The Three Caballeros (1945)

Written by Homer Brightman, et al.
Directed by Norman Ferguson

This second of six “package films” produced by Walt Disney in the 1940’s is a continuation of the theme of the film that preceeds it; Walt and his animators were asked to go be ambassadors for the United States in South America, and to create projects that helped to blend both cultures. While Saludos Amigos focused primarily on the southern portion of South America, The Three Caballeros spans the entire continent, even reaching the bottom of the globe.

“The Cold-Blooded Penguin”

So cute!

Coming off the artistic (if not always financial) successes of films like Pinocchio, Dumbo, or Bambi, the sudden change in the style of animation here is a bit jarring. The animation certainly feels in the style of the animated shorts the Studio was still producing, not something intended for a feature.

This segment is short and sweet, featuring a penguin who, unlike his neighbors in Antarctica, is cold-blooded, and desires to live somewhere warmer. It’s a cute, fun, and inventive little segment, and who doesn’t like penguins??

Segment Grade: B+

“The Flying Gauchito”

Yup…a donkey with wings. Nothing to see here.

Another short segment, this one is a little weirder, with a forgetful narrator attempting to tell his own story. The weirdest portion is a little burro (named Burrito, which...is just unfair, considering I can’t eat them right now), who also happens to have wings. Burrito and his gauchito enter a race, but after winning, it’s revealed that Burrito has wings, and then the two of them fly away and that’s the end.

Yes, really. It’s THAT abrupt. I’m not really sure what to make of it, but Burrito was cutely animated, so I’ll be a bit lenient.

Segment Grade: B

“Baía”

Aurora Miranda dances with Donald and José

So, first things first: NO, DONALD HAS NOT BEEN TO BAÍA, JOSÉ CARIOCA, STOP ASKING HIM EVERY FIVE SECONDS.

I like José. After meeting Panchito Pistoles later in this film, I find myself preferring José to Panchito, but they are both fun characters.

The animation in this sequence has some great, and not so great, moments. The chalk-style animation of the train journey is really well done. However, once the animation begins mixing with live action, the animation quality plummets. Granted, it’s clear that it’s being projected behind the live-action performers, but there’s an instant fuzziness or graininess that appears every time a real person enters the frame. It IS the 1940’s, however, and the quality is still better than Walt’s early Alice Comedies.

Segment Grade: B

“Las Posadas”

The history of piñatas, beautifully told

This is a short, fun little segment that introduces Panchito and tells the story of the Mexican tradition of children reenacting the journey of Mary and Joseph to find shelter, as well as teaching what a piñata is. The storybook-style pictures are quite charming, and the explosion of images once Donald opens his piñata is eye-catching.

Segment Grade: B

“Mexico: Pátzcuaro, Veracruz, and Acapulco”

The Three Caballeros and their human costars

There’s lots of live action in this segment (and, indeed, the rest of the film), and one VERY twitter-patted duck. There isn’t a lot for me to comment on, as the animation is simply the Three Caballeros themselves animated over live action, but the integration of the elements is really very clever (the girls launching Donald with a beach blanket, over and over, was pretty impressive).

Segment Grade: B

“You Belong to My Heart”

Dora Luz sings to a twitter patted Donald

The theme of Donald being in love (really, now, what does Daisy think about all this?!) carries over into the next segment, where Donald is entranced by singer Dora Luz. The animation here is minimal, and seems more like a placeholder to get the audience to the next, and final, segment.

Segment Grade: C

“Donald’s Surreal Reverie”

The Three Caballeros

This final segment features more animation than live action, and that animation, while not bad, isn’t really anything to write home about. There are various gags involving shape-shifting cacti, and the Three Caballeros band together again for the short final song, but overall, it almost feels like an “everything-and-the-kitchen-sink” mentality towards the end.

Segment Grade: B-

Overall, I liked this film less than I did Saludos Amigos. The animation, on the whole, is not impressive, or even, at times, downright messy (especially whenever a real person appears on the screen). A couple fun early segments don’t save this film from feeling mediocre, at best.

FINAL GRADE: C+