The Merry Old Soul (1933)

Whilst at the dentist having a particularly stubborn tooth removed, "Oswald" the rabbit (whom I could have sworn was a mouse) hears an announcement that is made over that radio announcing "Old King Cole" has the blues. He must quickly recruit everyone from Charlie Chaplin to Laurel & Hardy and try and cheer the old man up! Sitting, grumpily on his throne, a parade of folks come to try and lift his spirits with hits from the "Mother Goose" songbook! A few familiar faces from stage and literature are drafted in and along the way we get a parade of what made us laugh and tap our toes back in the early 1930s. It's a compendium affair, this, which at times works fine but is largely just an excuse to trot out some vaudeville style comedy - pie throwing, etc. You can play a game of guess who you recognise if you like - I suspect that's really the point. It's fine, and the caricature animations quite fun, but it's hardly memorable.