''Donald's Crime'' is a 1945 American animated

short film A short film is a film with a low running time. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) defines a short film as "an original motion picture that has a running time of not more than 40 minutes including all credits". Other film o ...

produced by Walt Disney Productions and released by

RKO Radio Pictures RKO Radio Pictures Inc., commonly known as RKO Pictures or simply RKO, is an American film production and distribution company, historically one of the "Big Five" film studios of Hollywood's Golden Age. The business was formed after the Kei ...

. The cartoon, which parodies

film noir Film noir (; ) is a style of Cinema of the United States, Hollywood Crime film, crime dramas that emphasizes cynicism (contemporary), cynical attitudes and motivations. The 1940s and 1950s are generally regarded as the "classic period" of Ameri ...

crime dramas of the time, follows

Donald Duck Donald Fauntleroy Duck is a cartoon character created by the Walt Disney Company. Donald is an Anthropomorphism, anthropomorphic white duck with a yellow-orange bill, legs, and feet. He typically wears a sailor suit, sailor shirt and cap with ...

as he struggles with guilt after stealing $1.25 from his nephews. The film was directed by Jack King and features original music by Edward H. Plumb. The voice cast includes Clarence Nash as Donald, Huey, Dewey, and Louie, Ruth Clifford as Daisy Duck, and Harry E. Lang as the off-stage voice of Donald's

conscience A conscience is a Cognition, cognitive process that elicits emotion and rational associations based on an individual's ethics, moral philosophy or value system. Conscience is not an elicited emotion or thought produced by associations based on i ...

. This was Blondell's first performance as Daisy and marks the debut of the character's "normal" voice. Previously in '' Mr. Duck Steps Out'', Daisy had been voiced by Nash using a voice similar to Donald's. ''Donald's Crime'' was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film at the 18th Academy Awards in 1946, but lost to '' Quiet Please!'', a ''

Tom and Jerry ''Tom and Jerry'' is an American Animated cartoon, animated media franchise and series of comedy short films created in 1940 by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera. Best known for its 161 theatrical short films by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, the series ...

'' short produced by

MGM Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc. (also known as Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures, commonly shortened to MGM or MGM Studios) is an American Film production, film and television production and film distribution, distribution company headquartered ...

. It was the fourth such nomination for the ''Donald Duck'' film series.

Plot

One evening, while eagerly awaiting a date with Daisy, Donald realizes he is short of money. He catches sight of Huey, Dewey, and Louie's piggy bank, and following a brief battle with his conscience, he takes it. After sending his nephews to bed, Donald breaks the piggy bank open, takes the money, and goes on to have a wonderful time with Daisy at a local nightclub. Later that evening, Donald drops Daisy off at her house and starts to walk home. He feels prideful at first, but then his conscience returns and calls him a gangster, reminding him that bank robbery is a federal crime. Donald starts to imagine that federal agents are chasing him and he starts to run. As the film continues, his visions become more nightmarish and desperate. At last, Donald corners himself in a dark alley and believes he is in prison. He frantically grabs the bars of a door window and shakes it. A sign falls off and hits him in the head. It's a 'help wanted' sign, and Donald discovers the door is the service entrance of an all night cafe. Donald works through the night and earns enough money to pay back his nephews, except when he returns the money to the piggy bank, he accidentally returns $1.30 of the original $1.25. When the nephews wake up, they see Donald trying to take a nickel from the piggy bank and begin to complain. Donald's conscience reminds him, "You see, chum? Crime doesn't pay."

Voice cast

* Donald Duck and nephews: Clarence Nash * Daisy Duck: Ruth Clifford * Donald's Conscience: Harry E. Lang

Censorship

The scene that shows Donald's nephews playing with toy guns was cut in this film for being too violent. Another scene that sees Donald smoking his cigar was also cut in this film due to usage of tobacco.

Releases

* 1945 - original theatrical release * 1961 - '' Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color'', episode #8.6: "Inside Donald Duck" (TV) * c. 1983 - '' Good Morning, Mickey!'', episode #63 * 1984 - ''Donald 50th Birthday'' (only Spanish language used for international appeal) * c. 1992 - '' Mickey's Mouse Tracks'', episode #28 (TV) * c. 1992 - '' Donald's Quack Attack'', episode #11 (TV) * 1998 - '' The Ink and Paint Club'', episode #1.34: "Donald's Nephews" (TV)

Home media

The short was released on December 6, 2005 on '' Walt Disney Treasures: The Chronological Donald, Volume Two: 1942-1946''. Additional releases include: * 1984 - "Cartoon Classics: More of Disney's Best: 1932-1946" (VHS) * 2002 - bonus on DVD of '' The Great Mouse Detective'' (DVD) * 2006 - ''Classic Cartoon Favorites: Best Pals: Donald and Daisy'' (DVD) * 2010 -

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References

{{Jack King 1940s English-language films American animated short films 1940s Disney animated short films 1945 crime films Donald Duck short films American crime films Films directed by Jack King Films produced by Walt Disney American parody films RKO Pictures short films RKO Pictures animated short films Films about ducks Film noir cartoons Films with screenplays by Ralph Wright Films about theft Films scored by Edward H. Plumb English-language short films English-language crime films 1945 animated short films