Ub Iwerks's Flip the Frog series of cartoons was short lived, only lasting from 1930 to 1933. On the most part the Flip the Frog cartoons are not great or cartoon/animated masterpieces and it is sort of understandable as to why Flip didn't make it bigger. However they are far from terrible ones either and do hold some interest, enough of them even being good. Despite not being historically significant like 'Fiddlesticks' was, 'The Office Boy' for me is among the best Flip the Frog cartoons, as well as being one of the original and easily the series at its most unexpectedly erotic. It is a very good cartoon, it is not perfect but there are things here that improve quite a bit and done much better than many other Flip the Frog cartoons.A lot of good things in 'The Office Boy'. The animation is very good good, with beautifully detailed backgrounds, nice shading and characters that aren't drawn too crudely. The music makes even more of an impact, it is lushly and cleverly orchestrated, full of lively energy and not only adds brilliantly to the action it enhances it. There are more sight gags than a good deal of Flip the Frog cartoons, and they are very creative, beautifully timed and can be quite risqué at times. Maybe not always hilarious but they are some of the best gags of the series easily. There is a nice natural charm, a good deal of zest and it is certainly among the least sentimental Flip the Frog cartoons, which is a good thing.Characters are lively, the sexy secretary is very memorable and Flip's interaction with her is both charming and sensual. The atmosphere is what sets 'The Office Boy' apart from the rest of the series, there is a remarkably sensual and erotic feel that one doesn't expect at all from a Flip the Frog cartoons or from Iwerks. The pacing is never dull.Flip is a bit bland still though, he never was one of animation's most compelling, most interesting or personality-filled lead characters. The atmosphere and supporting characters more than make up for the slightness of the story.Otherwise, this is very good and one of Flip's best. 8/10 Bethany Cox

CAST: "Mickey Mouse", "Minnie Mouse", "E.P. Dunkwasser, president of the X.Y.Z. Railroad", "Mrs E.P. Dunkwasser", "a managerial visitor", "a tycoon visitor".Story: John Foster, Harry Bailey. Song, "You're a Fascinating Baby".Copyright 23 November 1930 by Pathe Exchange, Inc. An Aesop Sound Fable. 1 reel.COMMENT: This blatant rip-off of Disney's Mouse is indeed a fascinating effort. Not only quaint but fast-paced and visually well-stocked with neat gags. The superbly integrated music score is an outstandingly entertaining bonus. If the intention was to up-stage Walt, the mostly anonymous makers of this little black-and-white cartoon have succeeded brilliantly.

The Office Boy (1932) *** (out of 4)Flip the Frog walks into the Nuts and Bolts factory where he flirts with the secretary before interviewing for a job. He ends up getting the job but then chaos follows.Here's another good short from the series by Ub Iwerks that once again manages to take a pretty good character in Flip and put him in a fun situation. The one thing that really stands out about this series is the animation, which looks terrific in its B&W. I really loved how simple all of the animation is but it's done in a very realistic way that makes you enjoy the atmosphere and the setting. The highlight here is a scene where a cat is chasing a mouse and runs through a fan.

This short is nothing terribly special-it hasn't aged well, the characters aren't very memorable and the "plot" is thinner than rice paper. There are some nice visual gags, though, and the technical aspects are quite good (understandably so-if Ub Iwerks was involved, technical merit is a given), even if Flip the Frog is about as dull as a butter knife. Still worth a look, particularly if you like excellent animation.