The Reluctant Dragon

"The big feature show with a thousand surprises!"

1941 1h 14m EN

👍

6.6

SOLID

★6.6TMDB · 170

AnimationFamilyComedy

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

Humorist Robert Benchley attempts to find Walt Disney to ask him to adapt a short story about a gentle dragon who would rather recite poetry than be ferocious. Along the way, he is given a tour of Walt Disney Studios, and learns about the animation process.

“The big feature show with a thousand surprises!”

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Cast

Robert Benchley
Robert Benchley
Frances Gifford
Doris
Buddy Pepper
Humphrey
Nana Bryant
Mrs. Benchley
Claud Allister
Sir Giles (segment "The Reluctant Dragon") (voice)
Barnett Parker
Dragon (segment "The Reluctant Dragon") (voice)
Billy Lee
Boy (segment "The Reluctant Dragon") (voice)
Florence Gill
Clara Cluck (voice) / Florence Gill

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Alfred L. Werker
Writers: Kenneth Grahame, Ted Sears, Al Perkins
Languages: English
Countries: United States of America

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8

RUNTIME

Did you know

Tight 74-minute runtime — shorter than most television pilots.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

MONEY

Did you know

Shot for just $0.0M — micro-budget by Hollywood standards.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

ERA

Did you know

85 years old — a genuine piece of film history.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Alfred L. Werker, shot by Bert Glennon. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by Frank Churchill. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Paul Weatherwax shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

CAST

Did you know

Robert Benchley and Frances Gifford and Buddy Pepper carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

FACT

Did you know

Marketing tagline: "The big feature show with a thousand surprises!".

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Alfred L. Werker directs. Bert Glennon behind the camera. Frank Churchill scores. Paul Weatherwax cuts. Runs lean at under 100 minutes. Produced in United States of America. Dialogue in English.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

1Tight 74-minute runtime — shorter than most television pilots.
2Shot for just $0.0M — micro-budget by Hollywood standards.
385 years old — a genuine piece of film history.
4Directed by Alfred L. Werker, shot by Bert Glennon. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
5Original score by Frank Churchill. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
6Editor Paul Weatherwax shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
7Robert Benchley and Frances Gifford and Buddy Pepper carry the top of the cast.
8Marketing tagline: "The big feature show with a thousand surprises!".
9IMDB entry: tt0034091 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
10Released under 10 different titles around the world.