Ben and Meis an American animated two-reel short subject produced byWalt Disney Productionsand released theatrically on November 10, 1953.[1]It was adapted from thebook of the same namewritten by author/illustratorRobert Lawsonand first published in 1939. Though both book and film deal with the relationship between a mouse and AmericanFounding FatherBenjamin Franklin,the book, with illustrations by Lawson, focused more heavily on actual historical events and personages, and included incidents from Franklin's French career atVersailles.
| Ben and Me | |
|---|---|
 1989 VHS artwork | |
| Directed by | Hamilton Luske |
| Story by | Robert Lawson(novel) Bill Peet(screen story) Winston Hibler Del Connell Ted Sears(adaptation) |
| Produced by | Walt Disney |
| Starring | Sterling Holloway Charlie Ruggles Stan Freberg Hans Conried Bill Thompson Jimmy MacDonald |
| Narrated by | Sterling Holloway |
| Music by | Oliver Wallace |
| Animation by | Wolfgang Reitherman John Lounsbery Cliff Nordberg Marvin Woodward Hugh Fraser Eric Cleworth Ollie Johnston Hal King Les Clark Don Lusk Harvey Toombs Jerry Hathcook George Rowley (effects) |
| Layouts by | Al Zinnen Hugh Hennesy Thor Putnam |
| Backgrounds by | Al Dempster Thelma Witmer Dick Anthony |
Production company | |
| Distributed by | Buena Vista Film Distribution |
Release date |
|
Running time | 21 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
The short received anAcademy Awardnomination forBest Short Subject, Two-reel.[2]
This short was also notable for being the second release on theBuena Vista Distributionlabel, with the first beingToot, Whistle, Plunk and Boom,released on the same day. On its release,Ben and Mewas packaged with theTrue-Life AdventuredocumentaryThe Living Desert.When Disney's regular distributorRKO Radio Picturesresisted the idea of a full-length True-Life Adventure, Disney formed his own distribution company to handle future Disney releases.[3]
AD-TVmusic video was created in which the short was set toStevie Wonder'sFor Once in My Life.
Plot
editAt a statue ofBenjamin Franklin,a tour group leader is discussing to a group of children Franklin's great impact in American history. At the same time on the Franklin statue's head, the leader of a tour group of young mice reveals the contributions of a mouse named Amos (also immortalized as a statue on Franklin's hat) to Franklin's career, reading from Amos' diary, titledBen and Me.After describing the exploits of some of his ancestors, which includes one sailing on theMayflowerto come to America, Amos tells his own story.
The eldest of 26 siblings living in theChrist Church, Philadelphia,Amos sets out on his own in 1745 to find work and help his large family. Having no such luck, he takes shelter in Ben's shop from the bitter cold and snow and befriends the beleaguered printer, who is grave danger of having his press and all he owns repossessed by bill collectors. Amos inventsbifocalsfor Ben from his two broken pairs of glasses, and inspires him to create theFranklin stove.Amos also helps Ben turn his dry publication,Poor Richard's Almanack,into a successful newspaper, thePennsylvania Gazette;Amos acts as journalist to gather good stories and helps Ben operate theprinting press.As the years pass, Amos helps Ben advance socially and build his reputation.
Unfortunately, Ben makes Amos an unwitting test subject in his experiments withelectricity,culminating in him sending the mouse into the air as part of hiskite experiment.Amos is nearly killed when the kite is struck by lightning and crashes to the ground. Furious, he leaves Ben and moves back in with his family.
Years later, the early stages of theAmerican Revolutiontake place. Ben travels toEnglandto try to reason withthe kingand persuade an end to the taxes, but this proves a failure. When Amos sees Ben returning in despondence, one part of him has pity and wants to help, while the other part still unforgiving. In 1776, Ben finds Amos' hole at the church and begs him for his help. Amos agrees on the condition that Ben sign a contract agreeing to his terms. As Ben is reading the contract,Thomas Jeffersoncomes by, struggling with writing the introduction to theUnited States Declaration of Independence.The language in Amos' contract inspires Jefferson, and it becomes the Declaration's introduction. Amos accompanies Ben to the signing of the Declaration. The short ends with both tour groups stating how both man and mouse were truly great figures in American history.
Voice cast
edit- Sterling Hollowayas Amos Mouse
- Charlie RugglesasBenjamin Franklin
- Stan Frebergas mouse guide
- Bill ThompsonasGovernor Keith,and as the human tour guide
- Hans ConriedasThomas Jefferson,and as a criminal
- Jimmy MacDonaldas miscellaneous men[4]
Home media
editThe short was released on December 6, 2005, onWalt Disney Treasures: Disney Rarities - Celebrated Shorts: 1920s–1960s.[5]
Additional releases include:
- OnVHSunder theWalt Disney Mini-Classicslabel in 1989.
- On DVD in 2012 under theDisney Generations Collection.
References
edit- ^Lenburg, Jeff (1999).The Encyclopedia of Animated Cartoons.Checkmark Books. p. 153.ISBN0-8160-3831-7.
- ^Ben and MeatIMDb
- ^Mosley, Leonard.The Disney Films.Bonanza Books, 1978, pg. 115.
- ^Scott, Keith (3 October 2022).Cartoon Voices of the Golden Age, Vol. 2.BearManor Media. p. 592.
- ^"Disney Rarities - Celebrated Shorts: 1920s - 1960s DVD Review".DVD Dizzy.Retrieved14 February2021.
External links
edit- Ben and MeatIMDb
- Ben and MeatDisney A to Z
- Ben and MeatAllMovie
- Ben and MeatDon Markstein's Toonopedia.Archivedfrom the original on April 4, 2012.
