Mickey: The Story of a Mouse - Dizzying Disney History Ride Needs More Walt... Among Other Things
By John Kirk
Rating: B-
In Mickey: The Story of a Mouse, director Jeff Malmberg (Marwencol, Won't You Be My Neighbor?) tells us a story of Mickey Mouse’s life.
He’s the eternal plucky underdog, the “little guy” who always manages to overcome adversity through hard work and gumption, and who has maintained this outlook for over 90 years.
It’s mentioned in the film that it’s difficult to separate Mickey Mouse from his creator, Walt Disney, but Malmberg tries. But that may be a wrong turn. Arguably, when looking at Mickey, we really need to look at Walt as well.
The film begins with loving tributes from various animators, cast performers, or guests who have grown up with Mickey and who gush over how much this mouse means to them. It’s not always clear who these people are or what their connection to the Mouse is. But then the audience is treated to adorable family memories and videos or still photos of children meeting Mickey in the park for very first time.
It sets the mood for an emotionally resonant recounting of Mickey’s appeal, one that those of us who have visited Disneyland can relate to.
We get a little history (emphasis on little) with a brief look at Walt Disney’s humble origins, living on the family farm of Marceline, Missouri; how Walt always tried to finish his chores early so he could sit under the “Dreaming Tree” and draw whatever passed within his field of vision.
Then we are hurried to Disney’s early studio days when he created – and lost - the character of “Oswald Rabbit”, his first creation, which was taken from him by Universal Studios. From this brief but interesting nugget of history, we then move into the evolution of Mickey’s appearance over the years.
Modern day Disney animator Eric Goldberg
Much like the nature of the park which Mickey calls home, the film is a glossed-over and superficial history. It briefly looks at the decades and how the features shifted from having no pupils, the shape of his head, his clothes and then his heroic nature.
Mickey could never be seen as losing his temper or acting violently, and of course that brought about the necessity for Donald Duck.
But throughout this brief look at the evolution of the Mouse, there are mentions of how a particular development mirrored that of a personal experience in Disney’s life. Instead of focusing on that event, the film quickly moves on.
It’s much like being trapped on a ride that takes you past exhibits with informational plaques that you don’t have time to read.
While it could be argued that the film’s goal is to talk about Mickey and not Walt, the audience is frequently reminded that Walt’s voice, Walt’s beliefs and Walt’s personality are what Mickey is based on. And it’s frustrating to not stop and spend a little more time to learn about those moments in Walt’s life that prompted the evolution of Mickey’s character.
Mickey Mouse is an American pop cultural icon who has been exported as an essential part of that culture to countries around the world. We see a mention that the Fascist powers of World War II prohibited images of Mickey because he represented freedom, despite being a particular favourite character of Adolf Hitler.
He is featured in an illustrated story in a concentration camp. Twenty years later, Mickey is on t-shirts worn by the Vietnamese during that conflict. We see Mickey in children’s daycares in Eastern European nations – who are then sued for copyright infringement.
This is an area that the film does well. In exploring that international appeal, we see Mickey described by non-Americans as a loving, warm figure who they genuinely believed in as children. Mickey was not just a cartoon figure, but a friend who they loved and welcomed around the world.
The film is clear in its assertion of the emotional value that Mickey Mouse has for his fans. The cameos by the previously mentioned unidentified fans and employees do get the message across that Disneyland is a magical place and Mickey is the ambassador of that special nature. When Make-a-Wish children meet him, it’s a magical moment that can never be fully communicated.
Animators describe their work creating a short film that takes us through a quick story of the physical changes of modern-day Mickey all the way back to his appearance in “Steamboat Willie.” It serves as a fun way to see how much appeal he holds for professionals.
However, we don’t know these people – and we should, for their stories see Mickey through their eyes. The film’s audience doesn’t know why they love him so much. What was the event? Tell us their stories as well.
This is similar to how the film fails to fully communicate the relationship between creator and creation. If Man and Mouse are so alike, then not going into the details of how they are similar devalues Mickey’s development to the status of a Wikipedia article.
An instance of this would be the times when Mickey performed in black face; took liberties with Minnie that she clearly said no, or other moments in his history when it was clear that Mickey didn’t love everyone as he was supposed to. How much of this reflected Disney’s own personal opinions? Yet, the ride still must continue onwards, and we are left looking backwards, with questions and wondering.
However, like the trappings of the parks, the artistry in the films, we are distracted, and our attentions are drawn to what we want to see: Mickey, with his arms outstretched and welcoming us into the best hug of our lives.
We all want to love Mickey.
Mickey: The Story of a Mouse. Directed by Jeff Malmberg. Stars Mickey Mouse, Walt Disney and Andy Warhol. Debuts of Disney TV+ on Friday, November 18.