''Reason and Emotion'' is a propaganda short film by

Walt Disney Productions The Walt Disney Company, commonly referred to as simply Disney, is an American multinational mass media and entertainment conglomerate headquartered at the Walt Disney Studios complex in Burbank, California. Disney was founded on October 16 ...

, released on August 28, 1943, by RKO Radio Pictures. It was nominated for the

Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film The Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film is an award given by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) as part of the annual Academy Awards, or Oscars, since the 5th Academy Awards (with different names), covering the year ...

in the same year. The short film is eight minutes long. The short has been cited as an influence on the 2015

Pixar Animation Studios Pixar (), doing business as Pixar Animation Studios, is an American animation studio based in Emeryville, California, known for its critically and commercially successful computer-animated feature films. Pixar is a subsidiary of Walt Disney S ...

film '' Inside Out'' by the film's director,

Pete Docter Peter Hans Docter (born October 9, 1968) is an American filmmaker and animator, who has served as chief creative officer (CCO) of Pixar since 2018. He has directed the company's animated films ''Monsters, Inc.'' (2001), ''Up (2009 film), Up'' ( ...

, and its

sequel A sequel is a work of literature, film, theatre, television, music, or video game that continues the story of, or expands upon, some earlier work. In the common context of a narrative work of fiction, a sequel portrays events set in the same ...

released in 2024 which was directed by

Kelsey Mann Kelsey Mann is an American film director and storyboard artist. He is best known for directing the Pixar animated film ''Inside Out 2'' (2024), which earned him an Academy Award nomination for the Best Animated Feature. Early life and education ...

Plot

The short demonstrates how a person adopts their ability to solve problems through logical reasoning (the head) or through emotional passion (the heart).

Adolf Hitler Adolf Hitler (20 April 1889 – 30 April 1945) was an Austrian-born German politician who was the dictator of Nazi Germany from 1933 until Death of Adolf Hitler, his suicide in 1945. Adolf Hitler's rise to power, He rose to power as the lea ...

is shown to not have any reasoning, instead relying purely on emotion; it is explained that "Americans should control the emotion inside our head lest it control us — and make us vulnerable to Hitler's vile fearmongering." Hitler's speeches and motivational tactics are shown as manipulative.

Production

''Reason and Emotion'' was directed by Bill Roberts, with animation by

Ward Kimball Ward Walrath Kimball (March 4, 1914 – July 8, 2002) was an American animator employed by Walt Disney Animation Studios. He was part of Walt Disney's main team of animators, known collectively as Disney's Nine Old Men. His films have been honor ...

and

Ollie Johnston Oliver Martin Johnston Jr. (October 31, 1912 – April 14, 2008) was an American motion picture animator. He was one of Disney's Nine Old Men, and the last surviving at the time of his death from natural causes. He was recognized by The Wal ...

, among others. BlogofDeath explains: "During World War II, oeGrant and animator Dick Huemer created gags and designs for many of Disney's patriotic-themed cartoons", including this film.

Home media

The short was released on May 18, 2004, on '' Walt Disney Treasures: Walt Disney on the Front Lines''.

Critical reception

IndieWire wrote: "''Reason and Emotion'' is exactly the kind of thing that sticks in your mind because it is strange, a wartime film that used a visual metaphor to make a case about Americans keeping their calm during WWII."

Additional media appearances

The cartoon characters "Reason" and "Emotion" also appear in the Upjohn Company's educational short animated feature, "Understanding Alcohol Use and Abuse", which was produced by Walt Disney Productions in 1979. This feature was the final installment of Upjohn's Triangle of Health series.

References

External sources

Openculture.com

Academia.edu

Lybio.net

D23.com

Manic-expression.com

Thefw.com
American World War II propaganda shorts 1940s educational films 1943 films 1940s Disney animated short films Disney educational films Films directed by Bill Roberts Films produced by Walt Disney 1943 animated short films {{1940s-Disney-animation-film-stub