My Pony Boy (1909) Review: A Weirdly Spooky Song-Film From 100 Years Ago

You should probably watch this if you’re the type of person who digs through old boxes at flea markets just to see the weird labels. If you want a 'movie' movie with a beginning and an end, you should definitely stay away from this one.

It’s basically a 1909 version of a lyric video on YouTube. Except instead of neon lights and high-def graphics, you get a guy in a big hat and a horse that looks like it’s made of cardboard.

I found myself staring at the pony’s face more than the words. It has this fixed, glassy stare that is honestly kind of haunting if you look at it too long. 🐴

The whole thing is so short you could watch it while waiting for your toast to pop up. I think I spent more time trying to find the actual video file than I did actually watching it.

Dave Fleicher is listed here—oops, I mean Fleischer—and you can sort of see the early itch for animation. It’s not quite 'Bimbo the Dog' levels of weird yet, but you can feel it getting there.

The film quality is pretty rough, to be honest. There are these big white flashes and black spots that dance over the screen like bugs in a jar.

In a way, the damage to the film makes it better. It adds a layer of ghostliness that the original creators definitely didn’t intend when they filmed it.

I watched The Little Dutch Girl last week and that felt like a huge blockbuster compared to this. This is just... a vibe. A very old, very dusty vibe.

There is a moment where the boy gestures to the pony. It’s so stiff it looks like his arm might snap off like a dry twig.

I wonder what the audience in 1909 actually thought of this. Were they really singing along in the theater while some guy played a piano that was out of tune? Probably.

The text of the song is actually kind of catchy if you read it with a certain rhythm. 'Pony boy, pony boy, won’t you be my pony boy?' It’s stuck in my head now and I kind of hate it.

It’s way less intense than something like The Fire Patrol. There’s zero stakes here, unless you count the risk of the boy falling off the horse, which doesn't happen.

I liked the way the trees in the background don’t move at all. Not even a leaf. It’s like the whole world is frozen around this one moving kid.

One thing that bugged me was the framing. The boy’s hat gets cut off at the top in one shot, which feels like a mistake they just didn't care to fix.

It’s these little mistakes that make me love these old shorts. No one was obsessed with 'perfection' back then; they just wanted to see if the camera worked. 🎥

If you’ve seen Detectives, you know how these early comedies try so hard to be funny. My Pony Boy doesn’t try at all. It just exists.

It’s a weird little artifact. It feels like a dream someone had after eating too much cheese in the early 1900s.

The Fleischer touch is mostly in the timing of the slides. There’s a specific beat to the way the words appear that feels musical even without the sound.

I wouldn't call it 'art' in the modern sense. It’s more like a moving postcard from a world that doesn't exist anymore.

The pony has these spots on it that look like they were painted on with a dirty thumb. It’s very charming in a 'my kid could do that' kind of way.

I’ve been watching a lot of stuff from this era lately, like All Abroad. But this one is definitely the shortest and the strangest of the bunch.

There is no ending. It just stops. The screen goes black and you’re left sitting there in total silence.

I actually laughed when it ended. I was expecting some kind of big finale, but nope. Just total blackness.

It’s worth a look if you’re into the history of animation. Otherwise, it’s just a very fast way to feel like you’ve traveled back in time for three minutes.

I think I’m going to go watch The Broken Gate now. I need something with a bit more meat on the bones and maybe a plot.

But yeah, My Pony Boy. It’s a thing that exists. And now I’ve seen it. 🤠