Donald's Crime is a short from Walt Disney Productions starring Donald Duck, Huey, Dewey, Louie, and Daisy Duck. It was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Cartoon in 1945.
Synopsis[]
One evening while eagerly awaiting a date with Daisy, Donald realizes he doesn't have any money. When he sees Huey, Duey, and Louie's piggy bank, and following a brief battle with his gangster-speaking conscience, he takes it. After sending the nephews to bed, and trying to hide the uneasy feelings, Donald breaks open the piggy bank, takes the money (totaling $1.25), and goes on to have a fun time with Daisy at a local dance club.
Later that evening, Donald drops Daisy off at her house. She kisses him and calls him a "big shot." Donald at first feels prideful as he starts to walk home, but soon he begins to feel guilty. His conscience calls him a gangster and reminds him that bank robbery is a federal crime. Donald starts to imagine that federal agents are chasing him and he starts to run. As the film continues, his visions become more nightmarish and desperate. At last Donald corners himself in a dark alley and believes he is in jail. He frantically grabs the bars of a door window and shakes it. A sign falls off and hits him in the head. It's a 'help wanted' sign, and Donald discovers the door is the service entrance of an all night café.
Donald works through the night and earns enough money to pay back his nephews, except when he returns the money to the piggy bank, he accidentally returns $1.30 of the original $1.25. When the nephews wake up, they see Donald trying to take a nickel from the piggy bank and begin to complain. Donald's conscience reminds him, "You see, chum? Crime doesn't pay".
Characters[]
- Donald Duck (voiced by Clarence Nash)
- Daisy Duck (voiced by Gloria Blondell)
- Huey, Dewey, and Louie (voiced by Clarence Nash)
- Donald's Conscience (voiced by Harry E. Lang)
Home video releases[]
Television[]
- Disneyland, episode #4.16: "Donald's Weekend"
- Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color, episode #8.6: "Inside Donald Duck"
- The New Mickey Mouse Club, October 13, 1977
- Walt Disney's Mickey and Donald, episode #11
- Good Morning, Mickey, episode #63
- Mickey's Mouse Tracks, episode #28
- Donald's Quack Attack, episode #11
- The Ink and Paint Club, episode #1.34: "Donald's Nephews"
Home video[]
VHS
- Walt Disney Cartoon Classics: More of Disney's Best: 1932-1946
- Huey, Dewey, and Louie's Greatest Hits
- View-Master Interactive Vision: Disney's Cartoon Arcade (Clip)
DVD
- The Great Mouse Detective (bonus on Gold Collection DVD)
- Walt Disney Treasures: The Chronological Donald, Volume 2
- Walt Disney's Classic Cartoon Favorites: Best Pals - Donald and Daisy
Trivia[]
- This was Gloria Blondell's first performance as Daisy and marks the debut of Daisy's "normal" voice. Her last speaking role in Mr. Duck Steps Out was voiced by Clarence Nash and had a duck voice like Donald's.
- The inflation conversion of $1.25 back in 1945 translates to $18.25 in the year 2020.
- In airings on The Ink and Paint Club, the scene that shows Donald's nephews playing with toy guns was deemed too violent and deleted. Another scene that shows Donald smoking was also deleted.
- This is the only animated Disney production released in 1945 to have Huey, Dewey, and Louie appearing.
Gallery[]
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