For those unaware, Disney's 9 old men were a group of highly dedicated animators at the mouse house that uncle Walt himself delegated the most tasks to due to their loyalty and expanded interests. One of them, Ward Kimball, was arguably the most diversely artistic of the bunch, pushing for a UPA aesthetic against Walt's wishes and opting for very comedic subject matter after making the bold move from lead animator to director to journey storyman. Following Walt's passing in 1966, one of Ward's most prestigious efforts landed him an Oscar. That film was the animated educational short, It's Tough to Be a Bird.
The short is presented by an unnamed red bird (voiced by Richard Bakalyan) as it explains how birds have contributed to human culture. While shown in a quasi-documentary style format, the film lampoons its own subject matter by highly emphasizing the numerous times people have tried to kill all species of birds. By hypothesizing hysterical theories such as humans being jealous of the bird's ability to fly, a lot of humor is shown through mythological beings like Icarus, prehistoric bird ancestors and even recorded footage of unsuccessful flying machines. Although its approach can feel rather dry and sometimes pad out a bit too much for its own good, Bakalyan's amusing performance adds a relatable edge to the picture where it may have felt naked without it. It's hard to say how much creative control Kimball had behind the project, but given how much he embraced the endless possibilities of how birds operate, there's no denying how much fun he and the small crew behind the featurette had in putting this oddball documentary together.
As far as art direction is concerned, the character design and animation is a lot more abstract and crude than the average Disney cartoon, not at all hidden by the infamous Xerox process. However, it works with the content provided by emulating the humorous stab at educational documentaries and the simplicity of the end goal, which is to get its point across briskly without fail. On a side note, the occasional mix of live-action paints a solid contrast of real people analyzing birds of their own free will, almost as if the film is reminding us of how we perceive wildlife. Bird watching doesn't seem to be looked upon too much nowadays, which is a shame because it's such a relaxing hobby for anyone of the right age range. Lastly, the minor albeit harmonious score from veteran Disney composer George Bruns adds a calm cleansing nature to the otherwise hysterical farce of an educational flick. Also, the addition of When The Buzzards Return To Hinckley Ridge marks a delightfully whimsical melody courtesy of comedian / singer Ruth Buzzi; not too long to outstay its welcome either.
It really is tough to be a bird, let alone any animal species for that matter, but it's also tough to make an educational piece this entertaining on them. Despite Ward Kimball largely being known for his animation efforts to classics like Pinocchio, Dumbo and Alice in Wonderland, his directorial efforts should not be overlooked, as they showcase his nutty sense of humor unmatched by anyone else working at Disney at the time. His legacy has left behind so many marvelous treasures just waiting to be rediscovered outside of animation circles, so this one should be no exception. It's not so tough to be curious.
