Father Noah's Ark

Father Noah's Ark is a 1933 Walt Disney Silly Symphonies animated film. It is based on the story of Noah's Ark. The short's musical score is an adaptation of the first dance in Ludwig van Beethoven's 12 Contredanses.

Plot

The short begins with the building of the Ark. Father Noah makes the plans of the ark and gives commands to its construction. His sons, Ham, Shem and Japheth "build the ark from dawn to dark and make a lot of noise", with some help from the animals, while their wives load up food supplies for the flood.

Eventually, the storm rolls in and the animals are summoned, two-by-two, to the ark, accidentally leaving two skunks behind. The ark is soon buffeted around by the storm and the ark's occupants praise to the Lord. At one point, Noah gets rainwater coming through the ceiling in his mouth and has to open a porthole to spit it out, whereupon he is chased by a stray lightning bolt, which he lets out through another porthole.

40 days later, the storm recedes and a dove, carrying an olive branch, flies back to Noah and his family to signify that land has been found. They lower the gangway and the animals all come back out onto dry land (the ark in this case resting atop a tree).

The Pomp and Circumstance segment of Fantasia 2000, also based on Noah's Ark, makes minor references to this short.