Johnny Appleseed--Short but Memorable

"Johnny Appleseed" is a joy to watch for a variety of reasons. Basically, it's a simple but "a-peeling" rendition of an American folk tale about legendary John Chapman, an historically real nurseryman and orchardist, born in Massachusetts at the start of the American Revolution, who gained fame as a poor and humble planter of apple orchards across the young American republic's Northwest Territory(what later became the states of Ohio, Indiana, etc.). The story opens with young Johnny happily at work in his orchard, singing his gratitude to the Lord for his good fortune, who's caught by the bug to go west(with some gentle prodding from his guardian angel--perhaps Disney's way of suggesting the lad's subconscious desire to spread the word of God as a kind of missionary-planter), with the endless stream of pioneers in their covered wagons that creak by on the dusty road right past his orchard in the early 1800's. Planting appleseeds everywhere he goes throughout the vast wilderness, the ever-optimistic Johnny hopes his apple trees will eventually provide sustenance and pleasure to the early, hardscrabble settlers. Although not a detailed factual biography,(the real John Chapman was, like Disney's Johhny, religious, kind, and humble, but something of a businessman nonetheless), the film emphasizes the boy's goodness of heart, compassion to animals, etc., as he goes about the laborious task, his ever-present Bible in hand, of helping to open up and bring the first vestiges of civilization to the early American frontier. Although a relatively short featurette, "Johnny Appleseed" maintains momentum and interest throughout, demonstrating just how skillful Disney's staff had become at drawing both humans and cute, loveable animals with very human qualities. Its vivid color, catchy, religious-oriented tune("The Lord Is Good to Me"), fluid animation, and stunning layouts and backgrounds, makes "Johnny Appleseed" a very pleasant and memorable little yarn, with an especially unusual ending(Johnny realizes that he's died), and quite visually awe-inspiring final scene--the billowing clouds that we see in the sky are really the result of Johnny's continuing to plant apple orchards on a celestial scale! Great little animated treat that also manages to pack an emotional punch. It's a Disney gem that deserves more attention than it gets.