This barely-a-feature Walt Disney feature, which clocks in at a mere 43 minutes, is actually a piece of wartime propaganda. Fearing Nazi Germany's influence in Latin America, the U.S. Department of State paid for Walt Disney and his artists to tour Central and South America on a goodwill tour. The resulting film combines 16 MM live-action film shot during the trip and four separate short productions meant to enlighten the audience about the Latin American culture. While the film was meant to build support in Latin America, the film received lukewarm response in the States.
The first of the four segments, "Lake Titicaca," casts Donald Duck as an American tourist where he bungles his way through the local village, having particular trouble with a snooty llama. Coming next is "Pedro," the story of a pint-sized mail plane who must take the treacherous route over the mountains in Chile to deliver the mail after his father gets a cold. The third segment, titled "El Gaucho Goofy," puts American cowboy Goofy into the attire and customs of the Argentinean gaucho. To close the film, "Aquarela do Brasil" (or "Watercolor of Brazil") begins with a flowing musical number and ends with the introduction of the Latin parrot Jose Carioca, who shows Donald Duck around South America while trying to teach him the samba.
One of the pluses of SALUDOS AMIGOS is that the segments improve as they go along. However, the FANTASIA-like start of "Aquarela do Brasil" is too brief and the segment ends too abruptly too really end with a bang. Donald bookends the production, but he's a very watered down version of the cantankerous character we have all come to love. In an obvious effort not to offend, Donald is polite and curious in the first segment, nothing like his character should be, making him a placeholder for the cultural lesson at best. As dry as the first part is the second is as sentimental. While the skilled Disney animators are able to create some tension with their little plane that could, the narrator, who fills in cultural details in the story and eggs Pedro on, often drains the story of genuine character connection. It goes back to the tried and true storytelling adage, "Show, don't tell."
Goofy, who would have probably been better suited for the first sequence, has always been Disney's best role-playing character. He fits into the mold of the fledgling gaucho well. By using the narrator to contrast the action as in the Goofy "How To" shorts series, the segment receives some of the biggest laughs by giving Goofy some trouble with a lively horse, a fleet-footed ostrich and a set of bolos. Closing with "Aquarela do Brasil," the best animated segment, the film peeks out from the average and flirts with invention. Jose's power to turn almost anything into a musical instrument or morph to life from a flower utilizes the freeform qualities of animation well. Additionally, the abandonment of the narrator allows room for character development and engaging acting.
With a short running time, SALUDOS AMIGOS at least doesn't overstay its welcome. However, the audience is never left inspired either. Coming off too often as a stale, forced history lesson, the film doesn't have any sparks. It just goes to show that your government can pressure you to make a film, but they can't pressure it into art.
Rick DeMott
Animation World Network
Creator of Rick's Flicks Picks
