In 1942 there was war in the cartoon biz, too. A much nicer kind of war, granted, but still a conflict. Warner were stomping all over Disney's rules with their manic, adult-friendly shorts. Disney was sticking with family friendly fare. What they lacked in edginess they made up for in sheer technical finesse.

Donald is the bellboy in a posh hotel, but his temper is on the verge of getting him fired. His last chance comes when Pete and his (son? nephew? Let's say nephew, because Disney characters never have kids) turn up at the hotel. Nephew is an incredibly annoying, emotionally sadistic brat, with a disconcertingly adult voice. Donald is a short fuse, eternally about to lead to an explosion. It's a classic case of irresistable force meets immovable object.

Ok, it's nothing like that, but it's the best I could think of.

This is a superior cartoon, and it's still funny today. It's maybe not AS funny as the best WB cartoons from the same period, but as I mentioned, it has class stamped all over it, and maybe these days you don't watch these shorts just for yucks anyway.

Some of the perspective shots, and creative 'camera' angles, are superb, well ahead of anyone else in the game, and it exudes the sort of quality you'd expect from a company which had been at it now for some 18 years. And it's funny. Maybe not fall down, bust your gut laughing funny, but plenty funny anyway.

For sheer class and technique, as well as decent lashings of funiness, this one just nudges over into the 3.5 star zone.