Bosko the Musketeer

Since the previous reviewer mentioned many of the things I was going to describe, I'll just mention two things: 1) Before the sword fight starts, the swords are shaking hands. 2) The little mice all look like Mickey! Maybe not so surprising at all since Hugh Harmon and Rudolf Ising were previously animators for Walt Disney when he created Oswald the Lucky Rabbit (Oswald looked like the Famous Mouse with long ears and a fluffy tail). Another highly amusing early Warner Bros. Looney Tunes short with tuneful music and singing throughout though that tends to get repetitious after a while. Good thing when Tex Avery arrived several years later, gags would be more important than music. Still, highly worth a look for anyone interested in early Warner Bros. cartoons before the arrival of Porky, Daffy, and Bugs.

The Bosko cartoons may not be animation masterpieces, but they are fascinating as examples of Looney Tunes in their early days before the creation of more compelling characters and funnier and more creative cartoons. There are some good cartoons, as well as some average or less ones.

As far as Bosko cartoons go, 'Bosko the Musketeer' is one of the better faring ones. Not great as such, but a lot of good entertaining elements here. The only real faults are a story that's best forgotten on the whole, like many Bosko cartoons it's flimsy and more an excuse for gag-stringing-along and a few of the musical parts being a touch on the repetitious side. Like 'Bosko's Picture Show', the villain is archetypal and a little too melodramatic even for the type of villain the cartoon was going for.

Bosko is a limited character and not the most endearing, but he is fun to watch here in 'Bosko the Musketeer' with the concept playing to his strengths. Honey is also very charming, with a stonking impression of Mae West, and The Three Musketeer characters are a lot of fun.

As always for a Bosko cartoon the animation is good. Not exactly refined but fluid and crisp enough with some nice detail, it is especially good in the meticulous backgrounds and some remarkably flexible yet natural movements for Bosko. The music doesn't disappoint either, its infectious energy, rousing merriment, lush orchestration and how well it fits with the animation is just a joy.

Sound quality has clarity and the synchronisation isn't sloppy and has imagination. The way Bosko is animated is well done and remarkably natural.

The gags work very well, none of them less than amusing.

In summary, good if not great. 7/10 Bethany Cox