The Little House is a 1952 animated short based on the 1942 Caldecott Medal-winning children's book by Virginia Lee Burton.
Plot[]
The story centers on a house built at the top of a small hill, far out in the country, who is delighted when a newlywed couple choose her for a home. However, the house feels lonely at night and wonders what it might be like to have other houses to talk to, often gazing at the lights of the distant city (known as urban sprawl), which can grow even more closer.
Eventually two stately Victorian mansions are built on either side of the Little House. She is happy to have some neighbors at last, but is offended when the mansions rudely look down on her for being inferior. One night, a fire breaks out by unknown cause and both of the mansions burn down to the ground and got destroyed. The Little House considers this a pity, even though they weren't very nice
In 1896, the crowd cheers and the band plays to vote William McKinley as the 25th president of the United States, and the Little House is shown to have had two tall tenement buildings built on either side of her. Sadly, her family moves away to escape all the noise that the residents of both buildings make, but the house reminds herself that come what may, she must stand her ground. On December 31st, the residents in both buildings sing "Auld Lang Syne" until 12AM Midnight, when they throw confetti out of the windows saying "Happy New Year!", but the Little House is still very sad, with this awful empty feeling inside. Years pass, and the tenements get demolished to make way for three towering skyscrapers. By this time, the Little House has become battered and worn with age and has begun to long for her old life on the small hill in the countryside.
One day, a wrecking-moving crew "Ajax Wrecking - Moving" comes, presumably to demolish her, but the Little House doesn't mind because she has come to consider herself "in the way" and "no good to anybody." She also resolves that she should be glad she has lived for as long as she did. However, much to her delight, it turns out that they had come to move her out to the country and fix her up so that a new couple can come and live in her.
Voices[]
- Narrator - Sterling Holloway
Uncredited[]
- Stan Freberg - "Extra!", "Happy New Year!", Arguing Voices
- June Foray - "Help! Sound the alarm", Additional Voices
- Jimmy MacDonald - Additional Voices
- Bob Jackman - Additional Voices
Releases[]
Television[]
- Disneyland, episode #4.8: "Adventures in Fantasy"
VHS[]
- Walt Disney Cartoon Classics - Winnie the Pooh and a Day for Eeyore (non-U.S. release)
DVD[]
- Walt Disney Treasures: Disney Rarities
- Walt Disney's It's a Small World of Fun!: Volume 4
