5.4/10
Senior Film Conservator

A definitive 5.4/10 rating for a film that redefined the boundaries of cult cinema. Making Good remains a cornerstone of transgressive art.
If you have six minutes and want to see what people thought was funny ninety years ago, this is worth a look. People who like history or weird drawings will get a kick out of it. If you only like high-def CGI stuff, you will probably hate this immediately.
I watched this late at night when I couldn't sleep. It’s an Oswald the Lucky Rabbit short called Making Good, and it’s basically about a rabbit who is a janitor or a street sweeper.
The first thing you notice is how much Oswald looks like a bootleg Mickey Mouse. But he has more of an attitude, I think.
He’s trying to clean up the street, but everything is against him. There is a goat that keeps eating his broom, which is such a classic old-cartoon trope.
I love how the animation doesn't care about physics at all. Oswald's arms just stretch out like long pieces of gum when he reaches for something.
It’s very bouncy. Every character seems like they have springs in their legs even when they are just standing still.
You can see Tex Avery’s name in the credits. He was one of the guys who made the Looney Tunes famous later on. You can kind of see his *crazy energy* starting to show up here.
There is this one moment where a dog walks by and he looks absolutely exhausted. His eyes are just these big black circles that don't blink.
It’s actually a little bit creepy if you look at it too long. The background art is surprisingly detailed though.
I noticed a sign in the window of a shop that said 'Sale' but the letters were all backwards. I don't know if that was a mistake or a joke I didn't get.
The music is just this looping piano tune that feels like it’s on a 30-second timer. It gets stuck in your head in a bad way.
It reminds me a bit of Mickey's Luck because both have that 1930s 'everything is fine' vibe. Even when everything is clearly not fine for the main character.
Oswald is much more of a loser than Mickey, though. He feels like a guy who actually has to pay rent and fails at it.
There is a scene where he tries to flirt with a girl rabbit and it’s just awkward. He does this little dance that goes on a bit too long.
One of the reaction shots of the girl just lingers for a second. It made me laugh because she looks so confused.
The film is pretty grainy and has those black lines running down the screen. It makes it feel like you are looking into a time capsule.
I think the title Making Good is supposed to be ironic. Because he doesn't really make good on anything.
He just ends up in a pile of trash at the end. Which is pretty relatable, honestly.
If you've seen things like Bar Nothing, you know this style. It's fast and it doesn't always make sense.
I missed the part where he actually finishes his job. I think he just gives up halfway through.
The sound effects are very tinny. When something hits Oswald, it sounds like someone tapping a spoon on a tin can.
It's not a masterpiece or anything. But it’s got a lot of spirit that you don't see in modern stuff.
Sometimes the characters just melt into the floor for a second. It’s like the animators were just bored and wanted to see what happened.
It’s definitely better than Pitter Patter, which I found kind of boring. This one at least has a goat.
The ending is very abrupt. The screen just goes black and that’s it.
No moral, no lesson. Just a rabbit and some trash.
I'd say give it a watch if you're bored. It's better than staring at a wall for six minutes.
Just don't expect it to change your life. It's just a weird little drawing from a long time ago.

IMDb —
1920
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