Hey-Hey Fever (1935) Online

This is a short that came with the "A Tale Of Two Cities" DVD, an animated movie starring "Bosko," a character movie audiences in the early '30s had seen before but not in color. This is "cinecolor," whatever that was, and the visuals were fine. In fact, they were the best of the cartoon with some of the backgrounds looking almost like Bambi-esquire watercolor (but not that good!).

The story was nothing that funny, comprised entirely of rhyme and song. I found the sound weak, making it difficult to understand all the lyrics, which was frustrating.

In this story, Bosko induces characters from Mother Goose - all of whom are poor (even Old King Cole) and have no food - to begin growing food on a farm so they can eat. That's it - that simple. As I said, really not funny and not something I'd watch again, although it has some charming moments.

The Bosko cartoons may not be animation masterpieces, but they are fascinating as examples of Looney Tunes in their early days before the creation of more compelling characters and funnier and more creative cartoons. There are some good cartoons, as well as some average or less ones.

'Hey-Hey Fever' is a slightly above average but not particularly memorable cartoon, that is not one of Bosko's best but not one of his worst. Unusually the sound quality is not as clear as it usually is, some of the cartoon having a muffled quality. The story is pretty much non-existent, based on a very familiar premise that has been done with much more imagination in other cartoons, and there is some tired and not particularly funny material.

Bosko is pretty limited and like a supporting character, the nursery rhyme characters which were immensely fun to spot made much more of an impression.

As always for a Bosko cartoon the animation is good. Not exactly refined but fluid and crisp enough with some nice detail, it is especially good in the meticulous backgrounds and some remarkably flexible yet natural movements for Bosko. The music doesn't disappoint either, its infectious energy, rousing merriment, lush orchestration and how well it fits with the animation is just a joy.

Gags are hit and miss but there are some amusing ones, one just wishes that that standard was reached more consistently.

In summary, just slightly above average if unmemorable. 6/10 Bethany Cox

Just discovered this on the Misce-Looney-ous blog which usually posts shorts and other film and TV spots related to the Warner Bros. cartoons and characters. This M-G-M cartoon short was included because it was the first that featured a former Warner character named Bosko. He was the creation of Hugh Harmon and Rudolf Ising who took him with them when Leon Schlesinger wouldn't increase the budget of their animated shorts. Not only is this the first Bosko to be introduced by Leo the Lion but it's also the first time he's seen in color. Having said all that, I'd like to say that while this isn't a particularly funny effort, Hey, Hey Fever does entertain with the original way the leading character and various Mother Goose ones sing about overcoming the Depression blues. For that reason, I highly recommend this to any animation buff especially any Warner and M-G-M completist out there.

Bosko is given the MGM treatment, which means color .... not Technicolar, but Cinecolor, and not used to any particularly good effect. Harman & Ising appear to have been overwhelmed by a slightly better budget and had no clear idea of what to do with it, except to produce a New Deal sort of movie in which Bosko incites all the characters out of Mother Goose -- who are now penniless -- to go work on the farm, which they do to great success -- nice work if you're a cartoon character, I suppose. It's given a dream-sequence framework which renders it doubly meaningless.

The following year MGM sprang for three-strip Technicolor and, although the stories did not improve until the much-hated Fred Quimby became MGM's cartoon producer and hired people who knew how to make funny cartoons, the pictures became more interesting.