Barnyard Bunk (1932)
Article 5608 by Dave Sindelar
Date: 12-26-2018
Directed by John Foster and George Rufle
Country: USA
What it is: A Dick and Larry cartoon

A failing farm is about to be taken over by mice. Can Dick and Larry turn things about with their magic saxophones?

What’s the difference between a Dick and Larry cartoon and a (not cat and mouse) Tom and Jerry cartoon? The answer is – a title card; otherwise the characters are the same, and since no one mentions their names, the difference is of no consequence. I almost skipped reviewing this one until I realized that the saxophones were supposed to be magical. I almost didn’t notice this because I was expecting it to turn into a variation of “The Pied Piper”, with Dick and Larry leading the mice away with their toodling; this doesn’t happen, though the appearance of a walking skeleton emerging from an outhouse does add a bit more to the fantastic content. For all that, this is admittedly one of the better cartoons of the series; some of the gags are a bit creative, including a running gag in which a mouse holds up a “danger” sign anytime some one is about to get hurt. Not a word is spoken in this one.