July 11, 1947 – The Donald Duck Short Film Donald’s Dilemma is Released to Theaters
“Donald Duck! You are the greatest singer in the world!”
On July 11, 1947, the Donald Duck short film Donald’s Dilemma was released to theaters. Surprisingly, although the title is Donald’s Dilemma, the short is really about the problems Daisy Duck faces when Donald is hit on the head by a flowerpot. The short was directed by Jack King, with the story by Roy Williams, and stars Clarence Nash as Donald Duck and Gloria Blondell as Daisy.
The short opens at the office of psychiatrist Dr. Sigmund Frump, P.D.Q., R.S.V.P., C.O.D., S.O.S., P.M., A.M., P.S., P.P.S., M.O. Sitting at his desk is Daisy Duck, holding a flower. She begins to explain about how she and Donald were taking a walk on a beautiful spring day, when a flowerpot fell from the 99th floor of a tall building and landed smack on Donald’s head. She tried to revive him, but Donald had somehow become someone else: the greatest singer in the world. He grabbed a broom and began to croon “When You Wish Upon a Star” like Frank Sinatra. Unfortunately, Donald has no recollection of Daisy.
Donald becomes a crooner with his rendition of “When You Wish Upon a Star” in the style of Frank Sinatra
As Daisy tried to get Donald’s attention, a theatrical agent snapped Donald up, leaving the flower that hit Donald on the head lying at Daisy’s feet, “a symbol of my lost love,” as she tells the doctor. She never saw him again after that day, except in advertisements, on labels, in society columns, and on marquees. Donald is then seen holding a concert, with the sounds of women swooning in the background. Daisy found that she could not sleep, eat, or even want to live anymore.
Hearing that Donald will sing at Radio City, Daisy rushed there, but it was too late – by the time she hit the box office, the tickets were all sold out. She waited at the stage door, but she was shut out by all the fans that rushed to meet him. Night after night, she waited by the stage door. Finally, she tried to get by the doorman by pleading, disguises, and by force, but she was still unable to see her sweetheart. Then, as luck would have it, she ran into him one night quite by chance. She pleaded with him, telling him how much she missed him, but Donald still didn’t recognize her. After he left her, she decided that maybe it was time to seek therapy to get over Donald.
Donald immediately returns to his normal voice, and the crowd begins to throw rotten fruit and vegetables in their anger
The doctor tells her that the hit on the head undoubtedly caused the change, and he can help her, but she has a big decision to make: does she want the world to have Donald and his beautiful voice, or does she want him back again for herself? Without hesitation, Daisy responds that she wants him all to herself, getting rather violent in her haste. He then informs her how to get her Donald back. As she arrives at the stage door with the flower in a flowerpot, she climbs to the top of the theater and drops the flowerpot on his head. On impact, Donald loses his magical voice and is heckled by the audience. He is thrown outside right at Daisy’s feet, where he pulls her into his arms and asks his sweetheart where she’s been.
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