September 20, 1946 – The Donald Duck Short Film Lighthouse Keeping is Released to Theaters
“Hahaha, ain’t I a devil?”
On September 20, 1946, the Donald Duck short film Lighthouse Keeping was released to theaters. It was directed by Jack Hannah, with story by Harry Reeves and Jesse Marsh.
Donald is trying to read his book by the light of the lighthouse, but is having difficulty as the light only passes by so often. After being annoyed by the inability to read properly, he decides to play a prank on a sleeping pelican on a nearby rock, holding the light so it shines directly on the pelican’s face. The pelican grabs his nest and tries to move, but Donald moves the light again, angering the pelican. As Donald laughs, he hears the door knock, and he goes to answer it. The pelican rushes inside and blows out the candle in the lighthouse. The pelican continues to fight Donald over the light, until Donald grabs the pelican to throw him over the railing at the top. The pelican is able to use his beak to swing him back onto the balcony, sending Donald flying over the railing. Fortunately for the duck, a wave brings him right back to the top, and the two resume their fight over the light.
As the pelican has Donald trapped in his bill, he takes Donald to the balcony to drop him off the edge
Donald thinks he gains the advantage hiding in a trunk, not realizing that he’s hiding in the pelican’s beak. The pelican carefully walks to the balcony and sends Donald over the edge, but Donald only pretends to fall, and the fight once again resumes. The pelican then tricks Donadl into running into a glass door, knocking the duck out and giving the pelican a chance to extinguish the flame. The pelican traps Donald in his beak again, and Donald starts hitting the pelican with a mallet. The mallet breaks apart, with the head landing on the top of the pelican’s beak, and he uses this to beat Donald senseless. He soon loses the mallet head, and Donald uses it to light it on fire, making the pelican release him. The fight over the light continues once more, until the sun comes up. Eager to win, Donald closes the blinds, and the two continue their fight over the lighting of the lighthouse candle.
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