Funny Face (1932): A Strange Little Surgical Cartoon

Is this thing worth a watch?

If you have a thing for early animation history, sure. If you’re looking for a relaxing cartoon to put on in the background, stay away. This isn't exactly lighthearted Saturday morning fare.

Cinematic perspective: Exploring the visual vocabulary of Funny Face (1932) through its definitive frames.

It’s a bizarre little short. Flip tries to win a girl's heart, realizes his face is the problem, and decides the only logical step is plastic surgery. You know, like you do.

Cinematic perspective: Exploring the visual vocabulary of Funny Face (1932) through its definitive frames.

There is a specific, unsettling rhythm to these old Ub Iwerks shorts. They don't move like the stuff from The Foundling or other dramas of the era. Everything is bouncy, elastic, and just a little bit mean-spirited.

Cinematic perspective: Exploring the visual vocabulary of Funny Face (1932) through its definitive frames.

Notes from the screen

• The surgery scene is… well, it’s a lot.
• I’m not sure who thought a cartoon about elective facial reconstruction was a good idea in 1932, but here we are.
• The transformation sequence is actually pretty fluid, even if the result is pure nightmare fuel.
• The backgrounds have that lonely, static look that makes everything feel like it's happening in a vacuum.

The whole thing feels like a fever dream. One minute Flip is just a guy trying to get a date, and the next he’s being stretched and pulled into a new persona. It reminds me of the weird shifts in tone you find in stuff like Kicked About, where the comedy feels like it’s masking something much more frantic.

Cinematic perspective: Exploring the visual vocabulary of Funny Face (1932) through its definitive frames.

The pacing is aggressive. It doesn't give you time to breathe or think about how sad the premise actually is. Flip just keeps going until he hits his goal. It’s almost exhausting to watch. 🤡

Cinematic perspective: Exploring the visual vocabulary of Funny Face (1932) through its definitive frames.

I found myself staring at the way the lines jiggle when the characters talk. It’s not smooth, but it has this raw energy that a lot of modern, clean digital animation completely lacks. It’s imperfect. I like that.

Is it a masterpiece? No. But it’s a weird window into what people thought was funny ninety years ago. Sometimes you just need to see a cartoon face get rearranged to remember that weirdness is timeless.