Ski for Two
| Ski for Two | |
|---|---|
| Woody Woodpecker series | |
 | |
| Directed by | James Culhane |
| Produced by | Walt Lantz |
| Story by |
Ben Hardaway Milt Schaffer |
| Voices by |
Jack Mather Ben Hardaway Lee Sweetland (Woody's singing voice) |
| Music by | Darrell Calker |
| Animation by |
Don Williams Grim Natwick Dick Lundy (uncr.) Emery Hawkins (uncr.) Lester Kline (uncr.) Paul Smith (uncr.) Laverne Harding (uncr.) Pat Matthews (uncr.)[1] |
| Layouts by | Art Heinemann |
| Backgrounds by | Philip DeGuard |
| Studio | Walter Lantz Productions |
| Distributed by | Universal Pictures |
| Release date(s) |
|
| Color process | Technicolor |
| Running time | 6' 44" |
| Language | English |
| Preceded by | The Beach Nut |
| Followed by | Chew-Chew Baby |
Ski for Two is the 12th cartoon short in the Woody Woodpecker series. Released theatrically on November 13, 1944, the film was produced by Walter Lantz Productions and distributed by Universal Pictures.
Plot
Woody is sifting through some travel magazines when he spots a tempting ad for the Swiss Chard Lodge. The lodge is situated in Idaho, and promises lots of good food waiting for its guests. Woody is ecstatic, and promptly books a train ticket. After disembarking at the train station at Sunstroke Valley, it becomes apparent that the lodge is still an additional 40 miles, with no adjacent roads or any form of transportation. Woody decides to take matters into his own hands by taking a short cut, skiing and singing his way through the mountains. A refrain of the song "The Sleigh (à la Russe)" (also "Dark Eyes" tune for few seconds) can be heard while he is ice-skating.
Upon Woody's arrival, lodge owner Wally Walrus (Jack Mather) advises that there are no accommodations without a reservation. Woody, of course, did not bother to inquire about such a rule. Drawn by the aroma of the warm food inside the lodge, Woody gains entry by disguising himself as Santa Claus. Wally is so excited at the prospect of Kris Kringle arriving that he quickly adorns the lodge with Christmas decorations. It does not take long, though, for the skeptical walrus to discover that it is, in fact, only October, making Santa's arrival somewhat premature.
Woody manages to stuff his Santa toy sack with food from the lodge, and starts singing and skiing his way down the mountain. However, upon opening the sack, Woody discovers a vengeful Wally Walrus who wrings the little woodpecker's neck in disgust and mocks Woody's "ha-ha-ha-HA-ha".[2]
Notes
- The title Ski for Two is a pun on the song title "Tea for Two," featured in the 1925 musical No, No, Nanette.
- The calendar page says "October 3, Only 70 Shopping Days Until Christmas!" There are actually 83 days from October 3 to December 25, minus approximately 12 Sundays and Thanksgiving Day.
- This was re-issued as Woody Plays Santa Claus for Castle Films. Some “Cartunes” at Walter Lantz were reissued for the company. Woody cartoons such as Wet Blanket Policy, Wild and Woody! and Sleep Happy re-issued for Universal Pictures.
- This is one of the few Woody Woodpecker cartoons in which Woody loses at the end and one of the rare Christmas specials in which the protagonist loses at the end. The other shorts in which Woody loses include The Cracked Nut, Banquet Busters, Smoked Hams, Real Gone Woody, Woody's Clip Joint, A Fine Feathered Frenzy, Tepee for Two, Well Oiled, The Loose Nut, Ace in the Hole, Phantom of the Horse Opera, Busman's Holiday, Bye Bye Blackboard, Ozark Lark, The Tenant's Racket, Rough Riding Hood, Chili Con Corny, Crowin' Pains, The Screwball, Knock Knock, The Dizzy Acrobat, What's Sweepin', Woodpecker in the Rough, Under the Counter Spy, The Coo Coo Bird, The Barber of Seville, Solid Ivory, Born to Peck and The Beach Nut. It's also the first of three times Wally mocks Woody with his own laugh (the others times are at the end of both Well Oiled and What's Sweepin').