Directed by Chuck Jones, "Old Glory" is a wonderful Warner Bros. cartoon starring our favorite pig Porky. This cartoon is quite unique for one very simple reason: there is absolutely no humor! Porky is a schoolboy who struggles to recite the Pledge of Allegiance and eventually gives up when his speech impairment gets the best of him. But just then, Uncle Sam appears and, through a series of flashbacks, calmly and gently instructs Porky about a little American history so that he may understand why it is important to learn the Pledge of Allegiance. Porky learns a fair amount concerning the Revolutionary War days, and with a fantastic music score by Carl Stalling, the most memorable and exciting flashback sequence is that of Paul Revere warning his fellow colonists of the British army's approach. By the end of this short, Porky wises up and, with a little stuttering, successfully recites the Pledge of Allegiance.
If I only had one concern about "Old Glory," it's the fact that this cartoon attempts to capsulate the history of the United States of America within a brief nine minutes; Uncle Sam's talk about the Americans' migration to the West is especially brief and ends quite abruptly. Nevertheless, "Old Glory" is undoubtedly a memorable film that really touches Porky's heart as he learns about American history. Part of the charm and brilliance of this cartoon is the presence of such important Americans as Paul Revere, Patrick Henry, George Washington, and a statue of Abraham Lincoln. Equally astonishing are the authentically reproduced signatures of John Hancock (for the Declaration of American Independence) and George Washington (for the Constitution of the United States).
If I only had one concern about "Old Glory," it's the fact that this cartoon attempts to capsulate the history of the United States of America within a brief nine minutes; Uncle Sam's talk about the Americans' migration to the West is especially brief and ends quite abruptly. Nevertheless, "Old Glory" is undoubtedly a memorable film that really touches Porky's heart as he learns about American history. Part of the charm and brilliance of this cartoon is the presence of such important Americans as Paul Revere, Patrick Henry, George Washington, and a statue of Abraham Lincoln. Equally astonishing are the authentically reproduced signatures of John Hancock (for the Declaration of American Independence) and George Washington (for the Constitution of the United States).