The Small One (1978)

This little Disney movie is advertised as a holiday classic, but a person who does not know the Christian story will probably not notice the connection to the traditional tale. Even for those who know the story, it is not clear until the end how it connects.The animation is well-done, and there are many nods toward the complexity of life. The young boy looks just like Mowgli, of "The Jungle Book," but has a completely different mien (and personality). He is loving and caring, especially toward an old donkey that has outlived his usefulness in the family business.There is a change I noticed in one of the songs from the original version on VHS to the DVD version. Where crooked bankers sang, "We simply cheat a little if we must!" on the VHS version, it has been changed to "We work a little harder if we must!" on the DVD version. (I prefer the original...)

The Small One is so sweet and charming, that for instance it brought tears to my eyes with the boy being so tender towards Small One the Donkey. I love this, and think it is underrated, and I watch it every Christmas. The animation is beautiful, and just adds to the beauty of the film. The story was simple and gentle, demonstrating you can't have everything to meet your own needs, even if it means losing a friend. What made me cry as well as the relationship between the boy and Small One was the title song. So haunting and even heart-rending, with meaningful lyrics. I will say that I never was a fan of Sean Marshall's singing voice on Pete's Dragon, and while it was an improvement here, I still didn't like it that much. But compared to the overall beauty of the film, it is a minor criticism. I thought Small One was adorable, and I did feel angry that anyone would want to kill an innocent donkey. I loved the ending, the character of Joseph was so well-spoken, kind and sensitive, that it warmed my heart. Overall, a really sweet film. 9/10 Bethany Cox.

The cover clearly states Holiday Classic. I just wanted to say that if you don't want to see so called "Christian Propaganda", then why are you watching Christmas movies? The whole point of Christmas is based on the Christian religion anyway. So worrying about whether a Christmas movie has Christian context is the stupidest thing I have ever heard. I am not saying that there is anything wrong with having different religious veiws but if you are involving yourself with subject matter based on certain things, why question why those things are evident in the subject? I am sorry to be so negative in my post but it irritates me to hear someone delve into something that makes no sense. It is a good movie that highlights the reason we celebrate the season.

Admittedly this is somewhat nostalgic, because I have watched this short movie every Christmas for years, but I think that the message of this story can be applied to everyone regardless of religious beliefs. The story is somewhat saccharine, but the basic idea is that everyone has a role to play and deserves dignity in his or her life.A small donkey can no longer live with a farming family because cannot earn his keep; the donkey is playful and good spirited, but he is older and smaller than the other donkeys. The patriarch tells his son that the donkey must be sold, but when the son brings the donkey into town, the pair is ridiculed and mocked. The son loves the donkey and is hurt over all the abuse that they suffer. The redemption comes when they encounter a man seeking to purchase a donkey who shows them respect and kindness. This man is presumably Joseph, from the Christian nativity story. He needs the donkey in order to transport his pregnant wife to Bethlehem. The point is that despite his meager appearance, this donkey will play an important role in history. Although the story directly relates to the Christian nativity, some of the main ideas should be relevant to every person. Each individual deserves dignity. Everyone has their place, and kindness should be shown to everyone. As I have said, the story is a bit saccharine, but there is a point to it all. I think this is a movie that can warm everyone's heart, regardless of religious beliefs.