While it can't help being compared to "Fantasia" or other anthology films before it, "Melody Time" still has enough charm to hold it's own. The segments are better executed than "Make Mine Music", and the animation's matched up better to the music. Segments like "Johnny Appleseed", "The Samba", "Bumblebee", and "Pecos Bill" are all great by themselves, let alone as part of one film. For the final anthology film released by Disney, they did a pretty good job. Some segments were better than others, I'm looking at you "Trees" and "Wintertime", but the good outweighs the bad. I know the next film Disney did could also be classified as an anthology film, but I wouldn't consider 2 stories told back-to-back an "anthology", so to me, this is the last one.

Seven animated musical shorts from Walt Disney (with some live-action interspersed) include themes of young love and the wonders of nature. Highlights are the raucous "Pecos Bill" segment and the story of "Johnny Appleseed". Obviously, "Melody Time" was a holding-pattern release for the studio while they completed their more high-profile pictures. Certainly it is filled with gorgeous color, animated grandeur, and old-fashioned songs, but it's considered to be one of Disney's lesser efforts, and for good reason. The lack of a strong theme, matched with Disney's penchant for cuteness, may cause some non-Disney buffs to start squirming after thirty minutes or so. Pretty much interchangeable with "Make Mine Music", which was released in 1946. **1/2 from ****

Throughout the 40's, Walt had a great problems with staff and money issues thanks to the Second World War and had to produce cheap films containing short stories. But most of them were good like "Saludos Amigos" (1943), "The Three Caballeros" (1945) and "Make Mine Music" (1946). "Fun and Fancy Free" (1947) proved that the gloss was starting to wear off but still provided good entertainment but with "Melody Time" (1948), you could tell that the studio was starting to head into trouble! I afraid this is lame, boring, clichéd, over-used and dweary. It starts yet again with Donald Duck (he's a very great character most of the time but let's just face it: back in the late 1940's he was just been over-exposed! It's now just overkill!) starting with a silly dance with will give nobody any pleasure or interest whatsoever. Then it all turns into a bunch of flat stories which tries hard to recapture the charm and the wit the Three Caballeros had but fails miserably. One or two of the shorts are worth watching but overall, they boring and same-old! No even an appearance from Jose Carioca, possibly one of Walt's best characters from the 40's could save this one! If you are a Disney enthusiast and wants to wonder all of Walt's work than this will do but for everybody else DON'T BOTHER because they is so much better other Disney films out there (like "Lady and the Tramp" and "The Sword in the Stone"). I'm sad to break it to Walt with all his financial problems at the time but this truly does suck!2/10

One thing children don't have anymore is appreciation for (or even knowledge of) legendary American heroes, whether fictional, exaggerated, or real. Public "schools" have even gotten in the habit of eradicating our Founding Fathers from American History. Here in this wondrous Walt Disney classic the Magic Paintbrush will take us back to the days of Johnny Appleseed, Paul Bunyon, Pecos Bill and others. I'm writing this from fond memory of having seen it 55 years ago. I remember it well. If me and the wife go to a movie this weekend, one thing is certain: If we successfully choose the very best movie at the multiplex we will have forgotten it by the next day. Hollywood simply does not make quality movies anymore. Cars? It wasn't bad; but who will remember it in 5 weeks let alone 50 years? Melody Time was Walt Disney at his low ebb. He would soon regain his reputation with Cinderella, Peter Pan and Treasure Island. Disney at his low ebb beats the pants off today's Hollywood at their very best.