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Author
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Topic: The Little Match Girl (Columbia, 1938)
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Osi Osgood
Film God
Posts: 10204
From: Mountian Home, ID.
Registered: Jul 2005
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posted December 14, 2007 03:14 PM
Here's a cartoon that's a little tear-jerker and a lovely view.
Amidst all the happy shoppers at Christmas-time, there stands a little match girl, trying desperately to sell her matches. She is buffeted, ignored and abused. The wind doesn't help either, as she is throw about by that.
After a day without any success, the tattered match girl goes into an alley to behind a shop, as she doesn't have a home to go back to. She shivers in the cold, as her clothes are tattered and worn out. She remembers her matches. She only has a few left.
She lights one, and imagines a lovely table full of food and an open fire. She enjoys the food and is warm.
But the match goes out and she is left with her horrible reality. She has but one match left ...
she lights it ...
... and she is instantly transported to a beautiful world, where angels and little cherubs greet her. There is light and beauty.
Her tattered clothes are replaced with a beautiful gown. All is lovely, until the wind of the storm begins to build and her little world starts to fall apart, her beautiful clothes, gone.
She sees a little light that is still lit on a table, she desperately struggles to get to the little candle, when it (and the match) goes out. She falls headfirst into the snow. She is dead, frozen in the cold.
An angel then comes down, scoops the child up in it's arms, and the little match girl is taken to heaven where she is finally loved and cared for.
THE END
This was by far, the absolute best animated film that Columbia ever put out, (as thier own studio, before UPA productions). If you look at the cartoons being produced by them the rest of the time, it'staggering that this film was made by the same company. There is a lot of detail lavished on this film, especially in the scenes in the heavenlies.
There is also some very detailed and realistic animation of the humans, and the Angel as well. Columbia knew that they had a great film on thier hands and promoted it as such. it was the only Columbia made animatd film to get an Oscar nomination.
What is also striking, is just how serious and heartbreaking the story is. This is set in modern times, (well, 1938), and it is brilliantly realized, especially the alleyway. You really feel for this orphaned child, as all she really wants is to be loved. It is certianly one of the first cartoons, (besides "Peace on Earth", which i believe, one the Oscar in that same year), to deal with mans inhumanity to man in a serious way. Here are all these shoppers, merrily blowing cash left and right, and completely ignoring the plight of this small child in thier midst that they purposefully ignore and even shove out of the way. it reminds me very much of our modern tendencies to be absorbed by "stuff" and completely forget the needs of our fellow man. (enuf sermonizing already!)
This was a cartoon on par with anything Disney was making at the time, as leonard Maltin has stated in his book, "Of Mice and Magic".
CONDITION OF PRINT
This was part of the "Columbia Classics" super 8mm issues, which basically covered the non Mr. Magoo cartoons and other early Columbia cartoons, (such as the Krazy Kat series). I think that this was a reissue, as this cartoon is on L.P.P. film, and the original release was PROBABLY on Eastman or Kodak SP. I would be curious to know who re-issued this. Because of the L.P.P. color, the color is superb as well as striking for a non-Disney film. Every spectrum of color was used in this film.
CONTRAST
The film has near perfect contrast, and looks very good, considering it's age and being non-Disney, (look at most Warner Brothers Super 8 1930's for example). The darks and lights are well balanced and there is no wash-out to the print.
SHARPNESS
It's above average and very good. An excellent printing of this title. Easy to focus, easy on the eyes.
SOUND
Sound is only average mono, not great and is a candidate for re-recording. But being a 1930's cartoon, I wasn't expecting absolutel perfection for a Columbia release of this era. For that fact, it's a little above average.
A magnificent classic that is somewhat had to find, but a few pop up from time to time. Definitely worth picking up!
LONG LIVE SUPER 8MM!!!
[ December 14, 2007, 11:04 PM: Message edited by: Osi Osgood ]
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"All these moments will be lost in time, just like ... tears, in the rain. "
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James N. Savage 3
Phenomenal Film Handler
Posts: 1375
From: Washington, DC
Registered: Jul 2003
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posted December 15, 2007 05:09 AM
Thanks Osi, another great review.
Little Match Girl was re-released in the late 80's by Steel Valley Films, a small U.S. super 8 company. The color on that print was amazing, and on low fade stock. Unfortunately, my print had a sound problem (constant high/low), and the company had stopped printing, so I got a refund. I really wish I had kept it now and just re-recorded it.
This cartoon really was deadly-serious, and I think must have been pretty heavy for kids. I guess thats why its never shown on television. It really is an excellent one though, and worth looking for.
James.
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Osi Osgood
Film God
Posts: 10204
From: Mountian Home, ID.
Registered: Jul 2005
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posted December 15, 2007 08:53 PM
"Sunshine Makers" was a color release by Van Buren productions in combination with Borden foods, (when van buren studio's was having trouble financially, they would allow advertising by known companies in order to release thier films, but in the case of Sunshine makers, only the companies title is on there, the actual cartoon has nothing to do with Borden.)
I had once thought that perhaps Blackhawk films might have released it, as they have released some of Van Buren's titles, (The Toonerville Trolley cartoons, for instance), but I've never seen Sunshine Makers from them.
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"All these moments will be lost in time, just like ... tears, in the rain. "
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