The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad (October 5, 1949)

This film is another package film in the same vein as Fun and Fancy Free and is the Disney’s last one until The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh in 1977. The segments are introduced by live action scenes set in a library as both of them are based on literary works. The first is based on The Wind in the Willows (1908) by Kenneth Grahame. It tells the story of Mr. Toad, a frog who suffers from many fits of mania which causes mischief and mayhem for the city of London as well as his friends, Angus McBadger, Ratty (a water rat) and Moley (a mole). It is a slightly confusing story that, while stylistic charming, contains characters for which I felt no strong attachment to. The second story is much more entertaining. It is based on The Legend of Sleepy Hollow and tells the story of a schoolteacher named Ichabod Crane, a certified ladies’ man, who moves to a small colonial American town to teach and falls in love with a beautiful woman, named Katrina van Tassel the daughter of the richest man in the town. He competes for her affection with the town’s resident burly manly man, Brom Bones. It is a riveting story with a catchy song (sung by the famous Bing Cosby). The latter short definitely the better of the two and, like Mickey and the Beanstalk in Fun and Fancy Free, worth watching on its own. Overall, the movie is enjoyable and is an above average offering from Disney produced during a creative drought left after World War II.

Final Rating: 6/10