La Paloma Review: A Fleischer Sing-Along That Still Charms

Alright, so La Paloma. If you’ve got a few minutes and a soft spot for classic, slightly bonkers animation from way back when, yeah, give this a watch. It's a true Fleischer short, so you get that distinctive style, some snappy music, and naturally, that famous bouncing ball for a sing-along. Folks who really need a tight, modern story or super polished animation might find it a bit too old school. 🤷‍♀️

Our main character here is Devin the Dog. He's got this eager, almost too-eager look on his face, especially when he spots a lady on a balcony. He's down there, looking up, and you can practically hear him thinking, 'Time to impress!'

The whole wooing bit starts with a flower. She sends it down, and it's not just a drop, but a graceful, almost slow-motion descent. It’s a nice little touch, makes you feel like she’s *really* considering his efforts. Then Devin, of course, catches it with a flourish.

His 'moves' are pretty funny to watch. Mostly, it involves a lot of hat tipping and general canine enthusiasm. You can almost feel the movie trying to convince you this moment matters, even though it's all very simple. It’s charming, though, in a very specific, old-timey way.

The lady eventually decides to come down from her perch. But how? Well, Devin starts playing his instrument – and this is where it gets really Fleischer-y. A staircase just forms out of musical notes! 🎶

Cinematic perspective: Exploring the visual vocabulary of La Paloma (1930) through its definitive frames.

It’s a classic animation trick, one they did so well back then. The notes themselves are chunky and solid enough for her to walk on, which is just delightful. It’s a really inventive way to get her from Point A to Point B without a boring old ladder.

Once she's down, the whole thing switches gears to a proper sing-along. Suddenly, there’s a little bouncing ball, hovering over the lyrics to “La Paloma.” It’s iconic, really. You just want to sing along, even if you don't know the words.

The song itself is quite catchy, and the bouncing ball does its job perfectly. It’s less about a deep plot at this point and more about getting the audience involved. A neat trick for its time, and still kind of fun to see now.

The whole thing wraps up pretty quickly, as these shorts do. It’s a snapshot of a different era of animation, where the gags and the music were the real stars. Not every moment lands perfectly, some of the movements are a little stiff, but it has this undeniable, quirky appeal.

Little things I noticed:

• Devin’s tail wags furiously when he gets that flower. It’s a small detail, but sells his excitement.
• The way the notes shimmer a bit when she steps on them? Subtle, but adds to the magic. ✨
• That bouncing ball is really precise. Never misses a beat.

It’s not going to change your life, but it’s a sweet, goofy piece of history. Definitely one for the animation history buffs. Or just anyone looking for a quick, smile-inducing break. 😊