Ben and Me (1953)

It is not only a funny movie, but it allows a great amount of joy for anyone who watches it.

While it doesn't offer any answers, it both thrills and makes you think.

Easily the biggest piece of Right wing non sense propaganda I ever saw.

One of the film's great tricks is that, for a time, you think it will go down a rabbit hole of unrealistic glorification.

AMAZING ACCOMLIISHMENTS IN many fields are the legacy of our own "Renaissance Man" of the Colonial & Revolutionary Period, Mr. Benjamin Franklin. Some have said that he did enough in so many divergent fields in such excellence that he must have had help from others. This kids story adapted by Walt Disney & Co., suggests that he also had counsel of a rodentian nature. That would be one Amos Mouse (Sterling Holloway-voice).AS WITH ALL and everything that is Disney, the best is expected and delivered. This includes the animation, character design, the music, the Technicolor and the cast of voice actors. He cast consisting of names like: Sterling Holloway (Mouse), Hans Conreid (Thomas Jefferson), Charlie Ruggles (Ben) and Bill Thompson (Governor).AND WE WELL remember this two reel cartoon opening up with a modern day tour-guide lecturing a group of interested history Buffs before a statue of the Great Philadelphian, himself. While the guy continued spouting his well rehearsed spiel, the camera's eye panned up, bringing our view to the sculpture's three corner hat. There we're privy to a much smaller tour. Being conducted by a mouse tour guide for other interested mice, this scene mirrored the human's; but the emphasis was on the little one's accomplishments and how he was the power behind Ben's throne.DONE MAINLY IN flashback, this story unfolds with the two meeting and befriending each other. One by one, each invention, discovery or accomplishment or idea is revealed as being largely the work of the mouse.THAT WOULD INCLUDE inventing the potbelly stove, flying that kite in the lightning storm and the development of the bifocal lens. A particularly amusing gag unfolds in the scene where the now broken lenses are cut by Amos and joined together using his teeth.THE MOUSE WOULD ride around town in Franklin's hat and remind him of the names of the fine ladies and gentlemen that he met; as poor been apparently had a poor memory.WE DO SEEM to remember some reference to the Contoinental Congress and the Declaration of Independence, but all of that is very shady; this original screening having taken place nearly 60 years ago. This is a good reason for us to either buy a DVD or rent one (you know, for the grandkids)! NOW THEN SCHULTZ, why don't you do the same!

I have always loved films (animated and live action) and theatrical shorts based on books. This is one of my favorite literary shorts from my childhood, because I've watched it a bunch of times as a kid; I've even read the book too.This short has a great cast featuring Sterling Holloway as Amos Mouse/Narrator, Charles Ruggles as Benjamin Franklin; Hans Conried as Thomas Jefferson, I love the talents of Hans. I also love why they joined paintings and the animated characters in the backgrounds - excellent work! I recommended this short those who literary shorts and films like me.

This is by far one of the cutest animated "history" lessons anyone can watch or show to children. Of course it is fictional with a mouse as the hero and main character but does present the founding of our nation and the writing of the constitution in a very entertaining matter. Amos is really portrayed as the hero in place of Benjamin Franklin, with Franklin portrayed as somewhat of a bumbling, "absent-minded" professor type. We are also shown some of Benjamin Franklin's inventions as well as some of his famous sayings scattered throughout the short movie. We do have a video version of this and I believe it is still available. I highly recommend this very entertaining and educational 25 minute feature by Disney at his best.

This marvelous film, while occasionally being run in the wee hours on the Disney Channel, has been otherwise shoved to the back of the vault and for being woefully neglected, has suffered a much better fate than much of Disney's output in the 1940's and 1950's. Disney regularly put out one and two-reel shorts and documentaries back then and the majority probably haven't been seen in decades. Ben and Me is a case in point-not in print and rarely shown, while we get the umpteenth replay of Cosmic Capers-a good short, but with so much material available, why not air some less-seen stuff? This film, for example, a funny take on Ben Franklin and why he accomplished so much. One wonders what Edison must have consulted with. Most recommended.