A Cartoon That's Hard to Pin Down: 'Eagle's Feather' Review

I recently revisited a classic Soviet cartoon from 1946, 'Eagle's Feather', and I have to admit, it's a film that left me scratching my head. At first glance, it seems like a lighthearted, fun cartoon, but the more I watched it, the more I realized that it's actually a pretty complex and ambiguous film.

'Eagle's Feather'

The animation team behind this film clearly drew inspiration from Disney and their classic cartoons like Mickey Mouse and Tom and Jerry. Yep, all those films came out in the early 40s. The Bird's Feather was definitely made in the Soviet style, and it shows. I mean, it's all a bit too familiar. Plus, director Dmitry Babichenko has a track record of making films with fight scenes, like the one in The Deer and the Wolf, which came out four years later. By then, I think the director had changed his approach and created a beautiful film with a great message. Here, it's clear that the director and screenwriter (Georgy Berezo) wanted to make a more lighthearted film in the style of Disney. Even the music, by Modest Mussorgsky, has a similar feel. One thing that struck me is the lack of voiceovers and dialogue, which is pretty rare in Soviet animation. There's a certain level of maturity to the film that's reminiscent of American cartoons, which often have a more adult sense of humor. I mean, who says cartoons are just for kids? American cartoons often have a more adult tone, and that's something that's definitely present in this film. The animation itself is pretty good, if a bit old-fashioned. It's the kind of hand-drawn style you'd expect from a film made in the 40s. This cartoon's got some nice details, but overall, it's a bit of a mixed bag.

I've been watching it for a while now, and the quality has definitely taken a hit. It's been 80 years since it was first made.

Check out the rabbit - it's already looking a bit sly. And those long ears? I've noticed that in a lot of cartoons, rabbits have ears just like beavers. But in reality, rabbits have long ears, not beavers.

I have to admit, after watching this cartoon, it reminded me of "Nu pogodi" - I thought the creators might have been inspired by it. For a 1946 release, it's weird to see a bear portrayed as a bad guy. All Soviet cartoons before and after this one show bears as wise, reasonable, and honest characters. But here, we see a villainous hero.

I've never seen a Soviet cartoon lack soul before. That's what always set them apart from Western cartoons. And the message is open to interpretation too - you can find flaws and opposing views on it.

Two Perspectives on the Cartoon

I've got two different views on this cartoon, and you can choose your own perspective.

1. The cartoon is full of evil.

There's a lot of it. I guess it was normal back in the day when they were actively showing "Nu pogodi" and "Tom and Jerry". Even now, kids might find it funny. But I felt sorry for both sides of the story:

The cowardly rabbit who thought he was an eagle just because he put on some owl feathers.

I mean, what's this? The bear turned the rabbit into a handkerchief, tying its ears around its neck.

I was expecting a fun cartoon, but this movie is non-stop aggression - first from the bear, then from the rabbit.

One redeeming quality was that one episode with the birds.

It's like they're in a constant battle - the rabbit and the squirrel, the crows and the eagle. I mean, what's going on here?

I'm used to cartoons teaching kids about being good, but this one left me scratching my head. It's all about being brave and not backing down? On one hand, that's great, but fists aren't always the answer, and sometimes it's better to be smart and clever. And you can't just mask cowardice with 'feathers'.

I have to say, the bear in this cartoon was pretty funny. I mean, who's scared of feathers? That's not exactly the most intimidating thing.

All the tricks were taken from Disney cartoons that had already come out by 1946.

If I'm being totally honest, I still didn't see a clear resolution to the conflict. The movies and books are basically just a moral and the end result - evil wins, but you can't really call any of the characters good or evil. The rabbit's not exactly a hero either. SECOND GLANCE

2. Now, let's flip this on its head, just like the rabbit did. And let's watch the movie as just a form of entertainment, from a completely different perspective. We can see the rabbit as originally kind, sweet, and timid, as it's supposed to be. It doesn't bother anyone, but the grumpy bear is always getting into trouble. The rabbit finds a way to eliminate this evil that's been ruining its life. And then the rabbit is a hero and restores justice. Now we see the rabbit as brave – and that's a great quality. And courage can inspire heroic actions, sometimes courage can be incredibly motivating, making us feel like we can take on anything, not even the bear. And what then? Good triumphs over evil.

This movie is pretty ambiguous. If you want to just laugh, there are some funny moments in the style of 'Tom and Jerry.' If you watch it and think about it, you can get caught up in the demagoguery. Which version do you prefer? That's the one you'll take.

I'd give it four stars and definitely recommend watching it.