First shot of animation: Angus MacBadger bookkeeping during character introductions.

The last package film! At least for a long time. Frame device is the voices of Basil Rathbone and Bing Crosby debating “fabulous characters” as the camera seeks out The Wind in the Willows and The Legend of Sleepy Hollow in a library.

The Toad Hall segment reminds me of what I said about Mickey and the Beanstalk. Toad, his friends, even Winky, have one personality trait, but it’s written in bold, which does a lot to keep things entertaining. Thaddeus J Toad is no criminal, and he will happily shoot people to prove it. The madcap struggle for the deed is classic cartoon schtick in the best way.

On the other hand, Ichabod Crane has allll the traits. He’s superstitious, loves a snack, beautiful singer, confident, loves MILFs, ambitious, looks like a cryptid. And it all works together, with credit shared between the story department and Washington Irving. The shorts that started development as features are just better.

Backgrounds and lighting are really nice in both. The best moments or animation are Toad hijacking a train, bouncing around beneath him, and the Headless Horseman himself. The Horseman has no outlines, looking otherworldly.

The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr Toad might be the best of the 40s package films, just by having no bad segments, but The Three Caballeros is a contender for having the only frame that adds to the segments and is integrated with them.