Review: In the Shade of the Old Apple Tree is just a bear and a sandwich

Is this worth watching today? Honestly, yes, but only if you have about six minutes and a high tolerance for things that don't make any sense. It is perfect for people who miss the era when cartoons felt like they were drawn by someone who hadn't slept in three days. If you need a plot that actually follows 'logic' or 'physics,' you will probably hate this with a passion. 🐻

So, the whole thing starts with this bear. He’s got a sandwich. It’s not just any sandwich; he looks at it like it’s the only good thing in his life. I spent a good minute wondering what was even in the sandwich. It looks like a gray slab of... something. But he is dedicated to it.

The way the bear’s mouth moves is just... odd. It’s that classic Dave Fleischer style where every single part of the character is constantly in motion. Even when he’s standing still, he’s wiggling. It’s kind of exhausting to watch if you think about it too much. 🥪

Then he sees the girl. She is stuck in the tree. We don’t know how she got there. We don’t know why she isn't screaming for help. She just kind of exists there, looking slightly inconvenienced by the height. It reminded me a bit of the weird pacing in Henpecked, where things just happen because the animator felt like drawing them.

The Rescue (If you can call it that)

The bear decides he has to save her. But he doesn't want to drop the sandwich. This is the most relatable part of the whole movie. I’ve been there. Not with a girl in a tree, but with trying to do literally anything while holding a snack you don't want to lose.

There is this one shot where the bear’s legs stretch out like they’re made of salt water taffy. It’s slightly unsettling. But also kind of impressive? You can tell they weren't using any reference footage here. They just drew whatever felt funny in the moment.

I noticed a weird detail in the background. There’s a fence that seems to change its number of planks every time the camera moves. It’s the kind of mistake you only catch if you’ve watched too many of these. It makes the whole world feel unstable, like it might melt at any second.

It’s definitely a different vibe than something like Strange Cargo. Obviously. That's a real movie and this is just a bit of fluff. But there's a weirdly dark undertone to these old cartoons that I can't quite put my finger on. 🍎

Cinematic perspective: Exploring the visual vocabulary of In the Shade of the Old Apple Tree (1930) through its definitive frames.

The sandwich actually survives the ordeal longer than you’d think. It’s the real hero of the story.

The music is... fine. It’s that tinny, early 1930s sound that makes you feel like you’re sitting in a dusty attic. It’s a Screen Song, so the 'bouncing ball' bit is there. If you’ve seen Hearts and Flowers, you know the drill. It’s meant for people to sing along in the theater, which must have been a nightmare if you actually just wanted to watch the film.

The Vibes

• The Bear: Very round. Very hungry. 10/10 character design.
• The Girl: Mostly just a plot device with a hat.
• The Tree: Seems to be actively trying to keep people inside of it.

I kept waiting for a big punchline. It never really comes. The bear saves her, and the movie just kind of... peters out. It’s very abrupt. Like the animators hit their page limit and just stopped. 🛑

One thing that really stuck out was the way the leaves on the tree were drawn. They look like little black beans. They don't look like leaves at all. It’s a small thing, but once you see it, you can’t look at anything else.

Is it better than Some Mind Reader? Maybe. It’s certainly more colorful in its personality, even if it’s in black and white. There’s a charm to how messy it is. It feels like a sketch that someone accidentally finished.

I think the most interesting part is how the bear treats the girl after the rescue. He’s nice, but you can tell he still really wants that sandwich. His priorities are straight. I respect that about him.

If you're looking for deep meaning, go watch Michael. If you want to see a bear struggle with gravity and a lunchbox, stay here. It’s a nice little distraction from the real world. 🌳

The whole thing feels like it was made on a Friday afternoon. Everyone was ready to go home. They just needed to get the bear out of the tree. It’s not 'perfect' but it’s honest animation.

Actually, I forgot to mention the squirrel. There’s a squirrel for about three seconds that has a very intense expression. I want a whole movie about that squirrel. He looked like he knew something we didn't.

Anyway. It's short. It's weird. The sandwich looks gross. Watch it if you're bored. 📺