Betty Boop for President: A weird, frantic campaign trail

Is it worth watching?

If you have a soft spot for the rubber-hose animation style of the 30s, then sure, go for it. People who need a logical plot or, like, a coherent political platform will probably find it too loud and too weird. It’s basically seven minutes of pure, unadulterated nonsense.

Cinematic perspective: Exploring the visual vocabulary of Betty Boop for President (1932) through its definitive frames.

Betty Boop decides to run for office, and the whole thing feels like someone took a bunch of campaign tropes and put them in a blender with a jazz band. There’s no subtlety here. It’s not trying to be a deep dive into the soul of a nation, which is honestly refreshing.

Cinematic perspective: Exploring the visual vocabulary of Betty Boop for President (1932) through its definitive frames.

The Campaign Promises

The promises are just... bizarre. Some of the parody candidates look like they walked off the set of The Innocence of Lizette and into a riot. It’s funny how these old cartoons felt so comfortable being absolutely frantic about everything.

Cinematic perspective: Exploring the visual vocabulary of Betty Boop for President (1932) through its definitive frames.

• The pacing is frantic, to say the least.
• The music is doing a lot of heavy lifting.
• Betty’s eyes seem to have their own agenda.

I found myself wondering if anyone actually thought this was a good idea back in 1932. Probably not, but that’s the charm. It’s not trying to be Pollyanna; it’s just trying to be a riot.

Cinematic perspective: Exploring the visual vocabulary of Betty Boop for President (1932) through its definitive frames.

The way the background characters shift and wiggle is a little hypnotic. It’s the kind of thing you miss if you blink. There’s one bit where the crowd is cheering, and it just feels like they’re all about to fall over. It’s glorious.

If you’re looking for a comparison, this feels way less grounded than Paris. It’s a completely different energy. Maybe that’s for the best. 🗳️

Don’t go in expecting a political masterpiece. Go in expecting a fever dream with a catchy theme song. Sometimes, that’s just what you need on a Tuesday.