Oh, What a Knight
"A Knight for a Night of Thrills and Laughter!"
Plot
In a medieval setting, Oswald the Lucky Rabbit plays a wandering minstrel who arrives at a stone castle on his donkey to serenade his beloved, Ortensia. After a romantic balcony encounter, they are interrupted by the girl's overprotective father, Pete, leading to a high-stakes duel throughout the fortress. Oswald employs ingenious tactics, including a famous sequence where he detaches his own shadow to continue the swordfight while he steals kisses from the princess. The chase culminates in a daring escape from the tower, where the couple uses Ortensia's voluminous skirts as a makeshift parachute to float to safety while a hungry lion and Pete are left behind.
Director
About the Production
This was the 20th short in the Oswald the Lucky Rabbit series produced by Disney. It was created during a period of high tension when Walt Disney was secretly losing control of the character to distributor Charles Mintz. Despite the looming corporate battle, the animation quality reached a peak in this short, specifically in its use of depth and shadow. The film was produced on a tight two-week schedule, a standard set by the Winkler contract that forced the small Disney team to innovate rapidly in gag structure and character movement.
Historical Background
1928 was a year of seismic shifts in the animation industry. At the time 'Oh, What a Knight' was released, the industry was transitioning from silent films to 'talkies,' though this short remained silent. More significantly, this was the final era of Disney's work for Universal Pictures. The betrayal by Charles Mintz, who took the rights to Oswald and most of Disney's staff, occurred right around the release of this film, directly leading to the 'secret' creation of Mickey Mouse in the months that followed.
Why This Film Matters
The film is a landmark in the development of 'personality animation.' Unlike earlier cartoons where characters were merely vessels for gags, Oswald shows a distinct, cocky, and romantic personality that influenced the 'hero' archetype in animation. It also represents the first time Disney explored the medieval/fairy tale aesthetic that would later define the studio's identity with features like 'Snow White' and 'Sleeping Beauty.'
Making Of
The production was a tour de force for lead animator Ub Iwerks, who was known for his incredible speed and technical precision. Iwerks handled the complex shadow animation, which required double-exposing the film or using carefully timed gray-toned ink washes to create the illusion of a translucent shadow acting independently of its owner. During production, Walt Disney was already aware that Charles Mintz was poaching his animators, yet he pushed for higher quality to ensure the studio's reputation remained intact. The short reflects the 'rubber hose' style of animation at its height, where characters' limbs could stretch and distort without losing their core volume.
Visual Style
As an animated short, its 'cinematography' is defined by Ub Iwerks' use of perspective and depth. The film utilizes early 'multiplane' effects where the castle walls and foreground elements move at different speeds to create a 3D illusion. The use of high-contrast black and white is leveraged to make the shadow gags visually legible and striking.
Innovations
The film is technically notable for its 'independent shadow' animation, which was a complex feat of timing and layering in 1928. It also demonstrates an early mastery of 'squash and stretch' principles, particularly in the scenes where Oswald's donkey reacts to the alligator-filled moat.
Music
Originally released as a silent film, it would have been accompanied by a live theater organist or pianist. For the 2007 'Walt Disney Treasures' DVD release, a new synchronized score was composed by Robert Israel, utilizing traditional silent film motifs and a jaunty, orchestral style.
Memorable Scenes
- The Shadow Duel: Oswald leaves his shadow behind to continue fighting Pete with a sword while he sneaks off to kiss Ortensia.
- The Parachute Escape: Oswald and Ortensia jump from the high tower, and her dress billows out like a parachute, allowing them to float down while kissing.
- The Bowling Gag: Oswald uses a heavy ball and chain to knock down a line of nine knights like bowling pins.
Did You Know?
- The film was remade by Disney in 1933 as a Mickey Mouse short titled 'Ye Olden Days'.
- Oswald's personality in this short was specifically modeled after the swashbuckling screen persona of silent film star Douglas Fairbanks.
- The character of Ortensia was originally referred to as 'Sadie' or 'Kitty' in early production notes; her name was standardized as Ortensia much later.
- This is one of the few Oswald shorts that survived in its entirety and was fully restored by the American Film Institute.
- The 'shadow duel' gag was so successful that it became a recurring trope in later animation, including Disney's 'Peter Pan' (1953).
- The donkey in the film is considered a precursor to the character of Horace Horsecollar.
- The film features a 'bowling' gag where Oswald uses a ball and chain to knock down a row of knights like pins.
- It was released just months before Walt Disney lost the rights to Oswald and created Mickey Mouse.
What Critics Said
At the time of its release, trade publications like 'The Film Daily' praised the Oswald series for its superior animation and clever gags compared to competitors like Felix the Cat. Modern critics and historians, such as Leonard Maltin, cite 'Oh, What a Knight' as one of the best-preserved and most technically accomplished shorts of the silent era, particularly noting the sophistication of the shadow-fighting sequence.
What Audiences Thought
Audiences in 1928 embraced Oswald as a major star, and this short was a popular 'one-reeler' in theaters. Its mix of slapstick and Fairbanks-style adventure made it a hit with both children and adults. Today, it has found a new audience through its inclusion in the 'Epic Mickey' video game series, where it is often the first classic short players encounter.
Film Connections
Influenced By
- The Mark of Zorro (1920)
- The Thief of Bagdad (1924)
- Douglas Fairbanks' swashbuckler films
This Film Influenced
- Ye Olden Days (1933)
- Peter Pan (1953)
- The Sword in the Stone (1963)
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Film Restoration
Fully preserved and restored. The film was part of the American Film Institute's restoration project and is currently held in the Disney Archives and the Library of Congress.