Item: Let It Be Me
Rating: 5.8
Author: Archivist John

If you're the type who likes old-school animation with a heavy side of moralizing, you might get a kick out of Let It Be Me. It’s definitely not for anyone who hates a predictable ending or feels annoyed by cartoon hens making questionable life choices. Honestly, if you aren't already into these vintage shorts, this isn't the one to convert you.

The whole thing kicks off with Emily, a hen who is clearly bored out of her mind. She leaves Clem—who is honestly just a stand-up guy—for the allure of Mr. Bingo. Bingo is basically every smooth-talking city character you’ve ever seen, complete with a crooner attitude that feels a bit tired.

There’s this one sequence in the city that lasts way too long. The background art is nice, I guess, but the pacing drags like a heavy sack of feed. It’s like the movie forgot it had a story to finish and just wanted to show off some stylized cityscapes. 🐔

Watching Emily get disillusioned by fame isn't exactly subtle. The writers make sure you get the point about five times over. It’s less of a story and more of a lecture set to music.

Clem’s eventual rescue mission feels almost like an afterthought, honestly. He just shows up, does his thing, and suddenly everything is forgiven? It makes you miss the slightly grittier feel of stuff like The Devil's Cabaret where things didn't feel quite so polished or safe.

I caught myself looking at the corners of the frames more than the characters. The way the feathers are drawn on Emily when she's 'glammed up' is actually kind of funny. It’s like they just slapped some extra sparkles on her and called it high fashion.

Maybe it’s just me, but this feels like a cousin to the vibe in Radio Silly, though without as much charm. It’s a bit dry. A bit dusty. You know, like an old barn that nobody has swept in a decade.

If you have ten minutes to kill and you really love 1930s animation style, go for it. Otherwise, you’re probably fine skipping this one. It's not bad, just... kind of there.