This 21 minute short by Disney from 1953 ( a 'three-reeler'?) nearly cops three stars from me. For a couple of reasons it doesn't, and if you want to known the main one, see the end of the review.

Stirling Hollaway is instantly recognisable as the narrator (almost tediously so, to be honest) and more importantly he is Amos, the mouse who turns out to be the real idea-(man?) behind Benjamin Franklin's historical deeds. Interestingly, Franklin is portrayed at times as a rather selfish, uncaring, dopey or plain duplicitous personality - which may or may not be true, but is a bit surprising for an early 50's kids' patriotic cartoon.

The message of this (long) short might be 'behind every great man there is a great mouse', and that's not a bad take at all. Bill Peet's story is pretty fair, the animation is fair too, without being memorable. This goes for a lot of the film and prevents it from being a four-star contender in my books.

Still it's fairly charming, and as a history lesson (at least for Americans) it's likeable enough. It might have held on to a better score than this, but for one crucial thing.

It's boring.

I have always loved films (animated and live action) and also theatrical shorts that are based on books, and this was one of my favorite literary short from my childhood, because I've watched it a bunch of times as a kid, and I've even readed the book too. This short has an excellant cast featuring Sterling Holloway (Amos Mouse/Narrator),Charles Ruggles (Ben Franklin), and Hans Conried (Thomas Jefferson),and I also love why they combined paintings and the animated characters in the backgrounds Excellant work! I recommanded this short those who literary shorts and films like me.