February 3, 1939 – The Mickey Mouse Short Film Society Dog Show is Released to Theaters
“Gosh, Pluto, we’re in society!!”
On February 3, 1939, the Mickey Mouse short film Society Dog Show was released to theaters. As was common in the Mickey Mouse shorts of this time, most of the focus is not on Mickey, but on his dog Pluto, although Pluto did have his own line of short films at this point. Fifi, Pluto’s love interest, also makes an appearance. The short was directed by Bill Roberts.
The big society dog show is in town, with much fanfare, and all of the most impressive people are arriving. Mickey shows up in a homemade cart, and the doorman looks down his nose at Mickey and Pluto as they enter the building. They reach their assigned spot – number 13 – then take a gander at all of the fancy beauty treatments the high society dogs are getting. Mickey reassures Pluto that they haven’t seen anything yet, and gets to work brushing Pluto down and shining his nose. Pluto sneezes after Mickey applies perfume, sending Mickey crashing into their supplies. As Mickey leaves to chase after a part of his kit, Pluto is distracted by the beautiful dog in the next stand, Fifi.
Mickey takes Pluto to the stand, with the two holding their heads high
Mickey is soon called to bring Pluto to the judge’s stand, and tears Pluto away from Fifi, telling him that this is “no time for women.” The two head to the stand, where the judge is unimpressed with Pluto, even when Mickey points out that Pluto is a very fine dog, and very smart, too. However, every attempt the judge makes to study Pluto goes awry, and he calls Pluto a mutt, which angers the dog. Pluto chases the judge around the room, barking and snapping his teeth. As security runs to retrieve Pluto and Mickey, and tosses them onto the street, inside the final event is announced: trick dogs. Mickey then has the idea of making Pluto a trick skating dog and bringing him back inside. As the dogs pose for a photo, the flash powder catches on the decorations, setting them on fire. The dogs scamper away, but Fifi is trapped under a microphone and unable to leave.
Hearing Fifi’s terrified cries inside, Pluto rushes in, skates and all, and hurries to save her as the building begins to collapse. The two make it out all right, and Pluto is awarded a medal as Public Hero No. 1, and more important, wins the heart of Fifi.
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