Platero

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Platero is a 1951 American animated musical film produced by Dora Wilson Productions and distributed by Warner Bros., loosely inspired by the 1914 Spanish poem by Juan Ramón Jiménez. It starred the voices of Sam Edwards, Katharine Hepburn, Will Wright and Paul Frees.

This is the first animated film that Spanish cartoonist and Dora Wilson Productions' veteran animator Manuel García Ferré ever directed.

Summary[]

Platero, a donkey from a farm, finds himself accidentally stranded in the vast American desert. Determined to find a new home, he befriends other desert animals, catches the attention of a female donkey named Burra, and assists a friendly prospector in searching for gold.

Plot[]

In the vast American frontier desert, there exists a donkey named Platero who shares his life as a farm worker. However, his heart longs for freedom, and he often gazes out of the barn window, dreaming of a life outside. One day, the two farmers who mistreat him force him to pull a carriage along with them to the village, where they plan to sell beans. Even during this journey, Platero continues to daydream about what life beyond the farm would be like. His longing for a new life blinds him, and he accidentally steps on the tail of a fierce stray dog, provoking its wrath.

Fueled by anger, the dog chases Platero, causing chaos and mischief throughout the village. After the chase, Platero’s enraged owners can no longer tolerate his mischievous behavior. They decide to sell him to a glue factory. Platero, filled with sadness, gazes across the desert once more, knowing that his dreams of freedom have been shattered. Meanwhile, the two farmers gather their strength and attempt to drive their truck up a steep hill, unaware that the rope holding the box containing Platero has come loose. As they reach the summit and drive away, Platero rolls downhill, crashing through the desert, abandoned and unnoticed by his owners

Platero emerges from the damaged box, which had crashed into a large rock, completely unharmed. As he surveys the desert surroundings, he is overjoyed to realize that the farmers are unaware of his presence, having left him behind. Platero revels in his newfound freedom. However, while exploring the desert, he soon becomes hot, thirsty, hungry, and disoriented. He desperately seeks a new, safe, and better place to live, attempting to find shelter wherever he can. Unfortunately, none of the desert critters he encounters are friendly towards him. Everything changes when Platero stumbles upon a gregarious gopher named Diggy and an older hare named Jack B. Rabbit. They offer him a warm invitation to stay at their burrow home for the night. One morning, Platero encounters a female donkey named Bella, whom he develops an instant affection for, especially after rescuing her from a hungry coyote. TBD

Characters and cast[]

Platero, voiced by Dallas McKennon, a farm donkey TBD
Bella, voiced by Katharine Hepburn, a female donkey whom Platero helped escape from a rodeo and eventually develops a crush on her.
Diggy, voiced by Mel Blanc, a goofball wise-cracking gopher who serves as the film's comic relief.
Jack B. Rabbit, voiced by Will Wright, an elderly jackrabbit.
Farmers, voiced by Paul Frees, Platero's cold-hearted abusive owners, consisting of Slim, the tall and smart one, and Shorty, his short and dimwitted Mexican-American assistant (both names are accorded to the concept art).
Rocky McHill, voiced by Stan Freberg, a prospector
Various animals, voiced by Thurl Ravenscroft, TBD, TBD, TBD, Paul Frees, Mel Blanc, TBD

Songs[]

Platero - the opening theme song
Freedom of Paradise - Where Plantero looks outside to the wildreness in the desert, thinking what would be like if he was free.
Freedom of Paradise (reprise) - Where Plantero daydreams about his freedom while carrying the wagon to the town.
Freedom of Paradise (sad reprise) - Where Plantero is sadly being taken to the glue factory by his farmer owners before accidentally escape later on.
Freedom of Paradise (happy reprise) - Where Plantero is finally free to the desert wilderness.
The Beautiful Donkey You Ever Saw - Where Plantero falls in love with Bella.
Nuttin' But Gold - TBD
Freedom of Paradise (ending reprise) - TBD

Release[]

Platero was released on November 17, 1951. Upon its release, the film was released in a double feature with the Merrie Melodies short film Drip-Along Daffy, starring Daffy Duck and Porky Pig, produced and also released by Warner Bros.

Home media[]

Magnetic Video released Platero on VHS in 1978, making it one of the first three DreamWorks films to have a home video release alongside with 1955's The Road to El Dorado and 1957's Terror Lagoon.

TBD

In 2001, Platero was released on VHS and for the first time on DVD, as part of the film's 50th Anniversary Edition, with the inclusion with a golden video tape that can be found in each of the film's VHS copies, where consumers could have a chance to win a free 10 inch plush doll based on the title character. TBD

TBD

Legacy[]

Television series[]

In the early 1990s, an animated television series The Adventures of Platero, aired on syndication from TBD to TBD, making it DreamWorks' first animated series based on an animated film.

Popularity in Japan[]

Upon its Japanese theatrical release in 1980 under its name TBD, Platero had gain a huge iconic following in the country which spun in various medias, either released exclusively in Japan or released in worldwide. The examples are TBD

Quotes[]

Diggy: Say. I'll be. You are a quite an silly looking big jackrabbit I ever saw before my eyes, ain’t ya?
Platero: What? A jackrabbit? Me? (laughs) Why, no, no, no, sir. You must be mistaken. I'm not a jackrabbit. I'm a donkey.
Diggy: "Donkey"? (laughs) You're sure don't look like one, by the looks of it that is.
Platero: But I am, see? Can you tell?
Diggy: Aw, sure I can, chum. You have two long ears, which makes you a rabbit.
Platero: Yeah, I have long ears, but this doesn't mean I'm a rabbit. Besides have you never seen any rabbit having hooves, a long tail with a furry tip, a mane on my head, and sound like this: (brays loudly at Diggy, which he jumps out from his hole to the mid air and covers his ears to avoid himself from his hearing loss, before falling down back to his hole with a thud) (speaks through Diggy's hole, letting out his echo) Get it?
Diggy: (peaking out from his hole) Yes. Yes. Yes. I getcha, pal. I getcha. You are truly a donkey... I think.
Platero: You'll get the picture.