July 7, 1931 – The Mickey Mouse Short Film Mickey Steps Out is Released to Theaters
“Go on home, Pluto! Go on back!”
On July 7, 1931, the Mickey Mouse short film Mickey Steps Out is released to theaters. The short contains some dated humor in the form of “blackface,” which was common at the time, particularly as an imitation of popular vaudeville performer Al Jolson, who wore blackface and sang his popular song “Mammy.” This short was directed by Burt Gillett.
Mickey is gleefully preparing for his date with Minnie Mouse, putting on his hat and grabbing his cane before stepping out of his house. Unfortunately, Pluto rushes up behind him and accidentally pushes the mouse into a puddle of mud. Angry, Mickey sends Pluto back to his doghouse and ties up leash before he heads out again. Pluto, however, finds Mickey, dragging his doghouse behind him, and pushes Mickey into a puddle of mud again. Just as Mickey is about to yell at Pluto, he hears Minnie playing piano and singing inside her house. He peers through the window and begins to accompany her with her bird by whistling. Mickey is standing on Pluto’s backside to reach the window, but when a cat appears at the corner of Minnie’s fence, Pluto takes off like a shot, leaving Mickey stuck in the window as it shuts on his neck.
Minnie greets Mickey as he is trapped in her window
Minnie and Mickey trade greetings when she sees him in the window. When she opens the window to free him, he falls to the ground, but as Minnie begins to worry, he appears at the door, greeting her again. She plays a lively song on the piano, and Mickey begins to dance. Outside, Pluto chases the cat around Minnie’s laundry line, when the cat dives into the house, with Pluto in pursuit. The two run into the piano and begin to fight, with Pluto taking the player piano sheet with him as they resume the chase in the house. Mickey tries and fails to stop them, and are soon taken along on the chase. The cat dives into the stove, and Pluto runs into it, breaking it and spreading soot all over the house. The short ends with the cat using the lid of the stove to hit Pluto over the head.
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