Gayle brought this little YouTube movie to my attention the other day. I don’t remember seeing the movie as a kid, but I remember reading a book based on the film.
Although a cartoon, and maybe not what you expect to see here, I think it effectively demonstrates how our countries thoughts on housing have evolved through the years. It also shows why so many people today come to realize that living more simply, in the long run, is the way to go. As most of us know, having more and bigger does not make you happier.
Thanks Disney for presenting this lesson so well for us.
*Correction: The book “The Little House” (by Virginia Lee Burton) came first – it was published in 1942, a decade before Disney made this short.
this is so true a little house in the country is better
Wow. I’d never seen this either, although I too knew the book from my childhood. BTW, Kent is mistaken, the book (by Virginia Lee Burton) came first – it was published in 1942, a decade before Disney made this short: http://www.amazon.com/Little-House-Virginia-Lee-Burton/dp/0395181569
What strikes me most about this is how absolutely subversive the message is, given the circumstances of the time. After all, this was released at the height of the baby boom, when the mere suggestion that growth had negative side effects was considered almost treasonous.
Thanks for posting this, Kent.
Thanks Brent for the correction, I’ll add a note above.
Love your blog, but I wanted to clarify something…the MOVIE was based on the BOOK, which was written ten years earlier by Virigina Lee Burton.
Thanks Nicole for the correction, I’ll add a note to the post.
Thanks so much for sharing this. As a preservationist and a small building aficionado, this film summarizes so many issues in a rather heart-wrenching way.
Thanks so much for sharing this! I had forgotten about that little cartoon. It reminds me of my little house… my family and I live in a 604 sq ft house in Kansas and have some upity neighbors. We would love to move our tiny house to a hill in the country! 🙂
“…the best place to find peace and happiness is in a little house on a little hill way out in the country.”
I couldn’t agree more.
I remember reading the book to my kids. They loved it… especially the ending, when the little house was saved.
I enjoyed this.
Thank you.
“If only I could go with them”, thought the little house… If only she were a Tumble-Weed house!
I remember seeing this on World of Disney as a kid. Loved it then, too!
This is a nice little movie on a nice little house. 🙂 The scenic countryside where it resides seems so peaceful.
I had this book as a child I actually had the record book (remember those?!) I absolutely loved that book, one of my favourites, it made me feel sooo sad every time I read it. Maybe that’s why I’m drawn to little houses? Either way I love them now and must find a copy of that book, it must be somewhere!
Cute!
Thank you so much! I too remember this little cartoon.I saved it to one of my folder so Ican showw it to my grandchildren this summer,again THANK YOU!
I remember the book but not so sure about the movie. Of course,I might have blocked it out as it’s so darn heart-rending even now!It’s true how almost subversive it was in it’s time. Thanks for showing us. Good thing it has a happy ending, I was getting depressed!
DLB
Kent —
Bravo! Yet another reason your blog stands apart from the others. Even as a confirmed city kid, I found this piece of Disneyana touching.
I must add: There are splendid little houses in the city, too, and with any luck there’ll be a whole lot more as we continue to shed our fascination with McMansions and work to make it possible to build small in urban areas.
Peter
Huh, maybe this is why I like tiny houses so much as this was one of my fav Disney shorts as a kid. I had never made that connection until now, odd how it never occurred to me even though I have seen it recently because I have it on one of the ‘Walt Disney Treasures’ DVD sets I own.
I remember seeing this when I was younger. Wow! haven’t seen that for YEARS!
Thanks!
http://www.amazon.com/Spirit-Hope-Bob-Graham/dp/1572552026 is a great little kids book about a family inspired by their child’s toy house on wheels. For kids up to about grade two, also nice for tiny house parents/grandparents.
HOLY COW! I was OBSESSED with this cartoon as a kid and now I realize what a major influence it’s been in my hunt for a home. I’m just in love with trying to find a tiny little fixer-upper! Thanks! This just warms my heart!
Great Post ! I have read your other posts which are really informative for little house movie. Thanks for nice post.