User reviews

The Small One is so sweet and charming, that for instance it brought tears to my eyes with the boy being so tender towards Small One the Donkey. I love this, and think it is underrated, and I watch it every Christmas. The animation is beautiful, and just adds to the beauty of the film. The story was simple and gentle, demonstrating you can't have everything to meet your own needs, even if it means losing a friend. What made me cry as well as the relationship between the boy and Small One was the title song. So haunting and even heart-rending, with meaningful lyrics. I will say that I never was a fan of Sean Marshall's singing voice on Pete's Dragon, and while it was an improvement here, I still didn't like it that much. But compared to the overall beauty of the film, it is a minor criticism. I thought Small One was adorable, and I did feel angry that anyone would want to kill an innocent donkey. I loved the ending, the character of Joseph was so well-spoken, kind and sensitive, that it warmed my heart. Overall, a really sweet film. 9/10 Bethany Cox.

BEWARE OF FALSE REVIEWS & REVIEWERS. SOME REVIEWERS HAVE ONLY ONE REVIEW TO THEIR NAME. NOW WHEN ITS A POSITIVE REVIEW THAT TELLS ME THEY WERE INVOLVED WITH THE MOVIE. IF ITS A NEGATIVE REVIEW THEN THEY MIGHT HAVE A GRUDGE AGAINST THE FILM . NOW I HAVE REVIEWED OVER 200 HOLIDAY FILMS. I HAVE NO AGENDA. I AM HONEST

We all grew up loving all the Rankin-Bass Christmas Cartoons. Every year I still love to watch "Rudolf" "Santa Claus in Coming to Town", "Frosty the Snowman" as well "The Grinch". Well here is a lesser known Animated Christmas Cartoon that in reality is a true "Christmas Story"

In this special Outside of the city of Nazareth, a young boy and his father own four donkeys. Three of these donkeys are young and strong. The fourth donkey, Small One, is old and weak, but the boy loves him anyway. Every day, the boy and the donkey play together before they go to work, helping the boy's father to collect wood.

The boy and his father take the donkeys to work one morning, as they always do. Many times, the boy loads Small One with small sticks, since Small One can't carry heavy loads any more. Small One even has trouble carrying stacks of small sticks and the boy helps to carry them for him.

That evening, the boy's father tells the boy that he has to sell Small One. Devastated, but understanding, the boy asks if he can be the one to sell his best friend. The father agrees and tells him that he has to sell him for one piece of silver. That night, the boy comforts Small One and promises to find him a gentle and loving master.

The next morning, the boy takes Small One to the market in Nazareth. Unfortunately, nobody wants an old weak donkey but the tanner, and he only wants to kill Small One to make leather out of his hide. After failing to find another buyer, the boy and his donkey return to the tanner's shop. The boy weeps, and Small One, accepting his fate under the tanner's knife, tenderly consoles the boy.

Don't worry there is a very happy ending. This should be seen by everyone. The makers of this should be proud. There is not a false note in this.

The cover line «A new animation featurette destined to become a Disney Holiday Classic» suits perfectly on this Christmas tale. This short is considered an experiment, reuniting the talents of Don Bluth and the artists from the Walt Disney Company, as much as it is a quality Christian propaganda mini-film.

It's a nice cartoon. The story is touching, the artwork is excellent, the animation is great and the whole thing runs on a perfect pace. But, back to the artwork, for those who are familiar with Disney's "Aladdin", the artwork here and even the sceneries give a certain "déjà vu" feeling.

As for the characters, the boy looks almost identical to Mowgli from Disney's "The Jungle Book", but he's much better drawn and not as slim as Mowgli. Plus, this boy is kind and very humble, while Mowgli is stubborn and often challenging to deal with. Curiously, some of the animation of the boy is identical to Mowgli's.

The donkey is precisely named Small One, which is ironic because he's such a large donkey. Big, yes, but as gentle as a lamb. The boy's father is a nice guy and Joseph (the donkey's buyer) is very kind.

About the characters I don't like, they are obviously the guard, the tanner, the 3 merchants and the auctioneer. Curiously, the auctioneer almost looks like Stromboli from Disney's masterpiece "Pinocchio". But although I like Stromboli, I dislike the auctioneer.

Our story takes place in Israel, outside of Nazareth. The story focus on the friendship between Small One and the boy, but also on the boy's attempt to sell the donkey for a piece of silver. They both live an awful day but the ending is happy. The donkey is sold to Joseph, who needs a gentle donkey to carry his wife Mary to Bethlehem. The ending has a strong magical feeling because of its excellent artwork and especially because of that sparkling big star.

The voice cast does a good job, including Sean Marshall as the boy (which is obvious, because his laughter is very Pete-like). Sean Marshall was not only a very talented young actor, but also a wonderful singer. If there's any doubt about that, he is very good as Pete in "Pete's Dragon" and he sings beautifully in that movie. In "The Small One", he demonstrates again his acting skills (in this case, vocal) and sings very well either. I wonder what happened to him and where is he now.

So, in conclusion, it's not an animated short without faults, but it's quite good and deserves more credit than it gets. It's really pitiful that such a trashy and gross movie like "Grease" has much more success, popularity and recognition than this nice little story (which came out in the same year of 1978).

The number of animated shorts, animated films and even live-action films made by Walt Disney Company doesn't stop to surprise me. Anytime I think there won't be more or that even more would be impossible, I keep getting surprised.

This should definitely be on Top 250.

Here is a favorite Christmas short from Disney, with great animation and a heartwarming story. I think this was the only directing job for Don Bluth before he left the Disney studio to create films like An American Tail, Thumbelina, etc. The story (as some of you might know it) is about a boy who has to sell his favorite donkey (and friend) named "Small One." But the problem is finding a perfect, kind owner for him. That's all I could tell you, folks; you will have to see the film for yourself to see how it ends.

So anyway, I really love this short with its really beautiful story and wonderful animation.

Every Christmas I watch this film with tears streaming. It's a beautiful story about true friendship and the small donkey chosen to carry Mary to Bethlehem. It has light comedy, danger and pathos by turns. The title song "Small One" and the boy's song "Friendly Face" are sweet and memorable. The Merchants' song is fun. It is a Christmas tale that everyone will love and is timeless. A masterpiece from Bluth. 10/10

I am a person who is not usually moved by films, especially cartoons, but this one brings tears to my eyes even now as I write this review. I can remember watching it in fourth grade, bawling my eyes out, and I still cry every year when I watch it. It is a classic film that is a must-see for all ages. It transcends religion and is truly a story about friendship and sacrifice. The Small One is a film that can teach everyone its simple lesson.

Before he quit Disney and formed his own company, Don Bluth did a lot for some of their animated films in the 70s, from being a character animator on Robin Hood, to being a directing animator on The Rescuers and even being the animation director on Pete's Dragon. However, one very notable project he directed was a half-hour short film called "The Small One". Although not as well known as other holiday specials, it is worthy to watch during this time of year for its pleasant retelling of an old donkey who is need of a new home.

Set near Nazareth, the story focuses on a young boy who must give away his cherished old donkey named Small One, except nobody at the market really wants him. With all that said, what really makes this special sweet is the relationship between the boy and Small One, as one can tell how much the boy cares for the old animal and doesn't want to give him away to just anyone. It's during several scenes where the townsfolk pester and berate the scrawny donkey where we sympathize the most with the boy in such a difficult situation. Now being that this is a spiritual special, it becomes clear how it will conclude from the subtext alone, but the religious aspect does not take away from the film's overall heart.

Being that this was directed by Bluth, it's no surprise that the animation is well handled. The animators give the proper facial features for Small One to make us endear him, and the occasional pretty effect and dark atmosphere are a nice bonus. The only complaints with the animation is how obvious the boy looks like Mowgli from The Jungle Book and that the auctioneer looks like one of the Italian chefs from Lady & the Tramp, but that can be blamed more on the budget. In addition, the musical numbers help compliment the film's tone. "Small One" helps establish the emotional feel of the film, "Friendly Face" is very moving given the somber context of its scene, and the Merchant's song is quite amusing and full of energy.

Needless to say, there is just enough heart and sweetness in The Small One to make it a holiday special worth seeing. Sure, Disney usually shies away from religious subject matter like this one, hence why it's somewhat obscure nowadays, but it's still a pleasant treat worth viewing for the emotional core that Bluth was known for in his best work. So if you're either a big fan of Disney, Bluth or Christmas specials related to the nativity, then definitely give this one a look. Remember, just because a special tackles a religious subject does not mean it can't be handled with respect, subtlety and tension to detail.

I guess the outcome of a movie always depends on your expectations. Before seeing this one, I expected an emotional and innocent story told from a child's perspective. The first twenty minutes I was completely satisfied. It was a typical storyline for children; a child must face the realities of everyday life despite of their own needs. Only after that the Christian context was introduced. As I had no reason to expect such content, I was absolutely shocked. All I could think was why this nice little movie had to turn out to be Christian propaganda.

Now please do not judge me just yet, think it over again. In the movie, we see people of different occupation and even ethnic background. From the children's perspective most of these characters are presented either as evil or odd, caricatures from the adults' perspective. Even in the drawing style this can be seen, as those characters contributing to the Christian content are drawn more realistically. If this movie maybe can not be called racist, it is clearly propaganda. Now if you think I'm taking this too seriously, I would like to remind you that although this is not a serious movie, children are the group most vulnerable to this kind of non-subtle propaganda; we adults can see through it.

As an atheist I don't mind being introduced to different religions and religious habits. A little bit of religious touch does not hurt even mainstream movies; it is just realistic. However I find it strongly questionable to glorify one religion with this kind of historical fiction. It is an old trick used by political and religious leaders; make up fantastic stories of their own background, or even the background of their ideology. It just is dishonest, so stories with their roots in mythologies should either be realistic or either point out something important rarely noticed. But a made up story attempting to glorify the figures of Christianity... no good. Then again, the symbols and habits of religions are very deep in our culture, and therefore the attempts to create stories with no religious contexts are often doomed to fail. I do not demand that, I just demand fair play.

Well, it IS a good Christian children's propaganda movie and it WAS done almost thirty years ago. Apart from the ending, it is very fascinating for pretty much everyone. The songs are pretty good, even the Finnish translations I heard. Some scenes are slightly intimidating, so the smallest children should maybe not see it. (Although nothing bad really happens, the atmosphere might be frightening, as the crew of this movie really knew their jobs.) Personally I would only give this for my children to see when they are old enough to see through the method (or small enough not to recognize the intertext), as I would want them to get a realistic idea of different religions.

The cover clearly states Holiday Classic. I just wanted to say that if you don't want to see so called "Christian Propaganda", then why are you watching Christmas movies? The whole point of Christmas is based on the Christian religion anyway. So worrying about whether a Christmas movie has Christian context is the stupidest thing I have ever heard. I am not saying that there is anything wrong with having different religious veiws but if you are involving yourself with subject matter based on certain things, why question why those things are evident in the subject? I am sorry to be so negative in my post but it irritates me to hear someone delve into something that makes no sense. It is a good movie that highlights the reason we celebrate the season.

The now familiar tale of "Small One" was Directed by Don Bluth 37 years ago. He also produced it, animated it, and wrote 2 of the 3 songs. Barely 26 minutes long, it is an Oscar winner and has always been one of my holiday favorites. Gordon Jump is the voice of Joseph, and the voice of "Tony the Tiger" is one of the 3 money-lenders. Absolutely charming and a bit scary too!

This little Disney movie is advertised as a holiday classic, but a person who does not know the Christian story will probably not notice the connection to the traditional tale. Even for those who know the story, it is not clear until the end how it connects.

The animation is well-done, and there are many nods toward the complexity of life. The young boy looks just like Mowgli, of "The Jungle Book," but has a completely different mien (and personality). He is loving and caring, especially toward an old donkey that has outlived his usefulness in the family business.

There is a change I noticed in one of the songs from the original version on VHS to the DVD version. Where crooked bankers sang, "We simply cheat a little if we must!" on the VHS version, it has been changed to "We work a little harder if we must!" on the DVD version. (I prefer the original...)

Disney used to be the platinum standard of animation (and I mean that includes the actual animation process, music, plot, characters, everything). They have lost their way over the last 25 years in my opinion.

Back in the day, Disney really cranked out some fine pieces of film: Summer Magic; The Misadventures of Merlin Jones; Swiss Family Robinson; The Parent Trap; Follow Me, Boys; the "Flubber" movies; Candleshoe. Some of these titles might not be familiar to some of us, but I grew up watching them, and they each are wonderful and a hundred times better than Disney's trainwrecks nowadays.

The Small One is this little gem that is one of its most highly underrated animated films they ever did. Every time I hear the main song, I start to cry, and I cannot explain why. If you've ever loved something smaller than yourself...a young sibling, a puppy, a cat, an elderly neighbor, children, you'll understand what I mean then. This movie makes you nostalgic for anything you ever loved, and what it means to have to say goodbye to it. Treat yourself and spend 26 minutes to watch this jewel. (side note, I just found one of the original animation cels from this movie on ebay and it's my mom's Christmas present this year! I'm so excited!)

it's a Christmas story!!! It's a story that is being told not blatant propaganda. No mention of who the stranger who buys Small One is. It's alluded to but never stated. Christmas movies have this strange tendency to be about, of all things, Christmas.

It's a sweet story about a boy and his love for an animal that is no longer of use to the family. He's trying desperately to find a home for this donkey he loves so very much. In the end the Donkey finds that he has his most important job ahead of him.

This is a childhood favorite along with the story of Nestor (another donkey related children's Christmas flick).

Basically, if you like Christmas and the stories surrounding it, you'll love the story. If you don't believe in Christmas, it's not for you.

This animated short film by Don Bluth (of An American Tale / Feivel Goes West / The Rats of NIMH fame) before he left Disney is a touching story of love for our fellow creatures, specifically a runt donkey that must be sold as he is not useful to his owners. The young boy who is the protagonist of the film is the son of the owner, and tasks himself with finding a new owner for the donkey who will treat him right. In the end, there is an obvious Christmas connection that is well done, short and sweet, but poignant.

Watching this classic, underated short film on January 1st, 2023. While flipping through the DIsney+ options, I ran into this and had to watch! Once it started, I knew I watched this as a child in the early 80's....the title song, the animation and story just hit me! I'm nothing but a crying mess!!! (I literally get this feeling, as the only other film that gets me this way is BABE!) I LOVE THIS FILM! I can't tell you how much I miss this type of Disney film making. It has heart, a story and filled with emotion. The animation is classic Disney!!! I will definitely watch this again....over and over and over again!

Charles Tazewell, who also wrote THE LITTLEST ANGEL, originally penned this Christmas story; for years it was a staple on radio, narrated by Bing Crosby. The original framing story, which featured a Mexican boy, his donkey, and a priest telling the story of "the Small One," is abandoned here for the meat of the tale, which is the close friendship between a small Judean boy and an elderly donkey, the latter who can no longer carry enough wood (the father is a woodcutter) to justify feeding him. The boy is allowed to take Small One into town to sell him instead of his father doing it, and they run into some colorful figures before realizing there's only one fate for an old animal. Or is there?

I've enjoyed this story since it was a radio play, and the gorgeous portrayal of the child's friendship with what has become his pet, the vivid animation, and the songs, especially the titular "Small One" song, which reduces me to a sniffling puddle of goo by the end, makes this a real winner.

This Christmas short is criminally overlooked. It belongs on equal footing with the classics of Grinch, Charlie Brown and Rudolph.

The set-up is quite simple, a boy has a small donkey that is his best friend. The father says they can no longer afford to keep the donkey and he must be sold. The boy then goes on a quest to find a good home for his donkey friend.

All the beats are there. The film establishes our main characters. There is real feel for the friendship between the boy and his donkey. They establish the conflict and set the plot into motion. From there, the two leads go through the ringer. One hardship to another. But the film is clever not to shy away from the low points. They let the dark times sink in, which helps the audience appreciate the triumphs even more.

There are some points where the film feels like it is doing some filler, but it helps us understand the protagonists' struggles. I try not to spoil this film, because most still have not seen it. But the ending is an absolute thing of beauty.

Someone still needs you to brighten their day, there's a place for each small one God planned it that way.

From the first time I listened to the album to this movie I was hooked.

It was a read/sing along album with the story and illustrations inside when you open the cover. The story is sweet and endearing. I cannot believe there is not more information available about this movie.

If there were more stories like this for our children to grow up on, they would still be innocent like we were back then. Growing up I listened to the story everyday. I can still recite it all the lines along with movie.

It was not just for Christmas in my eyes. A must see for every child and adult.