Melody Time

Melody Time is a 1948 American hybrid film produced by Walt Disney. It is made up of seven segments set to popular music and folk music.

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The Master of Ceremonies

• [introduction to "Once Upon a Wintertime"] The memory of wintertime long ago, of clear, crisp air and new-fallen snow, of frost on a windowpane, of sleigh-bells heard from the lane. In this wonderland, romance is the theme, for this is the story of love's young dream.
• [introduction to "Bumble Boogie"] Freddy Martin, an admirer of the classics, inspired by Rimsky-Korsakov's "Flight of the Bumble Bee", interprets this fantasy in his unique style. In a furious flight, a confused character tries to escape from the hectic harmony of an instrumental nightmare
• [introduction to "The Legend of Johnny Appleseed"] In American folklore, mighty men have left the symbols of their greatness. There was Paul Bunyan's axe. John Henry's hammer. Davy Crockett's rifle. Then, unexpectedly, one comes upon a tinpot hat, a bag of appleseed and a holy book. These are the symbols of one of the mightiest men of all, John Chapman, a real-life pioneer. However, reality has given way to legend. Today, we know him simply as Johnny Appleseed. This is his story, told by an old settler who knew Johnny well. Listen. Every time I see an apple-blossom sky, I think of Johnny Appleseed. Them clouds up there ain't really clouds at all, no, sir! There wouldn't be no apple-blossom sky if it weren't for...But now, hold on here. I'd better start at the beginning. Johnny lived on a farm near Pittsburgh. The year was 1806 or there around. You'd say Johnny Appleseed never would make a pioneer, he was such a scrawny little fellow. That didn't faze Johnny. He had his apple trees, the morning sun and the evening breeze.
• [introduction to "Little Toot"] There's drama, there's excitement, and there's harmony for three in a story of adventure on the sea. Now, featured in this epic is a ship of proud design. No, it's not this ocean liner. We take a different line. So with a huff and a puff and a chug-chug-chug, and a perky little hoot, we introduce our hero, the tugboat, Little Toot.
• [introduction to "Trees"] There's poetry in trees. Then one day a poet found it. Then a music master wove around it a melody. An artist touched it, gave it form in colors rich and warm. Now we bring to you these three, poem, picture, melody. A simple tribute to a tree.
• [introduction to "Blame It On the Samba"] The intoxicating rhythm of the samba. A talented miss serves a musical cocktail with a true Latin American fling. So if three boisterous birds of a feather fall under the influence of this torrid tropical tempo, don't blame them, blame it on the rhythm of the samba.
• [introduction to "Pecos Bill"] Here's a tall tale straight from the chuck wagon, just the way the old-timers used to tell it. According to them, Pecos Bill was the roughest, toughest, rootin'est, tootin'est, shootin'est cowpoke that ever lived. Well, any story about old Pecos is bound to be right strong medicine, so maybe it's best to sashay into it kinda gentle-like.

Dialogue

[from Pecos Bill]

[a coyote howls in the distance]

Luana Patten: Uncle Roy?

Roy Rogers: Yes, hon?

Luana Patten: What makes wolves howl like that?

Bobby Driscoll: Wolves, huh? Those are coyotes, aren't they Roy?

Roy Rogers: Yup. They're coyotes. Bobby's right. They always howl when the moon is bright.

Luana Patten: Why?

Roy Rogers: Well, that's just a little story.

Bobby Driscoll: Cowboys in it?

Roy Rogers: Yes siree.

Bobby Driscoll: Indians too?

---

Johnny Appleseed: Who's that, sleepin' in the evening dusk?

Johnny's Angel: Why, that's just your husk, John. Your mortal husk.

Johnny Appleseed: My husk?! You mean to say I'm... I'm passed away?

Cast

• Roy Rogers as Himself / Narrator / Singer. (Pecos Bill)
• Trigger, the smartest horse in the movies as Himself.
• Dennis Day as Narrator / Singer / Characters. (Johnny Appleseed)
• The Andrews Sisters as Singers. (Little Toot)
• Fred Waring and the Pennsylvanians as Singers. (Trees)
• Freddy Martin as Music composer. (Bumble Boogie)
• Ethel Smith as Organist. (Blame It On the Samba)
• Frances Langford as Singer. (Once Upon a Wintertime)
• Buddy Clark as Singer / Narrator.
• Bob Nolan as Himself / Singer / Narrator. (Pecos Bill)
• Sons of the Pioneers as Themselves / Singers / Narrators. (Pecos Bill)
• The Dinning Sisters as Singers. (Blame It On the Samba)
• Bobby Driscoll as Himself. (Pecos Bill)
• Luana Patten as Herself. (Pecos Bill)