The Ugly Duckling (1939 film)

This article is about the 1939 remake. For the original 1931 version, see The Ugly Duckling (1931 film).
The Ugly Duckling
Poster for The Ugly Duckling
Poster for The Ugly Duckling
Directed byJack Cutting
Clyde Geronimi
Based on"The Ugly Duckling" by Hans Christian Andersen
Produced byWalt Disney
StarringClarence Nash (duck sounds)
Music byAlbert Hay Malotte
Animation byMilt Kahl
Eric Larson
Milt Neil
Stan Quackenbush
Archie Robin
Paul Satterfield
Riley Thomson
Layouts byDavid Hilberman
Color processTechnicolor
Production
company
Distributed byRKO Radio Pictures
Release date
  • April 7, 1939 (1939-04-07)
Running time
8:59
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

The Ugly Duckling (re-titled as Ugly Duckling in reissues) is an animated short film by Walt Disney, based on the 1843 fairy tale "The Ugly Duckling" by Hans Christian Andersen. The film was directed by Jack Cutting and Clyde Geronimi, and released in theaters on April 7, 1939. Music was composed by Albert Hay Malotte, who was uncredited for the film. The animated short was first distributed by RKO Radio Pictures,[1] and was shown with Love Affair.

An earlier Silly Symphony animated short based on this fairy tale had been produced in black and white in 1931. The 1939 color film won the 1940 Oscar for Best Short Subject (Cartoons),[2] and also happened to be the last entry in the Silly Symphony series, although it was branded in certain releases as a special one-shot cartoon.

In the Andersen's tale, a cygnet is harassed because of his homeliness. To his delight, he matures into a swan, the most beautiful bird of all, and his troubles are over. In this version, the baby swan's sufferings are shortened, as he is found by his family after only a few minutes of rejection and ostracism instead of a whole year. This abbreviated version is read by Lilo to Stitch in the 2002 Disney film Lilo & Stitch. The story has a deep impact on Stitch, who sets out to look for his real family.

  1. ^ "The Ugly Duckling". www.bcdb.com
  2. ^ "The 12th Academy Awards (1940) Nominees and Winners". Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Retrieved 2013-04-25.