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00:00 Seeing Walt Disney's name on an animated version of the famous fable Chicken Little might lead you to expect a cartoon in the Silly Symphony series.
00:09 But there's nothing lighthearted about this version of the story.
00:12 Instead, it's a wartime parable about listening to rumors and falling prey to persuasive leaders who have their own sinister agendas.
00:21 Originally, the studio planned to show Foxy Loxy reading Adolf Hitler's book Mein Kampf to make sure no one missed the point.
00:28 But it was decided to downplay the obvious Nazi imagery.
00:32 "Undermine the faith of the masses and their leaders."
00:37 Even so, there's no mistaking the purpose of this 1943 cartoon, and there's no way to misinterpret its grim finale.
00:44 Chicken Little is one Disney cartoon that parents might want to see for themselves before deciding if it's appropriate for their kids.
00:51 (no audio)
00:59 (music)
01:23 Our story takes place in a nice, cozy little farmyard.
01:27 The characters, in order of their appearance, are Cocky Locky, Headman, Chicken Inspector, Supervisor of Egg Production.
01:36 A good guy to know nowadays.
01:39 This is Henny Penny and the local rocking chair brigade.
01:43 Always ready to poke their beaks into everybody's business instead of sticking to their knitting.
01:49 Here we have them at the bridge table.
01:51 Who are they pecking to pieces now?
01:54 Let's listen in.
01:56 (chicken clucking)
02:00 Sound just like people, don't they?
02:04 Now we see them at Madame Poulet's beauty coop, getting the popular red henna rinse.
02:09 (chicken clucking)
02:13 This is Turkey Lurkey and the Smart Set, who spend all day discussing what is wrong with the world.
02:19 (music)
02:23 There's this element, too. The jitterbirds.
02:27 A pretty featherbrain crowd.
02:30 (music)
02:49 And here are Goosey Poosey and Ducky Lucky and all the other gay ducks.
02:54 A thirsty lot, always around where there's something to drink.
02:59 Now, last but not least, here is Chicken Little, playboy and yo-yo champ.
03:07 A little shy on brains, but a good egg as chickens go.
03:13 As our story continues, we find all our fine-feathered friends happy and contented.
03:18 And why not? Didn't they have a big, strong fence protecting them?
03:22 But wait a minute. What's this?
03:25 (music)
03:28 Ah-ha! It's Foxy Loxy, the poultry fancier.
03:33 Looks like he's taken an interest in our little community.
03:36 A culinary interest.
03:38 So why doesn't he just jump in and help himself?
03:41 I suppose it's because of the high fence?
03:44 Or the locks on the inside?
03:46 Or the farmer's, uh, shotgun?
03:49 Eh, but I'm not a fox for nothing.
03:52 Besides, there's more than one way to pluck a chicken.
03:56 Psychology.
03:58 Why should I just get one when I can get 'em all?
04:01 Quote, "To influence the masses, aim first at the least intelligent." Unquote.
04:07 Now let's see. Who looks nice and stupid?
04:11 Docky Locky?
04:13 Turkey Leggy?
04:15 Ducky Lucky? Goosey Poosey?
04:17 Henny Penny?
04:19 Chicken Little?
04:21 (grunts)
04:24 He looks nice and stupid.
04:33 Quote, "If you tell 'em a lie, don't tell a little one. Tell a big one." Unquote.
04:40 Psst!
04:47 (clicks)
05:14 This is the voice of doom speaking.
05:18 Special bullet, flash, the sky is falling.
05:21 A piece of it just hit you on the head.
05:23 Now be calm, don't get panicky.
05:27 Run for your life!
05:31 The sky is falling! The sky...
05:39 The sky is falling! A piece of it just hit me on the head!
05:44 The sky is falling! Hurry, hurry!
05:47 Run, everybody! The sky is falling! The sky! The sky is falling!
05:51 There you are, you see? Just like I told you. Hit me on the head.
05:55 Sure enough? Oh, my goodness. How awful. What'll we do? We'll all be killed.
05:59 (clears throat) Now look here, look here. What's all the fuss and feathers?
06:03 Something awful has happened. A piece of the sky fell down and hit me on the head.
06:07 A piece of the sky?
06:10 (laughs) Nonsense. It's just a hunk of wood.
06:14 (laughs)
06:16 Guess that's the end of your stew, Mr. Foxy Loxy.
06:20 All right, now, folks, break it up. Back to business as usual.
06:24 Oh, wise guy, huh? I'll fix him. Let's see now.
06:33 Ah, here we are. Quote.
06:36 "Undermine the faith of the masses and their leaders." Unquote.
06:40 Well, I suppose Cocky Locky knows what he's talking about.
06:44 Well, yes. He ought to know.
06:47 But listen, girls, suppose he's wrong. He's only human, you know.
06:51 And if he should happen to be wrong, we'd all be killed.
06:55 (clears throat)
07:00 And now, in my opinion, Cocky Locky shows definite totalitarian tendencies.
07:04 What does that take to us? We can judge for ourselves whether the sky is falling or not.
07:08 Hey, fellas, I hear old Cocky Locky's been hitting the mash lately.
07:16 He's full of corn. His brain is pickled.
07:20 Uh-oh. There it goes. The whispering campaign.
07:26 Hey, sister, you hear about Cocky Locky?
07:32 He ain't got Irish marbles. Ain't it awful?
07:35 Oh, definitely, my dear.
07:37 Whoa! What a wolf!
07:39 Did you hear? Cocky Locky is wallowing in corn.
07:42 I hear he's quite a chicken chaser.
07:45 No, you don't say so.
07:47 There's no fowl like an old fowl. He's not the cock of the walk anymore.
07:51 What?
07:53 Not the cock of the walk anymore.
07:56 Quote. "By the use of flattery,
07:59 "insignificant people can be made to look upon themselves as born leaders." Unquote.
08:03 Now's your chance, kid. They'll listen to you now.
08:07 You were born to be a leader. Go to it.
08:10 Listen to me, everybody. I'm your new leader.
08:14 I'm gonna save your lives. I'm gonna tell you what to do.
08:17 Don't listen to that pipsqueak. The sky isn't falling.
08:21 I tell you, it is too falling. And I tell you, it isn't.
08:24 It is too. All right. If the sky is falling,
08:27 why doesn't it hit me on the head?
08:30 Chicken Little's right. What'll we do?
08:35 Oh, Chicken Little, you've got to help us.
08:38 Run to the cave.
08:40 Oh, yeah. Yeah, that's it. To the cave.
08:43 To the cave. To the cave. Hurry, hurry, hurry.
08:47 (CHICKENS SQUEALING)
08:49 Dinner is served.
09:13 Don't worry, folks. This all turns out all right.
09:17 Mmm. Delicious.
09:21 Hey, wait a minute. This isn't right.
09:26 That's not the way it ends in my book.
09:28 Oh, yeah? Don't believe everything you read, brother.
09:32 (THEME MUSIC PLAYING)
09:34 (THEME MUSIC PLAYING)
09:37 (THEME MUSIC PLAYING)
09:39 (dramatic music)
09:41 [BLANK_AUDIO]