Donald's Dilemma

Donald's Dilemma
Directed by	Jack King
Produced by	Walt Disney
Written by	Roy Williams
Starring	Clarence Nash Gloria Blondell Ken Darby
Music by	Oliver Wallace
Studio(s)	Walt Disney Productions
Distributor	RKO Radio Pictures
Released	July 11, 1947
Language	English
Preceded by	Clown of the Jungle
Followed by	Crazy with the Heat Bootle Beetle

Donald's Dilemma is a 1947 Walt Disney Productions animated cartoon directed by Jack King and starring Donald and Daisy Duck. It was originally released on July 11, 1947 in the United States. Although Donald is the official headliner for this cartoon, Daisy is the actual protagonist. The dilemma of the title is actually offered to her, not to Donald.

Synopsis

The short starts with Daisy narrating her problem to an unseen psychologist through flashback scenes.

Her problem started on a spring day when she was out on a date with Donald and a flower pot fell on his head. While he regained consciousness soon enough, he wasn't the same Donald we all know and love: his signature "duck voice" is gone, his singing voice was improved to Frank Sinatra and he had no memory of who Daisy was, all due to amnesia. He became a well-known crooner and his rendition of "When You Wish Upon a Star" from Pinocchio (which had been released seven years earlier) became a hit, which gave him a large number of fans and merchandise. Daisy's loss resulted in a number of psychological symptoms - she suffered from anorexia, insomnia, suicidal depression, and self-described insanity. She decided that she would see Donald once again, at any cost, but failed to do so (which included attempting to get by the doorman by pleading, disguise, and force with the same result of the doorman kicking her out). That's when she decided to go to the psychologist - and the flashback meets the actual time of the cartoon.

At the end of the cartoon, the psychologist determines that Donald would regain his memory of Daisy if another flower pot (with the same flower from the first pot, which Daisy kept as the only thing she had to remember Donald) would fall on his head. But he warns that his improved voice may be lost along with his singing career. He offers Daisy a dilemma. Either the world has its singer but Daisy loses him or the other way around. Posed with the question "her or the world", Daisy, in a fit of frustration and rage, answers with a resounding and possessive scream - "me, me, me". After calming her down, the psychologist tells Daisy to put the same flower she found into a heavy pot.

Compared to before, Daisy is able to enter the stage door since the doorman has fallen asleep and drops the flower pot on Donald. The plan works and Donald's voice is back to his normal "duck voice", yet at a terrible cost: the crowd boos him and soon enough he gets kicked out of the stage. Donald is happy to see Daisy again, asks where she's been, and kisses her as the short ends.

Trivia

• The reason the psychologist orders "No names" remained unknown.
• This was the first appearance of the official Donald Duck theme song.
• The short saw Daisy suffer the following due to losing Donald:
  • Insanity
  • Insomnia
  • Anorexia
  • Depression
  • Suicidal thoughts

Censorship

Most television airings of this cartoon (including Disney Channel and Toon Disney) edited out the part Daisy said "I couldn't eat, I didn't want to live" in order to remove the shot of a suicidal Daisy pointing a gun at her head, which also had assorted deadly weapons such as a noose, knife, a bottle of poison, and hand-grenade and a bomb shown at her dinner table. In the edited version, the cut goes from the part Daisy said "I couldn't sleep" to the part Daisy loses her sanity.

Voice Cast

• Clarence Nash - Donald Duck
• Gloria Blondell - Daisy Duck
• Ken Darby - Singer

Releases

Television

• Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color, episode #8.6: "Inside Donald Duck"
• Walt Disney, episode #29.13: "Walt Disney's Mickey and Donald"
• Walt Disney's Mickey and Donald, episode #18
• Good Morning, Mickey, episode #42
• Mickey's Mouse Tracks, episode #75
• The Ink and Paint Club, episode #1.40: "Crazy Over Daisy"

Home video

• Walt Disney Cartoon Classics: Limited Gold Editions: Daisy (VHS)
• Mickey and Minnie's Sweetheart Stories (VHS)
• Walt Disney's Classic Cartoon Favorites: Extreme Music Fun (DVD)
• Walt Disney Treasures: The Chronological Donald, Volume 3 (DVD)

Gallery

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The often censored scene of Daisy attempting various forms of suicide.

References

v - e - d

1930s The Wise Little Hen • Donald and Pluto • Don Donald • Modern Inventions • Donald's Ostrich • Self Control • Donald's Better Self • Donald's Nephews • Good Scouts • Donald's Golf Game • Mother Goose Goes Hollywood • Donald's Lucky Day • The Hockey Champ • Donald's Cousin Gus • Beach Picnic • Sea Scouts • Donald's Penguin • The Autograph Hound • Officer Duck • The Fox Hunt (co-starring Goofy) • Polar Trappers (co-starring Goofy) 1940s The Riveter • Donald's Dog Laundry • Mr. Duck Steps Out • Put-Put Troubles • Donald's Vacation • The Volunteer Worker • Window Cleaners • The Fire Chief • Timber • The Golden Eggs • A Good Time for a Dime • Early to Bed • Truant Officer Donald • Old MacDonald Duck • Donald's Camera • Chef Donald • Donald's Decision • The Village Smithy • The New Spirit • Donald's Snow Fight • Donald Gets Drafted • Donald's Garden • Donald's Gold Mine • Sky Trooper • Bellboy Donald • Der Fuehrer's Face • The Spirit of '43 • Donald's Tire Trouble • Lake Titicaca • Aquarela do Brazil • The Flying Jalopy • Fall Out-Fall In • The Old Army Game • Home Defense • Trombone Trouble • Donald Duck and the Gorilla • Contrary Condor • Commando Duck • The Plastics Inventor • Donald's Off Day • The Clock Watcher • The Eyes Have It • Donald's Crime • Duck Pimples • Cured Duck • Old Sequoia • Donald's Double Trouble • Wet Paint • Dumbell of the Yukon • Lighthouse Keeping • Straight Shooters • Sleepy Time Donald • Clown of the Jungle • Donald's Dilemma • Bootle Beetle • Wide Open Spaces • Chip an' Dale • Drip Dippy Donald • Daddy Duck • Donald's Dream Voice • Blame It on the Samba • The Trial of Donald Duck • Inferior Decorator • Soup's On • Three for Breakfast • Tea for Two Hundred • Donald's Happy Birthday • Sea Salts • Winter Storage • Honey Harvester • All in a Nutshell • The Greener Yard • Slide, Donald, Slide • Toy Tinkers • Billposters (co-starring Goofy) • No Sail (co-starring Goofy) • Frank Duck Brings 'em Back Alive (co-starring Goofy) • Crazy with the Heat (co-starring Goofy) 1950s Lion Around • Crazy Over Daisy • Trailer Horn • Hook, Lion and Sinker • Bee at the Beach • Out on a Limb • Dude Duck • Corn Chips • Test Pilot Donald • Lucky Number • Out of Scale • Bee on Guard • Donald Applecore • Let's Stick Together • Uncle Donald's Ants • Trick or Treat • Don's Fountain of Youth • The New Neighbor • Rugged Bear • Working for Peanuts • Canvas Back Duck • Spare the Rod • Donald's Diary • Dragon Around • Grin and Bear It • The Flying Squirrel • Grand Canyonscope • No Hunting • Bearly Asleep • Beezy Bear • Up a Tree • Chips Ahoy 1960s-Present The Litterbug • D.I.Y. Duck Educational Shorts How to Have an Accident in the Home • How to Have an Accident at Work • Donald in Mathmagic Land • Donald and the Wheel • Steel and America • Donald's Fire Survival Plan • Family Planning Songs Donald Duck See Also DuckTales (1987 series) • Donald's Quack Attack • Quack Pack • Pomp and Circumstance • DuckTales (2017 series)

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1940s Mr. Duck Steps Out • Donald's Crime • Cured Duck • Donald's Double Trouble • Sleepy Time Donald • Donald's Dilemma • Donald's Dream Voice 1950s Crazy Over Daisy • Donald's Diary • How to Have an Accident at Work See Also Quack Pack • Pomp and Circumstance • DuckTales (2017 series)