I Wanna Be a Sailor

Plot

A young parrot named Peter defies his mother's wishes to become a sailor like his absent father. Despite Momma Parrot's warnings about his father being a no-account who abandoned them for Hawaii (or was it Catalina?), Peter remains determined to follow his maritime dreams. He constructs a makeshift boat from a barrel and recruits an incessantly talkative duckling as his first mate, setting sail on a nearby lake. When a violent thunderstorm strikes, the duckling's enthusiasm contrasts with Peter's terror, but the resourceful duck ultimately saves them both. Even after this harrowing experience and his mother's rescue attempt, Peter's resolve to be a sailor remains unshaken, showcasing his unwavering determination.

Historical Background

Released in 1937, during the height of the Great Depression, this cartoon reflected the era's escapist entertainment needs. The animation industry was undergoing a major transformation, with Disney's 'Snow White' premiering the same year and proving that animation could be a serious art form. Warner Bros. was actively competing with Disney and other studios, investing heavily in their Merrie Melodies and Looney Tunes series. The late 1930s saw significant technical advancements in animation, including improved color processes and more sophisticated sound design. This period also marked the beginning of animation's golden age, with studios developing distinctive styles and character archetypes that would influence generations of animators.

Making Of

Tex Avery, then a relatively new director at Warner Bros., was still developing his distinctive animation style that would later revolutionize the medium. The production team worked with a tight deadline typical of theatrical shorts, completing the cartoon in approximately 6-8 weeks. The voice recording sessions were notably efficient, with Mel Blanc able to perform multiple characters in quick succession. The storm sequence required extensive planning and storyboarding to achieve the dramatic effects while maintaining the cartoon's comedic tone. The animation team experimented with new techniques for water effects and weather animation, pushing the boundaries of what was possible in short-form animation.

Visual Style

The cartoon utilized the three-strip Technicolor process, which Warner Bros. had recently adopted for their Merrie Melodies series. The animation features vibrant colors and dynamic camera movements for its time, including dramatic angles during the storm sequence. The visual style combines realistic backgrounds with exaggerated character animations, a hallmark of 1930s Warner Bros. animation. The water effects and weather animation demonstrate technical sophistication, with fluid motion and convincing environmental details. The character designs follow the rounded, appealing style popular in the era, with expressive eyes and exaggerated gestures.

Innovations

The cartoon showcases several technical innovations for its time, including advanced water animation techniques during the storm sequence. The three-strip Technicolor process allowed for more vibrant and detailed coloring than earlier two-strip processes. The animation team developed new methods for depicting weather effects, particularly rain and lightning, which were challenging to animate convincingly. The synchronization of voice, music, and animation demonstrates the growing sophistication of sound in cartoons. The barrel boat's movement on water required careful animation planning to achieve realistic motion while maintaining the cartoon's stylized aesthetic.

Music

The musical score was composed by Bernard Brown, who was the musical director for many Warner Bros. cartoons of this period. The soundtrack features typical 1930s cartoon music with upbeat, whimsical themes that complement the on-screen action. The sound effects were created using traditional animation studio techniques, including manual foley work and early recording equipment. The voice performances by Mel Blanc, Billy Bletcher, and Elvia Allman demonstrate the era's growing sophistication in voice acting for animation. The duckling's incessant talking is accompanied by musical stings that emphasize the comic timing.

Memorable Scenes

• The opening sequence where Momma Parrot teaches her babies to say 'Polly want a cracker' and Peter's defiant response, The construction of the barrel boat showing Peter's ingenuity and determination, The dramatic thunderstorm sequence with impressive animation effects and the duckling's enthusiastic reaction, The rescue scene where the talkative duckling proves unexpectedly heroic, The final scene showing Peter's unwavering resolve despite his harrowing experience

What Critics Said

Contemporary reviews of theatrical shorts were limited, but trade publications generally praised Warner Bros.' animation quality during this period. Modern animation historians recognize this cartoon as an important early work in Tex Avery's filmography, showing the development of his signature style. Critics note the cartoon's effective use of visual gags and timing, though some consider it less polished than Avery's later masterpieces. The storm sequence is frequently cited as a technical achievement for its time, demonstrating the studio's growing capabilities in animating complex weather effects.

What Audiences Thought

Theatrical audiences of 1937 generally received the cartoon positively as part of the typical movie theater experience, where shorts were shown before feature films. Children particularly enjoyed the adventurous themes and comic characters. The duckling's talkative nature provided comic relief that resonated with family audiences. While not as memorable as some contemporaneous cartoons, it satisfied audiences' expectations for entertaining, colorful animation. Modern audiences viewing the cartoon through retrospectives and classic animation collections appreciate it as a historical artifact showcasing early Warner Bros. animation.

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