Melody

1953 · 10 MIN · IMDB 6.4 · 351 VOTES · DIR. Ward Kimball, Charles A. Nichols

Overview

An owl teaches his class full of birds about melody. It's all around in nature. Only birds and man can sing; man "sings" even when he speaks. We see a quick survey of the stages of life, as captured by songs: the alphabet song for primary school, Here Comes the Bride, The Old Gray Mare, etc. Some inspirations for song are outlined in song: love, sailing, trains, the West, motherhood, etc., but "we never sing about brains." Finally, an example of how a simple melody can be expanded into a symphony: an elaborate version of the simple tune that opened the lesson

Animation1950s

Dialogue Timeline — 59 lines

A SAMPLE ACROSS THE RUNTIME — EVERY LINE IS SEARCHABLE

00:00:06 So, what's the story?
00:00:23 And I'm in a Rolls...
00:00:33 I'm not Prince Charming, that would be pushing it...
00:00:42 and I fall in love with her
00:00:52 Then she wants to see England again, she's English
00:00:58 I start hallucinating
00:01:08 You'll have to explain that a bit.
00:01:15 there's an indigenous people
00:01:25 the cargo cult.
00:01:34 and they want to benefit from them.
00:01:43 I draw a parallel with Melody's death
00:01:53 that one of these cargo planes
00:02:02 Bring her back.
00:02:11 I'm not a cynic, as others maintain.
00:02:21 and romantic.
00:02:29 who attacked me for my ugliness
00:02:45 In fact, what you call...
00:02:55 They say I'm ugly... fine, I don't care.
00:03:02 that when I'm called ugly, I laugh quietly so you don't awake.
00:03:12 so my ugliness...

Cast & Characters

Sue Allen Suzy Sparrow Jud Conlon Fountain of Youth Singer Mac McLean Fountain of Youth Singer Loulie Jean Norman Fountain of Youth Singer Charles Parlato Fountain of Youth Singer Harry Stanton Bass Singer in Canoe and Ship Harry Stanton Bass Singer in Canoe and Ship Bill Thompson Professor Owl Bill Thompson Bernie Birdbrain Bill Thompson Man Gloria Wood Penelope Pinfeather

Dialogue Record

Lines indexed59
Dialogue density5.9 lines / min
First line00:00:06
Final line00:03:12

Production Record

DirectorWard Kimball, Charles A. Nichols
LanguageEnglish
IMDb votes351