About The Grasshopper and the Ants

The Grasshopper and the Ants is a short animated film, released by Walt Disney Productions on 10th February 1934. This film brings to life Aesop's famous fable of the same name, where the spendthrift grasshopper fritters away his summer singing, dancing, and enjoying himself, while the diligent ants work persistently to store food for the winter. When the harsh winter comes, the grasshopper gets a lesson about the value of planning and hard work.

Making / Production

P. R. Hartman and Larry Clemmons are behind the story and screenplay of the film. Burt Gillett directed the film under the production of Walt Disney himself. The animation team was led by Ub Iwerks, an important part of Disney's original staff. The film was included in the Silly Symphony series.

Actors

• Pinto Colvig - He gave voice to the grasshopper in the film, portraying the carefree and cavalier character effortlessly on screen.
• Disney Chorus - They filled in for the ants, expressing the collective diligence and discipline through their harmonious voice-overs.

Trivia / Interesting Facts

• This is one of the few Silly Symphony series films that are not based on original music but a pre-existing story.
• The Grasshopper is seen reading a book "Goofy's Guide to Music" which is a tribute to Disney's character Goofy.
• The film ends with a different moral than the classical fable as the ants forgive the grasshopper and provide him shelter.

Quotes

• "The world owes me a living." - Grasshopper
• "We work all day, we work all night. We never learn to read or write." - Ants' chorus

Music and Soundtrack

• "The World Owes Me A Living" - This song was introduced in this film and sung by the grasshopper, which became a signature song for Goofy (another character by Disney).
• The diligent ants are represented by the ideal worker's song, which creates a stark contrast to the grasshopper's carefree tunes.