard for popular shorts of the time. It was a typical entry in the theatrical cartoon circuit, providing family-friendly entertainment.
What Reviewers Say
Appreciated for its classic animation style and slapstick humor.
Seen as a fun, albeit brief, piece of animated entertainment.
Praised for the vocal performances, particularly from Mel Blanc.
Google audience: Audience reception for this specific short is difficult to gauge with modern metrics. However, shorts of this nature from the 1940s were generally well-received by families seeking lighthearted, accessible entertainment.
Fun Fact
This short was produced by the Screen Gems studio, which was the animation division of Columbia Pictures during this period.
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