The Old Mill Pond (1936) Review: Jazz Frogs and Fever Dreams

You should definitely watch this if you have a spare ten minutes and like old-school jazz. It is a weird little time capsule that feels like a fever dream. 🐸

Jazz fans will love the rhythm of the whole thing. People who get annoyed by 1930s racial caricatures—and there are a lot here—should probably skip it though.

The whole thing takes place at a pond. But it isn't a normal pond where things are quiet and peaceful.

It is a pond where the frogs have better rhythm than most people I know. 🎺

The animation is that classic style where everything is constantly moving. Even the trees seem to be vibrating to the beat of the drums.

The big draw is the celebrity frogs. You get these fish and frog versions of Cab Calloway and Fats Waller and they are actually pretty well done.

The Cab Calloway frog is honestly impressive. They nailed his weird leg movements and the way his hair-tuft-thing swings around when he shouts.

It is much more lively than something like Jane Eyre from a few years back. Not that you can really compare a cartoon to a silent drama, but you get what I mean.

There is a moment where a frog starts tap dancing on a lily pad. His feet move so fast it is almost a blur on the screen.

I think that was supposed to be Bill 'Bojangles' Robinson. The animators clearly spent a lot of time watching him dance to get the shuffling right.

The music is the real star here. It is loud and brassy and does not let up for a single second.

I caught myself tapping my foot against my desk. It is contagious in a way modern cartoons sometimes miss because they are too busy being polished.

Some of the fish in the 'audience' have these really bored expressions. It made me laugh because they look like they have seen this show a thousand times already.

One fish is just floating there with his mouth wide open. Same, buddy, same.

The colors are surprisingly bright for 1936. The blues and greens of the water look really lush and deep.

It is a bit different from the mood in The Terror of Batignolles. That one is all shadows and French tension while this is just pure noise. 🎶

There is a fat frog playing the piano who is clearly Fats Waller. He has this huge grin that takes up about half of his face.

The way he hits the keys is so aggressive. You can almost feel the weight of his hands through the screen.

The ending is a bit abrupt. It just kind of stops when the sun comes up and everyone hides.

I wish it went on a little longer. Or maby not, because my ears were starting to ring from all the trumpet blasting.

It is definitely more fun than watching something dry like Vad veta väl männen? if you are in a silly mood.

You can tell the people making this were having a lot of fun. It does not feel like a chore to watch at all.

The water ripples are drawn with so much care. It is a small detail but it makes the pond feel like a real place instead of just a background.

I noticed a turtle using its shell as a drum. That is a classic cartoon gag but it still works here because the timing is so perfect.

If you like Queen Christina for the drama, you will not find any of that here. This is just pure vibes and swamp music.

The way the 'Four Blackbirds' choir fish sing is actually really smooth. Thier voices blend together better than most boy bands today.

It is a very specific kind of 1930s energy. High-strung and a little bit crazy and very loud.

I wonder how many cels they had to paint for the finale scene. There are like fifty different animals on screen at once all doing different dances.

One frog in the back is just vibrating. He doesn't even have a face really, he is just a green blob having a good time.

It is those little imperfections that make me like it more. It feels hand-made and slightly messy in a good way.

It reminds me of the energy in Love in Morocco where everything feels a bit exotic and over the top.

Go watch it if you want to see a frog lead a jazz band. It is a good way to spend a coffee break without thinking too hard.