Parade of the Wooden Soldiers (1933) User Reviews

This Boop Cartoon Was For The Little Ones

[ccthemovieman-1 · 6/10 · 3 April 2007]

Once again, we hear and see Rubinoff playing the violin to open up this Betty Boop cartoon. He plays soft, quiet music as an introduction until Betty gives ups her "oop, oop be doop" opening. Then we get to the story, where we first see big-city buildings, all linked to a toy factory, producing a mystery package that is transported by a small train and then by a plane. Eventually, it is dropped down a chimney to a magical house with wooden soldiers. Inside the box is Betty, in toy-soldier form! The wooden soldiers come to life, play the trumpets and all the toys come to life.

From that point, it's a lot of song and dance until a big ape comes to life and tries to harm Betty. That's when the soldiers come to the rescue! In all, nothing super and geared a lot more to little kids.

Screening this brief cartoon for your tots, tykes and toddlers is an excellent way . . .

[cricket30 · 8/10 · 6 February 2020]

. . . to teach them the crucial role that firearms should play in EVERY American Life. During PARADE OF THE WOODEN SOLDIERS, a murderous gorilla kidnaps Our Homeland's sweetheart--Betty B.--with the intention of beheading her, in order to affix Betty's noggin to another individual whom this malicious monster already has decapitated. As Betty inches toward her prospective pernicious pruning by means of the whirring blade of a circular saw, a phalanx of riflemen put their marksmanship skills to good use by defanging the spinning Circle of Death. Though PARADE OF THE WOODEN SOLDIERS constitutes just one of countless examples available to illustrate the necessity of arming each and every U.S. citizen to the teeth with a myriad of gats great and small, its biggest value is its surefire appeal to our youngest minds during their formative years. Unfortunately, many of these kids live in financially challenged households lacking the resources to provide even a couple of military-style assault rifles for their families. (When it comes to a choice between packing heat or providing three daily meals, some short-sighted parents have been known to choose the latter option!) So please watch PARADE OF THE WOODEN SOLDIERS, and THEN generously support your local chapter of BANGS (Broke Americans Need Gun Stamps)!

She's a Christmas Gift

[Hitchcoc · 8/10 · 9 December 2018]

For some reason, Berry is shipped to a toy shop, where there is every kind of toy of the day, including a big set of toy soldiers. She is a queen to these characters and there is lots of prancing and dancing (an, let's face it, Betty is very sexy). Like so many of this era's cartoons, it ends with a gorilla attacking everyone and kidnapping Betty. Of course, they will try to rescue her. I couldn't help but note the toy of the little black kid, eating watermelon. It stands out so prominently in this day and age.

Toys coming to life with Betty Boop

[TheLittleSongbird · 8/10 · 10 January 2017]

Not one of the best Betty Boop cartoons, not by a long shot. Still a fine cartoon in many ways, and while very kid-oriented that shouldn't put adults off from seeing it.

Fleischer were responsible for some brilliant cartoons, some of them still among my favourites. Their visual style was often stunning and some of the most imaginative and ahead of its time in animation. The character of Betty Boop, one of their most famous and prolific characters, may not be for all tastes and sadly not as popular now, but her sex appeal was quite daring for the time and to me there is an adorable sensual charm about her. That charm, sensuality and adorable factor is not lost anywhere in 'Parade of the Wooden Soldiers'.

As ever in a Betty Boop cartoon, the animation is still incredibly good, the detail is immaculate, there are the typical imaginative moments (especially with the toys) and everything is beautifully drawn. Every bit as good and even better is the music, which is full of energy and lyrical elegance, and accessible to anybody. The supporting characters are good enough (if perhaps a little too many), while the voice acting suits the characters and cartoon well. The story is very thin structurally and may feel saccharine and cutesy for some, but paced in an efficient way that still makes 'Parade of the Wooden Soldiers' engaging.

While there are Betty Boop cartoons that are more surreal, 'Parade of the Wooden Soldiers' is one of the most risqué of the 1933 bunch of her cartoons, and boasts some imaginative visuals, humorous gags (like with the chimney) and clever touches like the ending. A lot of fun throughout.

On the whole, not a favourite of the Betty Boop cartoons but still with a lot to like. 8/10 Bethany Cox

This one is strictly for the little kids.

[planktonrules · 3/10 · 22 September 2013]

Like so many early Betty Boop cartoons, there is a guest musician who is shown at the beginning of the short. In this case, you see Rubinoff and His Orchestra performing a bit of the music for the cartoon.

In this cartoon, Betty is dropped into a toy shop (literally) where she and the toys all sing and dance. Unfortunately, a nasty gorilla doll comes alive and begins destroying things. So, it's up to the toy soldiers to organize a counter-strike and save poor Bett.

As far as "Parade of the Wooden Soldiers" goes, I heartily agree with the other reviewer who thought it was designed for little kids. I cannot honestly see teens or adults sitting through this sort of drivel and I am pretty sure when it debuted, a lot of folks too bathroom and snack bar breaks during this film! It's just so gosh-darn saccharine and has absolutely no laughs at all. So, despite great animation, I really couldn't recommend this one.

Very good pre-Code cartoon with more than a few risqué jokes

[llltdesq · 8/10 · 8 August 2015]

This is a cartoon in the Betty Boop series produced by Fleischer studio. There will be spoilers ahead:

This is, in many ways, a "typical" Fleischer short from the early 1930s, if there is such a thing. It's a touch surreal and there are risqué elements which would mostly go over the heads of children but would amuse adults.

The short begins with Rubinoff and His Orchestra in a live action shot as the musicians playing the score. The animation begins with a series of interconnected buildings "giving their all" so that a toy factory can produce a single package. The buildings deflate in turn, the toy factory doing so once the package is disgorged and sent on its way.

The toy is shown on various vehicles of transportation, finally dropped by an airplane (a nice gag with the chimney and with the flames in the fireplace as the package winds up in a toy shop). Betty is in the package, as a toy-sized doll, short skirt, garter and all. The toy soldiers spring to attention and music begins as the toys go to greet Betty.

There are risqué sight gags scattered throughout the toys marching to see Betty. A street cleaner toy marches behind toy elephants, two adult toy rabbits multiply out of sight in a tunnel and a dog follows a toy hydrant, for example. Betty serenades the toys with a song and rockets are fired off in her honor. One of the rockets disturbs a King Kong-like rag doll and it goes on a rampage. It pulls the head off a black-face toy eating watermelon (there are several ethnic caricatures in here) and goes searching for a suitable replacement head.

Betty, meanwhile, has been enthroned and made a queen by the other toys. The ape spots her and decides her head is what is needed. Betty is kidnapped by the ape and the toys spring into action, effectively declaring war on the ape and trying to rescue Betty. Ultimately, the ape is beaten, Betty is rescued (not without damage to her dress, which is shown in another risqué gag toward the end) and a closing parade is shown, with toys seen earlier, with clear damage and attempts at repair obvious. The ending is clever.

This short is in The Definitive Betty Boop Collection and is well worth seeing. Recommended.

Toy Story in the 1930s

[Horst_In_Translation · 4/10 · 13 August 2015]

"Parade of the Wooden Soldiers" is a Betty Boop cartoon from over 80 years ago. It has sound, is black-and-white (as almost all of her cartoons) and runs for 8 minutes, a minute longer than cartoons usually did back then. Dave Fleischer and Seymour Kneitel are the directors and both, especially the former, belong to the most lauded cartoon makers of their era. There is always something weird and enigmatic to these Betty Boop cartoons and this one is no exception. Sadly it is not really as funny as I would have liked. My favorite scene is probably the short one with the bunnies disappearing and reappearing very differently than they went in. In 1933, the (still today) popular movie "King Kong" came out, so it's probably not a coincidence that the antagonist here is a big gorilla and Betty plays a sort-of Fay Wray character. Interesting reference, but not enough to let me recommend it.