Seven Wise Dwarfs
Encyclopedia
7 Wise Dwarfs is an educational short animated film made by the Walt Disney Studios
, and commissioned by the National Film Board of Canada
, released theatrically on December 12, 1941 as a short film for educating the Canadian public about war bonds during World War II
. The short features the seven dwarfs from Disney's Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
, four years after the characters made their screen debut. The short was released for the first time on home video in the Disney boxed set
Walt Disney Treasures
series: the 2 DVD On the Front Lines - The War Years. The DVDs were released in the 3rd wave of publishing of the Disney Treasures on May 18, 2004.
The film shows the dwarfs mining for gemstone
s. They march, past Parliament Hill
in Ottawa
, and then rush to a Post Office, while Dopey goes to a nearby bank instead when he finds himself locked out, and invest their gems in Canadian War Savings Certificates. All the while the dwarfs sing a variant of the song "Heigh-Ho
" from the original movie. The movie ends in a pastiche of war scenes, each of which ends with an educational caption appearing on screen, usually coincidentally (like letters appearing from cracks made by bullets). The changed lyrics to the song typically talks of investing in the war effort by purchasing war savings certificates, and uses marketing phrases like "Five for Four" (a phrase coined to reflect a long term return of 5 dollar
s on every 4 invested - it is also the name of another short educational film advocating the same cause in Canada during the war).
The sequence typically shows Dopey the dwarf doing things in a clumsy, belated and different fashion for slapstick
(as in the original movie). Featuring the voice talent of Pinto Colvig
as Doc (he had been cast as Sleepy and Grumpy in the original movie), the film is directed by Dick Lyford and Ford Beebe
. Quite a bit of the short consists of reused work from the 1937 Snow White film.
Walt Disney Pictures
Walt Disney Pictures is an American film studio owned by The Walt Disney Company. Walt Disney Pictures and Television, a subsidiary of the Walt Disney Studios and the main production company for live-action feature films within the Walt Disney Motion Pictures Group, based at the Walt Disney...
, and commissioned by the National Film Board of Canada
National Film Board of Canada
The National Film Board of Canada is Canada's twelve-time Academy Award-winning public film producer and distributor. An agency of the Government of Canada, the NFB produces and distributes documentary, animation, alternative drama and digital media productions...
, released theatrically on December 12, 1941 as a short film for educating the Canadian public about war bonds during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. The short features the seven dwarfs from Disney's Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937 film)
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs is a 1937 American animated film based on Snow White, a German fairy tale by the Brothers Grimm. It was the first full-length cel-animated feature in motion picture history, as well as the first animated feature film produced in America, the first produced in full...
, four years after the characters made their screen debut. The short was released for the first time on home video in the Disney boxed set
Boxed set
A box set is a compilation of various musical recordings, films, television programs, or other collection of related items that are contained in a box.-Music box sets:...
Walt Disney Treasures
Walt Disney Treasures
The Walt Disney Treasures is a two-disc DVD set of classic Disney works. They cover work from the studio's earliest days to their more recent work...
series: the 2 DVD On the Front Lines - The War Years. The DVDs were released in the 3rd wave of publishing of the Disney Treasures on May 18, 2004.
The film shows the dwarfs mining for gemstone
Gemstone
A gemstone or gem is a piece of mineral, which, in cut and polished form, is used to make jewelry or other adornments...
s. They march, past Parliament Hill
Parliament Hill
Parliament Hill , colloquially known as The Hill, is an area of Crown land on the southern banks of the Ottawa River in downtown Ottawa, Ontario. Its Gothic revival suite of buildingsthe parliament buildings serves as the home of the Parliament of Canada and contains a number of architectural...
in Ottawa
Ottawa
Ottawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario...
, and then rush to a Post Office, while Dopey goes to a nearby bank instead when he finds himself locked out, and invest their gems in Canadian War Savings Certificates. All the while the dwarfs sing a variant of the song "Heigh-Ho
Heigh-Ho
"Heigh-Ho" is a song from Walt Disney's 1937 animated film Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, written by Frank Churchill and Larry Morey...
" from the original movie. The movie ends in a pastiche of war scenes, each of which ends with an educational caption appearing on screen, usually coincidentally (like letters appearing from cracks made by bullets). The changed lyrics to the song typically talks of investing in the war effort by purchasing war savings certificates, and uses marketing phrases like "Five for Four" (a phrase coined to reflect a long term return of 5 dollar
Canadian dollar
The Canadian dollar is the currency of Canada. As of 2007, the Canadian dollar is the 7th most traded currency in the world. It is abbreviated with the dollar sign $, or C$ to distinguish it from other dollar-denominated currencies...
s on every 4 invested - it is also the name of another short educational film advocating the same cause in Canada during the war).
The sequence typically shows Dopey the dwarf doing things in a clumsy, belated and different fashion for slapstick
Slapstick
Slapstick is a type of comedy involving exaggerated violence and activities which may exceed the boundaries of common sense.- Origins :The phrase comes from the batacchio or bataccio — called the 'slap stick' in English — a club-like object composed of two wooden slats used in Commedia dell'arte...
(as in the original movie). Featuring the voice talent of Pinto Colvig
Pinto Colvig
Vance DeBar "Pinto" Colvig was an American vaudeville actor, radio actor, newspaper cartoonist, prolific movie voice actor, and circus performer whose schtick was playing clarinet off-key while mugging....
as Doc (he had been cast as Sleepy and Grumpy in the original movie), the film is directed by Dick Lyford and Ford Beebe
Ford Beebe
Ford Beebe was a screenwriter and director...
. Quite a bit of the short consists of reused work from the 1937 Snow White film.