Beach Combers

Beach Combers is an animated short subject by Walter Lantz Productions, and one of those that feature Oswald the Lucky Rabbit.

Overview

Oswald is suffering from a rare case of albinism, a disease he was diagnosed with at the 159th cartoon and would live with it for the remainder of the series. Because of this, the color of his pelt had drastically lightened, making him looked far from the character he was in his early days.

He even went on to wear less fashionable but cheap denim overalls as opposed to his collar shirt, shorts, two gloves and two shoes which he wore previously for half-a-decade. This was in part to cut down cost when coping with the Great Depression. All this in the same year he got his complexion problem

Storyline

One day at a beach, a family of ducks (two parents plus five ducklings) came in for vacation. While the parents decide to rest under the warm sun, their offspring wonder around to find food.

Minutes later, Oswald also came to the beach, along with his dog Elmer the Great Dane. After finding a place to put their gear, Oswald decides to boat in the sea and fish for a few moments. Before leaving, he tells Elmer to stay and keep an eye on their belongings, especially the picnic basket.

The ducklings hardly could afford things as they don't use money that much. When it comes to obtaining food, they decided to filch from unsuspecting tourists. In this, Oswald's picnic basket became their target. The basket itself was next to Elmer who is seemingly asleep. One of them attempts to tiptoe toward it and open a lid, only to be slapped away by Elmer who gets up in the blink of an eye.

The little mallards attempted to lure Elmer away using a bone tied to a string. As Elmer follows and tries to take a bite, the duckling pulling the bone smashes the dog in the cranium with it. The ducklings made their move and began feeding on the basket's goods. In no time, however, Elmer recovered and barks them away.

While the duck siblings are still figuring a way to snatch the basket, one of them was playing inside an old boot with an opened toe cap. Inside the toe cap are sharp nails, thus giving the ducklings an idea for a new modus operandi. As the duck inside the boot comes to Elmer, the curious dog decided to take a close look. When Elmer holds out his nose, the boot's toe cap closes, biting the dog with the pointy nails. While the dog twitches in pain, the ducklings nabbed the basket and set sail with it. Elmer was able to take off the boot but it was too late.

As the ducklings are riding the basket at sea and eating the contents, little did they know that they were being spotted by an octopus. The octopus grabs the little mallards and takes them below the surface. Elmer at first thought of coming to their rescue but immediately turned back, recalling the theft they committed. Nevertheless, the dog's conscience prevailed, and Elmer is swimming in the water.

Under the sea, the octopus still has the ducklings in its grasp, thinking what meal it should make out of them. Upon seeing Elmer approach, the eight-legged mollusk puts them in a clam shell, and goes to confront the dog. The octopus swings its tentacles around but Elmer was quick to dodge everything. As they clash from place to another, the octopus suddenly had it legs stuck to an old mattress. Elmer uses this as a chance to getaway and release the hostages.

Swimming back on the surface, Elmer carries the ducklings who in turn brought back the picnic basket. The dog and tiny mallards became friends. Happily waiting for them at the shorelines are Oswald and the ducklings' parents. When all are on the beach, Oswald decides to celebrate it with the delicacies in the basket.

See also

• Oswald the Lucky Rabbit filmography

External links

• Beachcombers at the Big Cartoon Database