Oil's Well
"Oswald strikes oil - and trouble!"
Plot
In this 1929 Oswald the Lucky Rabbit cartoon, Oswald takes his feline girlfriend on a romantic canoe ride across a serene lake. When they encounter an oil rig pumping away in the middle of the water, Oswald becomes curious about the operation. The couple's peaceful outing is disrupted when the oil rig's mechanical movements create waves and chaos, threatening to capsize their canoe. Demonstrating his resourceful nature, Oswald ingeniously uses his own flexible tail as an outboard motor to power their canoe to safety. The film concludes with Oswald and his girlfriend safely ashore, having overcome the mechanical menace through Oswald's quick thinking and cartoon physics.
Director
About the Production
This was one of the early Oswald cartoons produced by Walter Lantz after he took over the character from Disney. The film was created during the transition period from silent to sound animation, though this particular short was released as a silent film. The animation was done on paper using traditional cel animation techniques, with each frame hand-drawn and inked.
Historical Background
1929 was a pivotal year in cinema history, marking the full transition from silent films to 'talkies' following the success of 'The Jazz Singer' in 1927. The animation industry was rapidly evolving, with studios experimenting with sound synchronization and color processes. Oswald the Lucky Rabbit represented one of the first major animated character franchises, competing with Felix the Cat and early Mickey Mouse cartoons. The Great Depression began in October 1929, just months after this film's release, which would dramatically impact the entertainment industry. This short was produced during the height of the rubber hose animation era, characterized by characters with fluid, boneless movements and exaggerated physics.
Why This Film Matters
As an early example of character-based animation, 'Oil's Well' represents an important step in the development of animated storytelling. The Oswald series helped establish many conventions of animated comedy that would influence later cartoons. The film reflects 1920s American culture's fascination with industrialization and technology, symbolized by the oil rig. Oswald's clever use of his own body parts to solve problems exemplifies the creative problem-solving that would become a staple of cartoon humor. This short also demonstrates the transition of creative control from one animation pioneer (Disney) to another (Lantz), showing how characters and franchises could evolve under different artistic leadership.
Making Of
The production of 'Oil's Well' occurred during a tumultuous period in animation history. Walter Lantz had just acquired the Oswald character from Universal after Disney's departure, and he was tasked with continuing the popular series. The animation team worked in a small New York studio, using traditional animation methods that required each frame to be drawn by hand. The film's gags were developed through collaborative story sessions, with the tail-as-motor concept becoming one of Oswald's signature moves. The transition from silent to sound was happening industry-wide, and Lantz's team was adapting to new technical possibilities while still producing silent shorts like this one.
Visual Style
The film employs traditional black and white cinematography typical of late 1920s animation. The visual style features the rubber hose animation technique popular at the time, with characters exhibiting exaggerated flexibility and movement. The underwater sequences use ripple effects and distorted perspectives to create the illusion of being beneath the surface. The oil rig is rendered with mechanical precision, contrasting with the organic, fluid animation of the characters. The composition uses simple backgrounds to focus attention on the character action, a common practice in early animation to optimize production time.
Innovations
While not groundbreaking in technical terms, 'Oil's Well' demonstrates solid execution of contemporary animation techniques. The film makes effective use of the multiplane camera effect for water scenes, creating depth through layered animation cels. The smooth animation of Oswald's tail transformation showcases the animators' skill with fluid motion. The mechanical movements of the oil rig were carefully animated to appear realistic while maintaining the cartoon aesthetic. The film successfully maintains consistent character design and movement quality throughout, which was challenging given the limited resources of early animation studios.
Music
As a silent film, 'Oil's Well' would have been accompanied by live musical performance in theaters. The typical score would have included popular songs of 1929 and classical pieces selected to match the on-screen action. The music would have been provided by either the theater's organist or pianist, who would improvise or use cue sheets provided by the studio. The romantic canoe scenes would have featured slower, melodic pieces, while the chaotic moments with the oil rig would have been accompanied by faster, more frantic music. No original composed score exists for this short.
Famous Quotes
(Silent film - no dialogue, but Oswald's expressive gestures and reactions communicate his emotions throughout)
Memorable Scenes
- The iconic scene where Oswald transforms his tail into a functional outboard motor, spinning rapidly to propel the canoe away from the dangerous oil rig, showcasing both his ingenuity and the surreal physics of rubber hose animation.
Did You Know?
- Oswald the Lucky Rabbit was originally created by Walt Disney and Ub Iwerks before being lost to Universal in a contract dispute
- Walter Lantz took over production of Oswald cartoons in 1929, making this one of his earliest works with the character
- The girlfriend character in this cartoon appears to be a cat-like design, distinct from later Oswald love interests
- This was released during the same year as the first Academy Awards ceremony and the stock market crash
- The use of Oswald's tail as a propeller or motor became a recurring gag in the series
- Oswald cartoons were among the first to use rubber hose animation style, giving characters fluid, flexible movements
- The oil rig theme reflected the growing importance of oil in American industry during the 1920s
- Universal distributed Oswald cartoons as part of their comedy package, often alongside live-action shorts
- This short was likely animated by a small team of 3-5 artists, typical for the era
- The film was created before the widespread adoption of Technicolor in animation
What Critics Said
Contemporary reviews of Oswald cartoons in trade publications like Variety and The Moving Picture World were generally positive, praising the character's charm and the technical quality of the animation. Critics noted the smooth animation and inventive gags that characterized the Universal shorts. Modern animation historians recognize 'Oil's Well' and other Oswald shorts as important stepping stones in the development of American animation, though they are often overshadowed by Disney's later work with Mickey Mouse. The film is appreciated today for its historical significance and its place in Walter Lantz's early career.
What Audiences Thought
The Oswald cartoons were popular with theater audiences in 1929, serving as reliable comedy entertainment before feature films. Children particularly enjoyed Oswald's adventures and the visual gags that didn't require dialogue. The character's mischievous personality and clever solutions to problems resonated with viewers during a time of rapid technological change. While specific audience data for individual shorts wasn't collected in this era, the continued production of Oswald cartoons indicates strong commercial reception.
Film Connections
Influenced By
- Felix the Cat cartoons
- Disney's early Oswald shorts
- Mickey Mouse cartoons
- Harold Lloyd comedy films
- Buster Keaton physical comedy
This Film Influenced
- Later Walter Lantz Oswald cartoons
- Woody Woodpecker shorts
- Tom and Jerry cartoons
- Looney Tunes shorts
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Film Restoration
The film exists in archival collections and has been preserved by various animation archives. Some copies may show signs of deterioration typical of nitrate film from this era. The short has been included in DVD collections of Oswald cartoons and is available through animation preservation societies.