The Spirit of '43

1943
5.3| 0h6m| NR| en
Details

Donald Duck deals with income taxes and their benefit to the American war effort in this inspirational documentary short animated film.

Director

Producted By

Walt Disney Productions

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Reviews

Beanbioca As Good As It Gets
Spoonatects Am i the only one who thinks........Average?
MusicChat It's complicated... I really like the directing, acting and writing but, there are issues with the way it's shot that I just can't deny. As much as I love the storytelling and the fantastic performance but, there are also certain scenes that didn't need to exist.
Murphy Howard I enjoyed watching this film and would recommend other to give it a try , (as I am) but this movie, although enjoyable to watch due to the better than average acting fails to add anything new to its storyline that is all too familiar to these types of movies.
TheLittleSongbird My love for animation, Disney and Donald Duck were what drew me to seeing The Spirit of 43 in the first place. While it is a good and interesting short, I can definitely see why some people and children will dislike it today. Some of it, as it takes on difficult and important issues of the time- something that may come across as dated now-, does get a little too heavy-handed- though also well-intended- and the pace can feel dull due to the serious rather than entertaining nature(though considering the subject it in evaluation couldn't have been any other way). However, the animation is great with good detail and colour, and interestingly Donald's counterpoint looks like an early version of Scrooge McDuck. The war images are very well done and do make their point, if perhaps somewhat too obviously. The music is rousing and dynamic and the story is unique and of good historical interest. The two ducks(Donald and the thrifty) are very strongly characterised and interact very well.In conclusion, The Spirit of 43 is an interesting Disney short, and made well. But it is more for historical rather than entertainment value, and some- while acknowledging how it would have been received back in 1943 where it would have been more relevant- may find it dull, heavy-handed and dated today. 7/10 Bethany Cox
MartinHafer In 1943, this cartoon was an excellent positive propaganda piece discussing the importance of savings and income tax to help America beat the Axis. It made a dull topic a little more palatable to audiences of the day. However, when seen today, it probably seems very, very heavy-handed and pretty dull, as Donald Duck is not particularly evident above all the propaganda. Yeah, he IS there, but he's so overshadowed by the material, that little kids would absolutely hate the film today,...as would most others. Now from a historical point of view, this IS still worth seeing and it does give us an excellent view of the times.
travisimo No wonder I didn't like this cartoon when I was a kid! It centers on Donald Duck trying to decide whether to spend his paycheck on a night out or by saving it up to pay taxes for the war effort. Same old cartoon story, isn't it?! But now as a grownup and as a Donald fan, I can appreciate The Spirit of ‘43's unique storyline and its historical implications. It's just so weird to see childhood characters delve into issues like war and taxes. I just can't see Spongebob Squarepants doing an episode on terrorism.After Donald's segment the cartoon takes an even more serious turn highlighting some of the warplanes and weaponry that would be used to destroy the `Axis,' as they put it. It's also kind of shocking to see animation of Nazi planes and weaponry. There are some serious issues discussed in this cartoon!Nevertheless, this is a very interesting cartoon. Donald's still a loveable character, just in a very grown-up and serious circumstance. Another stark image is that of the swastika to symbolize the evils of spending recklessly instead of supporting our troops. I also enjoyed hearing the narrator's take on the situation including this statement that I'll paraphrase, `Every American should, and look forward to, paying their taxes.' Let that be a lesson to you kids!My IMDb Rating: 8/10
rbverhoef In this Donald Duck short Donald Duck has a dilemma. Spend his money or save it to pay tax and help the American soldiers who are fighting in WW-II. It is an aggressive short and although the Americans were the good guys I don't like propaganda like this. A cartoon character must be used only to entertain and not for political statements. 5/10.