King Midas, Junior (1942)
Article 5898 by Dave Sindelar
Date: 12-8-2020
Directed by John Hubley and Paul Sommer
Voice cast unknown
Country: USA
What it is: Columbia Color Rhapsody

King Midas the 13th has come of age, and is supposed to get the golden touch. However, the sprites that deliver it mistakenly give him the rubber touch instead. Hilarity ensues.

Considering how King Midas ended up, I’m a little surprised that this line would continue for thirteen generations, especially as each of his ancestors inherited the same touch. Still, it should be said that the rubber touch has the same drawbacks as the golden touch had, only far less glamorous and far more surreal. Those who’ve taken note of the year this was made and keep in mind some facts about rubber in that time may catch the twist ending before it happens. The cartoon works well enough; it gets about as much mileage out of the idea as it can. The three sprites may not look the parts, but I suspect they were modeled off the Three Stooges. A moderately entertaining cartoon.