Ferdinand the Bull

This is a unique stretch of shorts as we finish up 1938. The last three shorts of that year are all different from the normal Disney fare, for varying reasons. The first of these is Ferdinand the Bull, the Academy Award winner that has rightfully been hailed as a Disney classic.

Ferdinand is unique in that it is not classified as a Silly Symphony or part of any other series. Instead, it gets its own title feature and treatment, signaling that this is a special short, not one of the regular fare. I don’t have any insight as to why Walt singled this one out, but it was a good decision.



The story, in case you have not seen it before, revolves around a young bull named Ferdinand, who prefers not to run around and butt heads like the other bulls. Instead, Ferdinand prefers to sit under a tree in the meadow and sniff flowers. Unfortunately for him, when the scouts for the bullfights come to the meadow, he gets stung by a bee, and rampages through the meadow.



Ferdinand gets dragged to the bullfights as the main attraction, unaware of what awaits him. When he gets into the ring, the bullfighter confronts him, but all Ferdinand wants to do is sit and sniff the flowers that were thrown into the arena beforehand. This, of course, drives the bullfighter to distraction, and the short ends with Ferdinand being dragged back to his tree in the meadow to live out the rest of his days.



Putting aside the moral implications of the story, which was not developed by Disney, the art of this short is undeniable. The quality of animation I is easily on par with Snow White. The movements of the bulls and the backdrops are exceptionally well done, not to mention the emotion.



As I’ve been watching the Disney shorts the last year and a half, I’ve always looked for single frames or shots that I would want as a cel. The final shots of Ferdinand sitting under the tree are perhaps the most amazing shots I have ever seen. The look of sheer bliss and happiness on his face is simply amazing. Think about it – through the face of a bull that is merely pencil and ink, the Disney animators manage to convey a look of pure emotion. It’s a remarkable feat.



I also love the narration in this short. It’s a trick that Disney has used before, such as in Little Hiawatha. Here, though, the narrator does all the voices in the short, which is a nice touch. It adds to the storytelling, and allows Ferdinand to be a pure character, serving as the vehicle for emotional release for the viewer.

It’s safe to say that I loved Ferdinand the Bull. It is everything I’m looking for in a Disney short – it offers fantastic art and storytelling, plus tugs at the heartstrings in one nice, neat little eight minute package.

All images copyright Disney. All rights reserved.