In the Pampas of Argentina, Mickey rides along on a rhea. He soon encounters "Cantina Argentina," apparently serving as the local bar and restaurant, as well as his destination. Mickey proceeds to enter the establishment and takes a seat at a window. He apparently just wants to relax with some beer drinking and tobacco smoking. Also present at the establishment are Black Pete (later renamed Peg Leg Pete, or just Pete), a wanted outlaw and fellow customer for the time being, and Minnie Mouse, the barmaid and dancer of the establishment, at the time performing a tango. Both customers soon begin to flirt with Minnie and to rival one another. At some point, Pete proceeds in kidnapping Minnie (and causing her to lose her shoes) and Mickey realized this and tried to fight Pete but he spits at him. He then attempts to escape on his horse, in which it didn’t go well as he accidentally landed on his horse when it jumped over a rock. Mickey gives chase on his weak rhea, in which he quits riding it after thinking put starch on a rhea is a bad idea. He soon catches up to his rival at his house and they proceed to fight with swords. Mickey emerges the victor of this joust after hitting Pete in the head with a white caldron that he found under a bed. The finale of the short has Mickey releasing Minnie from the chains and he and his new lover riding the rhea as well as kissing for the very first time into the distance.
Notes[]
In later interviews, Iwerks would comment that Mickey as featured in The Gallopin' Gaucho was intended to be a swashbuckler, an adventurer modeled after Douglas Fairbanks, whose film The Gaucho served as the primary inspiration of the short. This short marks the first encounter between Mickey and Black Pete, a character already established as an antagonist in both the Alice Comedies and the Oswald series. Based on Mickey and Minnie acting as strangers to each other before the finale, it was presumably intended to feature their original acquaintance to each other as well. Modern audiences have commented that all three characters seem to be coming out of rough, lower-class backgrounds that little resemble their later versions. Consequently the short is arguably of some historical significance.
However the feature characters of the short were obscure at best. Mickey was at first thought to be much too similar to Oswald, resulting in the apparent lack of interest in him. Disney would soon start to contemplate ways to distinguish the Mickey Mouse series from his previous work and that of his rivals. Minnie's role as performer and damsel in distress is solidified in this. It is also the first time she wears her distinctive oversized high heeled pumps, although they fall off almost offscreen when she is kidnapped and she spends the rest of the cartoon shoeless. Mickey is also seen wearing shoes for the first time, adding more anthropomorphic traits to the characters which would progressively become more apparent as the years went on.
At the time of its original production though, Walt again failed to find a distributor. It would be first released on December 30, 1928, following the release of another Mickey short. Reportedly Mickey was at first thought to be much too similar to Oswald and this resulted in the apparent lack of interest in him. Walt would soon start to contemplate ways to distinguish the Mickey Mouse series from his previous work and that of his rivals. The result of his contemplations would be the second Mickey short to be produced, the first to be released and the first to really draw the attention of the audiences: Steamboat Willie.
The Ink and Paint Club, episode #1.28: "Early Mickey"
Home video[]
Mickey Mouse: The Black and White Years - Volume One (laserdisc)
Walt Disney Treasures: Mickey Mouse in Black and White (DVD)
Censorship[]
When the colorized version aired on Donald's Quack Attack, a scene involving Mickey lighting a cigarette was cut from the airing.
Trivia[]
The film's copyright was renewed on December 16, 1957.[1]
On January 1, 2024, the short lapsed in the public domain in the United States, due to works no longer being eligible for copyright in the 96th year following publication or release. While the short is in the public domain, Mickey Mouse, including his original version, still holds a trademark from Disney. Trademarks never expire as long as the owner (Disney) continues to use them.
However, while the short lapsed into the public domain in 2024, the audio has a copyright of 1929, meaning the soundtrack will lapse into the public domain in the United States in 2025. This is also the case with Plane Crazy, due to both being originally released without a soundtrack.
Mickey transitions from a troublemaker to hero.
Most of the gags in this cartoon were reused from "Harem Scarem" an Oswald the Lucky Rabbit short that is currently lost.
Minnie transitions from foil and free-spirited to damsel in distress.
This marked the debut of Pete in a Mickey short.
However, he is considered to be "Black Pete" in this short.
Pete also transitioned from a bear to a cat, as classified with a more cat-like face and whiskers.
This is the third Mickey short to be released.
However, this is actually the second produced short, as Walt Disney failed to find a distributor, just like in Plane Crazy, the first produced but fourth released short.
This strangely marked the first and only time Mickey and Minnie evolved halfway through the short, as their eyes changed from big eyeballs with black pupils to smaller black ovals which would later be used in Steamboat Willie that same year.
Minnie's shoes seem to be slightly bigger, as this is the short where her heels slipped out of her shoes the most prior to becoming shoeless.
Fiddling Around • The Barnyard Concert • The Cactus Kid • The Fire Fighters • The Shindig • The Chain Gang • The Gorilla Mystery • The Picnic • Pioneer Days • The Birthday Party • Traffic Troubles • The Castaway • The Moose Hunt • The Delivery Boy • Mickey Steps Out • Blue Rhythm • Fishin' Around • The Barnyard Broadcast • The Beach Party • Mickey Cuts Up • Mickey's Orphans • The Duck Hunt • The Grocery Boy • The Mad Dog • Barnyard Olympics • Mickey's Revue • Musical Farmer • Mickey in Arabia • Mickey's Nightmare • Trader Mickey • The Whoopee Party • Touchdown Mickey • The Wayward Canary • Parade of the Award Nominees • The Klondike Kid • Mickey's Good Deed • Building a Building • The Mad Doctor • Mickey's Pal Pluto • Mickey's Mellerdrammer • Ye Olden Days • The Mail Pilot • Mickey's Mechanical Man • Mickey's Gala Premier • Puppy Love • The Steeple-Chase • The Pet Store • Giantland • Shanghaied • Camping Out • Playful Pluto • Gulliver Mickey • Mickey's Steam-Roller • Orphan's Benefit • Mickey Plays Papa • The Dognapper • Two-Gun Mickey • Mickey's Man Friday • The Band Concert • Mickey's Service Station • Mickey's Kangaroo • Mickey's Garden • Mickey's Fire Brigade • Pluto's Judgement Day • On Ice • Mickey's Polo Team • Orphans' Picnic • Mickey's Grand Opera • Thru the Mirror • Mickey's Rival • Moving Day • Alpine Climbers • Mickey's Circus • Mickey's Elephant • The Worm Turns • Magician Mickey • Moose Hunters • Mickey's Amateurs • Hawaiian Holiday • Clock Cleaners • Lonesome Ghosts • Boat Builders • Mickey's Trailer • The Whalers • Mickey's Parrot • Brave Little Tailor • Society Dog Show • Mickey's Surprise Party • The Pointer • The Standard Parade
1940s
Tugboat Mickey • Pluto's Dream House • Mr. Mouse Takes a Trip • The Sorcerer's Apprentice • The Little Whirlwind • The Nifty Nineties • Orphan's Benefit • A Gentleman's Gentleman • Canine Caddy • Lend a Paw • All Together • Mickey's Birthday Party • Symphony Hour • Pluto and the Armadillo • Squatter's Rights • Mickey and the Beanstalk • Mickey's Delayed Date • Mickey Down Under • Mickey and the Seal
1950s
R'Coon Dawg • Pluto's Party • Pluto's Christmas Tree • The Simple Things
The Cactus Kid • The Fire Fighters • The Shindig • The Gorilla Mystery • The Picnic • Pioneer Days • The Birthday Party • Traffic Troubles • The Delivery Boy • Mickey Steps Out • Blue Rhythm • The Barnyard Broadcast • The Beach Party • Mickey Cuts Up • Mickey's Orphans • The Grocery Boy • Barnyard Olympics • Mickey's Revue • Musical Farmer • Mickey in Arabia • Mickey's Nightmare • The Whoopee Party • Touchdown Mickey • The Wayward Canary • The Klondike Kid • Building a Building • Mickey's Pal Pluto • Mickey's Mellerdrammer • Ye Olden Days • The Mail Plot • Mickey's Mechanical Man • Mickey's Gala Premier • Puppy Love • The Pet Store • The Steeple-Chase • Shanghaied • Camping Out • Mickey's Steam-Roller • Two-Gun Mickey • On Ice • Mickey's Rival • Hawaiian Holiday • Brave Little Tailor • Mickey's Surprise Party
1940s
The Little Whirlwind • The Nifty Nineties • Mickey's Birthday Party • Out of the Frying Pan Into the Firing Line • First Aiders • Bath Day • Figaro and Frankie • Mickey's Delayed Date • Pluto's Sweater
