All Together (1942 film) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids All Together |
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Title frame
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| Directed by | Jack King |
| Produced by | Walt Disney |
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| Music by | Frank Churchill |
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| Release date(s) | January 13, 1942 |
| Running time | 3 minutes |
| Country | Canada; United States |
| Language | English |
All Together is a short animated film made by Walt Disney Studios in 1942. It was created for the National Film Board of Canada. This three-minute film came out on January 13, 1942. It was one of four films made to encourage Canadians to buy special savings bonds during World War II. These bonds helped pay for the war.
Jack King directed All Together. Famous voices included Pinto Colvig as Doc, Clarence "Ducky" Nash as Donald Duck, and Walt Disney himself as Mickey Mouse. This was the only time Mickey Mouse appeared in a film made to support the war effort. You'll see characters from many Disney classics, like Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937). Parts of the film reused animation from earlier Disney shorts like The Band Concert (1935) and Mickey's Amateurs (1937).
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What Happens in All Together?
In 1942, Mickey Mouse leads a lively parade through the streets of Ottawa, Canada. He conducts his band from a moving wagon. The parade marches past the Canadian Parliament Buildings.
Many Disney characters join the parade. Pinocchio, Geppetto, Figaro, Donald Duck, Huey, Dewey, and Louie Duck, and Pluto carry banners. These banners have messages like "All together for war savings" and "5 for 4."
Mickey Mouse also drives a motorized float. On it, he conducts a band with Horace Horsecollar, Clarabelle Cow, and Goofy. Goofy plays many instruments, including a tuba and a concertina. The Seven Dwarfs follow, holding signs that say "All-Together-For-War-Savings." Dopey, as usual, causes some funny, clumsy moments. Throughout the film, images of war machines appear. They remind everyone to "Keep your money fighting till victory is won."
Who Are the Characters?
Many beloved Disney characters appear in All Together:
- Mickey Mouse
- Donald Duck
- Goofy
- Pluto
- Huey, Dewey and Louie
- Horace Horsecollar
- Clarabelle Cow
- Pinocchio
- Geppetto
- Figaro
- Doc
- Grumpy
- Happy
- Bashful
- Sleepy
- Sneezy
- Dopey
Why Was This Film Made?
Disney's Financial Challenges
In 1939, a global war began, which later became World War II. This war caused big financial problems for Walt Disney Studios. They lost many of their markets in Europe. When Nazi forces invaded France in 1940, it made things even harder. Disney's film Pinocchio (1940) could only be released in Spanish and Portuguese. This was much fewer languages than their earlier movies.
Because of these losses, Disney studios faced a huge debt. They had to lay off some employees and cut pay for the first time. To stay in business, the studio became a corporation in April 1940. This helped them raise money to pay off their debts. Walt Disney then looked for outside funding to keep his studio running and his employees working.
Helping the War Effort
On March 3, 1941, Walt Disney invited leaders from different national defense industries to a meeting. He wanted to offer his studio's help. He sent letters offering to make films for these industries "at cost, and without profit." He simply wanted to help during the emergency.
The first training film Disney made was Four Methods of Flush Riveting (1941) for Lockheed Aircraft. John Grierson, who led the National Film Board of Canada, saw Disney's efforts. He made a deal with Disney to create four animated films. These films would encourage Canadians to support the Canadian War Savings Plan.
The films made for Canada were:
- The Thrifty Pig (1941)
- 7 Wise Dwarfs (1941)
- Donald's Decision (1942)
- All Together (1942)
Disney also made a training film for the Canadian Army called Stop That Tank! (1942).
Where to Watch All Together
On Television
All Together was shown on the Disney Channel. It was part of a TV series called The Ink and Paint Club (1997). The episode was named "Episode 56: Wartime Disney."
On Home Video
The short film was released on May 18, 2004. It was included in a special collection called Walt Disney Treasures: Walt Disney on the Front Lines.
