The main reason to see 'Dear Old Switzerland' is in my mind completest sake, if trying to see as many of the available Terrytoons Studios cartoons as possible and if one is trying to see cartoons made by older lower-in-budget and lesser-known studios (both the case with me). They are a mixed bag in quality, with some better than others, often with outstanding music and with some mild amusement and charm and variable in animation, characterisation and content.

1944, and the early 40s actually in general, was really starting to see progression and improvement in a lot of elements. Stories were never strong suits, but the technical achievement was obvious in the increasingly vastly superior animation and there were numerous cartoons that saw more gags than usual and ones that did amuse. 'Dear Old Switzerland' unfortunately is not a good representation of this progression and like the studio had gone somewhat backwards.

'Dear Old Switzerland' excels the most in the music score, this asset was the one component that was consistent in even the lesser outings and in a good way. It is so beautifully and cleverly orchestrated and arranged, is great fun to listen to and full of lively energy, doing so well with enhancing the action. Don't have an issue with the animation either, there is much more finesse and attention to detail and the colours more vibrant and atmospheric.

Although they come infrequently, there is charm and the odd mildly amusing moment.

It is a practically plot-less cartoon however, and although there is a real effort to not make story flimsiness and predictability too much of an issue, the real lack of lustre in the pace and severe lack of compelling (not much personality here) characters make this less forgivable as whether it was overlookable was dependent on how those two components were executed.

Likewise with the gags. In 'Dear Old Switzerland' there are nowhere near enough of them, and what there are of them are stale, corny and not very funny. There is a tendency for the cartoon to veer on the cutesy side and it's suggestive of the studio running out of ideas and recycling existing ones.

On the whole, mediocre. 4/10

Animation is a form of visual storytelling that involves creating visual art and motion through the use of various techniques and technologies. In animation, images are manipulated to create the illusion of movement, bringing characters, objects, and environments to life. Animation can encompass a wide range of styles, themes, and intended audiences, making it a diverse and versatile form of storytelling.

Daveigh Chase, Rumi Hiiragi, and Mari Natsuki in Spirited Away (2001)

The short form refers to creative works characterized by their brevity and concise storytelling. Unlike full-length feature films, short films have a running time of less than 45 minutes, while TV shorts have a running time of less than 22 minutes.

Benedict Cumberbatch in The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar (2023)

Get a closer look at some of Hollywood's perfect pairs.

Hollywood Power Couples

Get a closer look at some of Hollywood&#39;s perfect pairs.

"The Gentlemen" and "Slow Horses" return this fall, while the "Reacher" spin-off series "Neagley" makes its debut. See our guide of the biggest Fall TV and streaming releases.

2026 Fall TV and Streaming Watch Guide

&quot;The Gentlemen&quot; and &quot;Slow Horses&quot; return this fall, while the &quot;Reacher&quot; spin-off series &quot;Neagley&quot; makes its debut. See our guide of the biggest Fall TV and streaming releases.

Get a closer look at these actors from their many TV and streaming series roles.

Dear Old Switzerland

Photos

Top Cast2

User reviews2

Related interests

Storyline

Top picks

Details

Tech specs

Contribute to this page

More to explore

Recently viewed