According to IMDb, this is a silent cartoon though I noticed various sound effects and a sort of voice for some of the characters. I assume that like many cartoons from the late 20s that sound was added later--a very common thing once "Steamboat Willie" made a name for Disney. In fact, Disney himself went to his two previous Mickey Mouse cartoons and added sound to them ("Plane Crazy" and "Galloping Gauchos"). So, don't be surprised if you, too, notice that this is a partially sound cartoon.I've seen several other early Felix cartoons and have found that they were among the very best of the time. Much of this is because the character so often the 'fourth wall'--stepping out of the cartoon so to speak. While this occurs in other films, the Felix ones do it almost constantly--making them very goofy fun. For example, Felix sees the musical notes as characters sing and he grabs them and uses them in various funny ways.The plot involves Felix sneaking between Romeo and Juliet. Felix is determined to win the fair Juliet himself and battles his to do it. As for Juliet, she seems pretty content either way! Overall, a lot of silly and imaginative fun.
... View MoreFelix the Cat as Romeow is funny from beginning to end! The best one I've seen so far. It begins as Felix is riding his bike to a fair maiden's castle. When he arrives, the smoke from his bike carries him to the fair maiden's balcony. While Felix woos with his banjo, his rival is on his way on his horse. As he arrives, he challenges Felix to a duel but not before he squeezes his horse like an accordion! They use swords. Felix manages to cast his rival's sword out so the rival uses an ostrich's beak instead! After that ends, Felix wanders out and comes to a flower, blows its petals out and turns it into a microphone! He sings to it which comes out of the fair maiden's phonograph. A duck comes behind Felix and quacks into the mic causing the fair maiden to use some kind of medicine to feed her speaker and Felix to tie the duck's beak with a handkerchief! The duck goes to his father who unties the handkerchief which then becomes a rabbit that hops away! The duck's father than tries to confront Felix who keeps kicking him away. The father duck then uses the mic to preen as if looking in a mirror! Then a donkey comes and licks the mic before dropping it. Then a mouse comes and turns the mic into a unicycle! Felix then goes back to the castle and uses the tire from his bike as some kind of viewfinder to eye his maiden. He climbs back up to find the maiden and his rival in embrace. He then finds two megaphone shaped things and uses one of them to shrink his rival to mouse size! Felix then embraces the maiden as we iris out. I'm sure there are some gags I've neglected to mention but trust me: This short is quite hilarious! It's also nearly perfectly synchronized with sound effects and music which I'm thinking came from a reissue since it came from a year that The Jazz Singer was just premiering. By all means, seek this one out!
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