''Reason and Emotion'' is a 1943 propaganda short film by

Walt Disney Productions The Walt Disney Company, commonly known as Disney (), is an American multinational mass media and entertainment conglomerate headquartered at the Walt Disney Studios complex in Burbank, California. Disney was originally founded on October ...

, which 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 1943. Released on August 27. 1943 in the United States, the short is eight minutes long. The short has been cited as an influence on the 2015

Pixar Animation Studios Pixar Animation Studios (commonly known as Pixar () and stylized as P I X A R) is an American computer animation studio known for its critically and commercially successful computer animated feature films. It is based in Emeryville, Californi ...

film ''

Inside Out Inside Out may refer to: *Backwards (disambiguation) or inverse Books * '' Inside Out: A Personal History of Pink Floyd'', by Pink Floyd drummer Nick Mason * ''Inside Out'', Christian book by Larry Crabb * ''Inside Out'', novel by Barry Eisler ...

'' by the latter film's director,

Pete Docter Peter Hans Docter (born October 9, 1968) is an American animator, film director, screenwriter, producer, voice actor, and chief creative officer of Pixar. He is best known for directing the Pixar animated feature films ''Monsters, Inc.'' (2001) ...

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 188930 April 1945) was an Austrian-born German politician who was dictator of Nazi Germany, Germany from 1933 until Death of Adolf Hitler, his death in 1945. Adolf Hitler's rise to power, He rose to power as the le ...

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 Fearmongering, or scaremongering, is a form of manipulation that causes fear by using exaggerated rumors of impending danger. Theory According to evolutionary psychology, humans have a strong impulse to pay attention to danger because awareness ...

." 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 honored ...

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 Walt ...

, 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 movie.

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 health, short animated feature, "Understanding Alcohol Use and Abuse", which was produced by Walt Disney Productions in 1979, being 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 1943 animated films 1940s Disney animated short films Disney educational films Films directed by Bill Roberts Films produced by Walt Disney {{1940s-Disney-animation-film-stub