The Mite Makes Right

Plot

The Mite Makes Right tells the story of Tom Thumb, a tiny boy no bigger than his father's thumb, who embarks on various adventures using his small size to his advantage. After being accidentally swallowed by a cow and later escaping, Tom demonstrates that even the smallest person can make a big difference. The film follows Tom as he helps his impoverished family by using his unique size to outsmart thieves and find treasure. Through clever thinking and bravery, the miniature hero proves that size doesn't matter when it comes to courage and resourcefulness. The story culminates with Tom becoming celebrated in his community for his heroic deeds, showing that even the mite can make right.

Historical Background

The film was produced in post-World War II America, when the animation industry was transitioning from wartime production back to peacetime entertainment. 1948 saw the rise of television as a new medium, which would soon challenge theatrical shorts. Terrytoons, like other animation studios, was producing content primarily for theatrical distribution before the television market became dominant. The fairy tale genre was particularly popular during this period as audiences sought wholesome family entertainment after the war years. The animation industry was also dealing with labor issues and the beginnings of the McCarthy era, which would later affect many in Hollywood.

Making Of

Bill Tytla brought his extensive experience from Disney to Terrytoons, where he directed and animated on numerous shorts. The production of 'The Mite Makes Right' would have involved a team of animators, in-betweeners, and background artists working under Tytla's direction. Terrytoons was known for its more limited animation style compared to Disney, focusing on efficiency and quantity of output. The voice work would have been done by regular Terrytoons voice actors of the period, though specific credits are often lost to history. The music would have been composed by Philip Scheib, Terrytoons' longtime musical director, who created distinctive scores for hundreds of shorts.

Visual Style

The film utilized traditional cel animation techniques with painted backgrounds layered under character animation cels. The cinematography would have been handled through animation cameras that photographed each frame sequentially. The visual style would have reflected Terrytoons' characteristic approach: simpler than Disney but still professional and appealing. The animation likely used limited movement techniques to save on production costs while maintaining visual interest. Color would have been achieved through the Technicolor process, which was standard for major animation studios by 1948.

Innovations

While not groundbreaking in technical terms, the film represents the standard of professional animation production in the late 1940s. The use of cel animation with multiplane backgrounds (though simpler than Disney's) showed the industry's technical capabilities. The synchronization of animation with music and sound effects demonstrated the mature state of the animation medium by this time. The film's efficient production methods, typical of Terrytoons, showed how studios could maintain quality while working with smaller budgets than major competitors like Disney.

Music

The music was likely composed by Philip Scheib, Terrytoons' longtime musical director who scored hundreds of their shorts. Scheib was known for creating memorable, catchy themes that helped define Terrytoons' distinctive sound. The score would have been recorded with a small orchestra typical for animation shorts of the period. Sound effects would have been created using traditional methods, with foley artists providing the necessary audio elements. The voice work, while uncredited in many Terrytoons productions, would have been performed by studio regulars who could handle multiple character types.

Memorable Scenes

• Tom Thumb being accidentally swallowed by the cow and his clever escape
• Tom outsmarting the thieves by using his tiny size to his advantage
• The final celebration where Tom is hailed as a hero by his community

What Critics Said

Contemporary reviews of Terrytoons shorts were generally limited, as theatrical shorts often received little critical attention compared to feature films. The film likely received standard trade publication coverage noting its release date and basic information. Modern animation historians recognize Tytla's work at Terrytoons as interesting examples of how Disney-trained animators adapted to different studio styles and budgets. While not considered a masterpiece of animation, it's valued by collectors and animation enthusiasts as part of Terrytoons' output and Tytla's filmography.

What Audiences Thought

Theatrical shorts like 'The Mite Makes Right' were designed to entertain audiences between feature films, and Terrytoons had a reputation for producing reliable, if not spectacular, entertainment. Children would have been the primary audience for this fairy tale adaptation. The familiar story of Tom Thumb would have resonated with audiences who knew the classic tale, while the animated format made it accessible and engaging for younger viewers. Terrytoons' characters and stories were popular enough to sustain the studio for decades, indicating positive audience reception overall.

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