Two baby squirrels ask grandpa to explain what "men" are when they hear everyone singing of "peace on earth, goodwill to men". Grandpa tells the story of man's last war.Two baby squirrels ask grandpa to explain what "men" are when they hear everyone singing of "peace on earth, goodwill to men". Grandpa tells the story of man's last war.Two baby squirrels ask grandpa to explain what "men" are when they hear everyone singing of "peace on earth, goodwill to men". Grandpa tells the story of man's last war.
- Nominated for 1 Oscar
- 1 nomination total
- Grandpa Squirrel
- (voice)
- (uncredited)
- Child Squirrels
- (uncredited)
- Vocalists
- (voice)
- (uncredited)
- Child Squirrels
- (uncredited)
- Grandma Squirrel
- (uncredited)
Despite being an anti-war film from the late 1930's, the message isn't very clear, beyond demonstrating man's inability to maintain a peaceful society with animals succeeding after man's demise. There are religious icons sprinkled throughout the film, but there aren't used to preach any messages, as one would suspect from a film of this kind. Their presence in the film also seem vague.
The elder squirrel's recollections of man's war echoes the horrors of World War I, which was still strongly in the public's recollection at the time. In fact, it almost feels like an alternative timeline of WWI.
Harman and Ising were known for trying to compete with Disney. They were really the only men that come close to replicating Disney's polished animation, but storytelling was not their strength. Nonetheless, this is one of Harman's best films. Unlike most Christmas films, this one can be unnerving to some audiences due to its grim war sequences and outcomes. A post-apocalyptic film before the genre even existed (without nuclear weapons obviously).
Remade by Hannah-Barbera in 1955 as GOOD WILL TO MEN with updated horrific war imagery reflecting the Cold War and a more clear cut religious message.
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaSeveral of the animators who worked on this anti-war cartoon were veterans of World War One and had experienced combat similar to that depicted in the film. In a darkly ironic note, they would be working on wartime propaganda cartoons two years later.
- Quotes
Grandpa Squirrel: Oh, it was awful. It was terrible! Well, they fought and they fought and they fought, until... until there was only two of them left.
[two soldiers in gas masks are seen on a battlefield amid smoke and barbed wire; each soldier shoots the other and goes down, sinking into mud]
Grandpa Squirrel: ...And that was the end of the last man on earth.
- ConnectionsEdited into Tom and Jerry Christmas Special (1987)
- SoundtracksHark! the Herald Angels Sing
(uncredited)
Hymn by Charles Wesley (1730)
Music by Felix Mendelssohn (1840)
Sung by studio chorus
Details
- Runtime9 minutes
- Aspect ratio
- 1.37 : 1