''Munro'' is a 1960 Czechoslovak-American

animated Animation is a method by which still figures are manipulated to appear as moving images. In traditional animation, images are drawn or painted by hand on transparent celluloid sheets to be photographed and exhibited on film. Today, most ani ...

short film A short film is any motion picture that is short enough in running time not to be considered a feature film. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences defines a short film as "an original motion picture that has a running time of 40 minutes ...

directed by Gene Deitch, written by

Jules Feiffer Jules Ralph Feiffer (born January 26, 1929)''Comics Buyer's Guide'' #1650; February 2009; Page 107 is an American cartoonist and author, who was considered the most widely read satirist in the country. He won the Pulitzer Prize in 1986 as North- ...

, and produced by William L. Snyder. ''Munro'' won an

Oscar Oscar, OSCAR, or The Oscar may refer to: People * Oscar (given name), an Irish- and English-language name also used in other languages; the article includes the names Oskar, Oskari, Oszkár, Óscar, and other forms. * Oscar (Irish mythology) ...

for Best Animated Short Film in 1961. It was the first short composed outside of the United States to be so honored. The

Academy Film Archive The Academy Film Archive is part of the Academy Foundation, established in 1944 with the purpose of organizing and overseeing the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ educational and cultural activities, including the preservation of m ...

preserved ''Munro'' in 2004.

Plot

The title character is a rebellious little boy who is accidentally drafted into the

United States Army The United States Army (USA) is the land warfare, land military branch, service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight Uniformed services of the United States, U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army o ...

. No matter which adult he tells, "I'm only four", they all fail to notice his age.1961 Munro: Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming: Internet Archive
/ref> Eventually, the harshness of army life makes Munroe cry, which causes the general to realize that he really ''is'' a little boy. He is discharged and becomes a hero...and whenever he misbehaves, Munroe is reminded of his stint in the army. Munro's voice is provided by Gene Deitch's young son Seth Deitch (later a writer and artist in his own right), while Deitch's wife Marie Deitch does the female voices.

Production

Screenwriter Feiffer, who adapted his own story from his book ''Passionella and Other Stories'', and provided the storyboards, said the tale was a reaction to his time serving in the

U.S. Army The United States Army (USA) is the land service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army of the United States in the U.S. Constitution.Article II, section 2, cl ...

References

External links

* * * {{AcademyAwardBestAnimatedShortFilm 1941–1960 1960 films 1960 animated films 1960s animated short films 1960s American animated films Best Animated Short Academy Award winners English-language Czech films Czech animated films Films about military personnel Films about the United States Army Films based on short fiction Films directed by Gene Deitch Military humor in film Paramount Pictures short films 1960 short films Rembrandt Films short films Czech animated comedy films