''Swing Shift Cinderella'' is a 1945

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 ...

animated cartoon Animation is a filmmaking technique whereby still images are manipulated to create moving images. In traditional animation, images are drawn or painted by hand on transparent celluloid sheets to be photographed and exhibited on film. Animati ...

short subject 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 or ...

directed by

Tex Avery Frederick Bean "Tex" Avery (; February 26, 1908 – August 26, 1980) was an American animator, cartoonist, animation director, director, and voice actor. He was known for directing and producing animated cartoons during the golden age of America ...

. The plot involves the Big Bad Wolf and Cinderella. Frank Graham voiced the wolf, and Sara Berner voiced both Cinderella and The Fairy Grandmother, with Imogene Lynn providing the former's singing voice.Swing Shift Cinderella
. ''www.bcdb.com'', April 13, 2012

Plot

At the beginning of the cartoon, the Big Bad Wolf is chasing Little Red Riding Hood. But then Little Red Riding Hood stops and points out that the two of them are in the wrong cartoon. (Reprising a similar gag from another Avery short released earlier the same year, '' The Screwy Truant''.) The Wolf shoos her away and decides to go and meet

Cinderella "Cinderella", or "The Little Glass Slipper", is a Folklore, folk tale with thousands of variants that are told throughout the world.Dundes, Alan. Cinderella, a Casebook. Madison, Wis: University of Wisconsin Press, 1988. The protagonist is a you ...

(played by Red from '' Red Hot Riding Hood''; with a voice sounding like

Bette Davis Ruth Elizabeth "Bette" Davis (; April 5, 1908 – October 6, 1989) was an American actress of film, television, and theater. Regarded as one of the greatest actresses in Hollywood history, she was noted for her willingness to play unsympatheti ...

). He takes a taxi to her house and immediately falls in love with her upon seeing her, but she sternly rebuffs him. Eventually, Cinderella calls her Fairy Godmother (whose voice is reminiscent of Barbara Jo Allen's) to get rid of him and set her up for that night's ball. The second the Fairy Godmother hears that there is a Wolf, she rushes right over. The Fairy Godmother traps the Wolf, then gives Cinderella a red evening gown and transforms a pumpkin into a Woodie for her to go the ball, but tells Cinderella that she has to get home by midnight (just like in the classic fairy tale). The oversexed Fairy Godmother then keeps the Wolf busy. She appears before him i
an old-fashioned 1890s
swimsuit ("Miss Repulsive 1898") and then an evening gown before trying to snuggle up to him on the couch. She chases him all around Cinderella's house, but the Wolf escapes when he gets the Fairy Godmother's wand, turning Cinderella's

bathtub A bathtub, also known simply as a bath or tub, is a container for holding water in which a person or another animal may Bathing, bathe. Most modern bathtubs are made of thermoformed Acrylic resin, acrylic, porcelain enamel, porcelain-enameled s ...

into a

convertible A convertible or cabriolet () is a Car, passenger car that can be driven with or without a roof in place. The methods of retracting and storing the roof vary across eras and manufacturers. A convertible car's design allows an open-air drivin ...

. He leaves for the

nightclub A nightclub or dance club is a club that is open at night, usually for drinking, dancing and other entertainment. Nightclubs often have a Bar (establishment), bar and discotheque (usually simply known as disco) with a dance floor, laser lighti ...

where Cinderella is performing, with the Fairy Godmother in pursuit. Soon after arriving, the Wolf accidentally kisses the Fairy Godmother, thinking she was Cinderella, which only further deepens her lust for the Wolf. Cinderella soon comes out on-stage and performs a show dance while singing the song "Oh Wolfie" (to the tune of " Oh Johnny, Oh Johnny, Oh!"). The Wolf howls and chases after Cinderella, but the smitten Godmother uses various methods (usually a

mallet A mallet is a tool used for imparting force on another object, often made of rubber or sometimes wood, that is smaller than a maul or beetle, and usually has a relatively large head. General overview The term is descriptive of the ...

) to keep him in line. When the clock strikes midnight, the Fairy Godmother warns Cinderella and she leaves, but not before the Wolf starts to pursue his chase. The Godmother once again tries to stop him, but this time, the Wolf uses her own methods against her and pursues Cinderella. Cinderella rushes home as the Fairy Godmother's transformation wears off, but she manages to make it home in time—it turns out that Cinderella is a Rosie the Riveter and that the reason she had to be home by midnight was so she would not be late for the night shift at Lockweed. Cinderella is relieved to be rid of the Wolf, but to her dismay and horror, it is revealed that the bus is full of wolves, who start wolf-whistling and catcalling at her as the cartoon ends.

Crew

* Director: Tex Avery * Story: Heck Allen * Animation: Ray Abrams, Preston Blair, Ed Love * Layout: Claude Smith, John Didrik Johnsen * Backgrounds: John Didrik Johnsen * Sound Editor: Fred McAlpin * Music: Scott Bradley * Producer: Fred Quimby

Analysis

The short includes wartime references. The motor scooter of the fairy godmother displays an "A" gas ration sticker. She later uses a jeep. Cinderella is a welder, working the midnight shift at the Lockweed Aircraft Plant. There is also a female cabdriver depicted, a frequently used motif during the War.Shull, Wilt (2004), p. 185

References

Sources

External links

* {{Cinderella 1945 films 1945 comedy films 1940s American animated films 1940s fantasy comedy films 1940s sex comedy films Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer animated short films Films directed by Tex Avery Animated films based on Cinderella American sex comedy films American parody films Fairy tale parody films Self-reflexive films Films set on the United States home front during World War II Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer films Films scored by Scott Bradley Animated films about wolves Tex Avery's Big Bad Wolf films Films with screenplays by Henry Wilson Allen Films produced by Fred Quimby Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer cartoon studio short films Red (animated character) films 1940s English-language films Films set in nightclubs English-language comedy short films English-language sex comedy films English-language fantasy comedy films 1945 animated short films