This is Disney's take on the classic tale of Mr. Toad and his wild adventures. Good animation, especially on the motorcars and some fun stuff on the misadventures Mr. Toad brings to his friends. The excitement and suspense were subpar overall, though. Not too much to laugh about, but, not a bad movie short.

Originally part of the movie The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad, this condensed version of the Kenneth Grahame novel tells the story of madcap Mr. Toad's obsession with the newfangled automobile and how his friends try to help him. It's a fun, well-paced cartoon with lots of humor and action. The courtroom scene is a treat. It features the talented voice work of Eric Blore, Pat O'Malley, Claude Allister, Campbell Grant, Colin Campbell, and the great Basil Rathbone as narrator. The music is lively and cheerful. The animation is just gorgeous! The characters and backgrounds are beautifully-drawn and the Technicolor is so rich it's a feast for the eyes. Classic Disney animation was so attractive and so much fun to watch. This is a perfect example of that.

This is a very under appreciated Disney classic short. Charming and cute with delightful characters, I'd definitely recommend it. The story treatment is both fun and tense in turn. And of course the animation is just beautiful. One of my personal favorite parts is when Toad becomes so enamored with the first "motorcar" he sees that he begins sputtering too. And of course Basil Rathborn as the narrator is an inspired choice. Listen for sweet, funny songs and a nice score, a trademark of any good Disney film. As for those who comment about the length, it should be remembered that Walt Disney originally planned this as a feature length film. It was due to budget problems and a smaller staff because of World War II that it had to be shortened. When you keep that in mind it's really quite remarkable what they did. For a longer movie (and an extra story as the second half which is quite delightful) watch this in its original format as The Adventures of Ichabod Crane and Mr. Toad. Ichabod and the narrator are voiced by none other than Bing Crosbey. Such a treat when watched together as Disney intended.

While the story does drag in places, this is a lively and cute animated cartoon based on a truly great book. It mayn't be the best adaptation of the book, that goes to the animated film with Rik Mayall as the voice of Toad, but it is so worthwhile. It is for one thing lovingly animated, with some beautiful backgrounds and lovely colours. The music is also terrific, with some lyrical, rousing and fun themes that are certainly memorable. The story while understandably condensed is still effective, and the scripting is good. The voice acting is very expressive, with Basil Rathbone who I best know as Sherlock Holmes brilliant as the narrator and Eric Blore a lot of fun as Toad, who is just as rascally as he is in the book. I also liked Badger, the gruff and firm character who in the book tries to make Toad change his ways and Cyril, the horse. Plus the courtroom scene is hilarious. Overall, a fun and worthwhile cartoon. 9/10 Bethany Cox