In the Bag - July 27, 1956

Rarely will you see the 1956 Humphrey Bear cartoon In the Bag discussed or even acknowledged in scholarly animation circles. It exists without the presence of a major Disney cartoon star such as Mickey Mouse or Donald Duck, and was produced during the late 1950s, when animated short subjects were beginning their slow but steady march to the precipice of near-extinction. Yet this little underrated gem of a film stands as one of the studio's funnier efforts. And its little piece of George Brun's produced music has kept it alive in the memories of countless viewers since it was released on this day some fifty-one years ago.

First you stick a rag, put in the bag, bump bump
Then you bend your back, put it in the sack, bump bump
That's the way it's done, it's a lot of fun, bump bump
Cuttin' capers puttin' papers in the bag

That little ditty has survived in the subconscious minds of so many. Few remember the lyrics beyond the exaggerated "bump bumps" but they can clearly hum the tune and mimic the hip action of Humphrey and his pals. The song became so popular, it inspired a Mickey Mouse Club recording entitled the "Humphrey Hop."In the Bag was the second of only two cartoons to headline the character of Humphrey Bear and costar Ranger J. Audobon Woodlore, both of whom had attained some measures of success in a number of Donald Duck shorts. The short centers on the Ranger's efforts to clean up a litter-strewn Brownstone Park by cleverly tricking the resident bears into "playing a game" that will effectively take care of the mess. Failing that, he bribes them all with a meal of chicken cacciatore. Humphrey is ultimately left "holding the bag" and his efforts to clean up his assigned section are portrayed in a series of gags and pratfalls, and feature a hilarious cameo from another famous bear of 1950s popular culture.

What is especially notable about In the Bag is that it was one of only a few CinemaScope cartoon shorts produced by Disney. It has been only with its inclusion in the Disney Treasures Rarities DVD set that viewers have finally been able to see it in its original widescreen theatrical format.

Director Jack Hannah and his crew very specifically composed In the Bag for CinemaScope, and it's striking to see their results in a presentation that hasn't fallen victim to cropping and pan-and-scan revisions. As the following screen shots illustrate, it is easy to see how Hannah's original designs for the film were severely compromised in subsequent television and home video appearances. In any of these examples, imagine one third of the screen effectively cut away:

Clever, funny and well realized in its cartoon modern style and widescreen presentation, In the Bag stands as one of those off-the-radar productions that still compares favorably to many of the studio's better known and more historically recognized animated shorts.

Images © Walt Disney Company