Oswald the Rabbit Fixes the Economy: A Look at Confidence

Should you watch this?

If you have any interest in the history of animation, absolutely. If you just want a lighthearted, modern-style cartoon, you are going to be confused and maybe a little bit creeped out.

Confidence is one of those odd artifacts that really only makes sense if you’re already deep in the weeds of early animation. It is short, punchy, and feels like it was put together while the animators were having a collective panic attack about the economy. 📉

The whole premise is just wild. Oswald doesn't have a plan, he just has a problem, and the solution is to walk right into the Oval Office. There is no security, no red tape, just a rabbit walking in to chat with the leader of the free world.

The Rhythm of the Depression

The animation style has that jittery, rubber-hose energy that makes everything feel like it’s vibrating on the screen. It is not polished, and honestly, the imperfections are where the charm is. There are moments where the background characters just seem to be doing their own thing, completely unaware of the looming financial collapse.

I found myself staring at the way the buildings lean. It’s like the city itself is tired of the Great Depression. It reminds me a bit of the frantic, slightly disjointed energy you find in Plan velikikh rabot, though they are aiming for very different outcomes.

• Oswald's ears are basically used as emotive props the whole time.
• The President’s office looks suspiciously like a basement.
• The pacing is frantic, bordering on aggressive.

It’s not a film that tries to be subtle. It wants to tell you that things are bad and that we need to stop being sad about it. It’s propaganda, sure, but it’s weird propaganda. It makes me think of the tone in The Vanishing Legion where everything feels a bit disconnected from reality.

One scene lingers on a crowd of people looking miserable, and the transition back to Oswald’s optimism is jarring. It hits like a brick. You can tell they were trying to capture a specific mood, but it ends up feeling more like a strange, disjointed dream sequence.

I wouldn't say this is a masterpiece. It’s a curiosity. It’s a reminder that back in the day, even a cartoon rabbit was expected to weigh in on federal policy. Just don't go looking for deep logic here. You won't find it. 🐰