History WesternAnimation / TheGoldenTouch

* BrokenAesop: While the story seems to be trying to teach a lesson about greed and its consequences, it seems hollow when the ambiguity of Goldie's intentions comes to light, particularly when the elf makes off with all of Midas's possessions just to release him of the curse.

* BrokenAesop: While the story seems to be trying to teach a lesson about greed and the consequences of it, it seems hollow when the ambiguity of Goldie's intentions comes to light, particularly when the elf makes off with all of Midas's possessions just to release him of the curse.

* ThroatSlittingGesture: During Midas's breakdown, his shadow turns into TheGrimReaper, who pulls this gesture while making a "shhhhlck" sound to taunt the king that the Golden Touch is will be his own undoing.

The short is notable if just for the scorn it received from Walt himself. Apparently, during the making of ''WesternAnimation/{{Snow White|AndTheSevenDwarfs}}'', Walt realized that it had been years since he had last directed a short cartoon, and decided to try it again with this cartoon to see whether he was good enough to direct ''Snow White'' himself, working on the project in secrecy with only two animators, Creator/FredMoore and Norm Ferguson. Unfortunately, upon release, "The Golden Touch" was an immediate flop. Reasons included that the short was stiff and lethargically paced and that Midas came off as too one-dimensional and too unsympathetic for audiences to care about him. As such, Walt immediately [[CreatorBacklash disowned the cartoon]] and forbade anybody from ever bringing it up around the studio. This failure was also so hard on him that he gave up directing cartoons altogether, stepping aside to become a full-time producer.

The short is notable if just for the scorn it received from Walt himself. Apparently, during the making of ''WesternAnimation/{{Snow White|AndTheSevenDwarfs}}'', Walt realized that it had been years since he had last directed a short cartoon, and decided to try it again with this cartoon to see whether he was good enough to direct ''WesternAnimation/{{Snow White|AndTheSevenDwarfs}}'' himself, working on the project in secrecy with only two animators, Creator/FredMoore and Norm Ferguson. Unfortunately, upon release, "The Golden Touch" was an immediate flop. Reasons included that the short was stiff and lethargically paced and that Midas came off as too one-dimensional and too unsympathetic for audiences to care about him. As such, Walt immediately [[CreatorBacklash disowned the cartoon]] and forbade anybody from ever bringing it up around the studio. This failure was also so hard on him that he gave up directing cartoons altogether, stepping aside to become a full-time producer.

* BadPeopleAbuseAnimals: To indicate that we shouldn't feel ''too'' bad for Midas is that when his cat just wants to enjoy the day and keep away from the Golden Touch, he tries luring him towards him. When the cat refuses to play along, Midas hunts him down.

** The birds immediately flee when they see him approaching their birdbath. They are confused when he turns their water into a gold foam.

* HiddenDepths: Midas may be a selfish, greedy jerk, but ''twice'' he is quick to offer up his kingdom to Goldie for something that, debatably, is comparatively small in relation, the first time being for the Golden Touch itself, the second to be relieved of the curse and to simply have a hamburger to eat that won't change to gold. Doesn't make him much more sympathetic, but it is notable.
* HoldTheUnsolicitedIngredient: When Midas begs for a hamburger in exchange for his kingdom, Goldie sarcastically asks "With or without onions?" In the end, Midas seems to be happy that his hamburger has onions.

** The tips of Midas' index fingers and the front of his face (including the inside of his mouth) turn things into gold -- and '''only''' those body parts.

* TheManInTheMirrorTalksBack: Happens twice. The first time, Midas' reflection applauds him when he plans to turn the universe to gold. The second time, depicted in the image page, it turns into a skeleton and nods when Midas asks, "Is the richest king in all the world to starve to death?"

* ScrewThisImOutOfHere: The cat attempts to flee after Midas gains his Golden Touch and wants to test it on him. He sadly fails.

* TakenForGranite: The Cat suffers this twice; once by Goldie and once by his owner, King Midas.

* ThroatSlittingGesture: During Midas' breakdown, his shadow turns into TheGrimReaper, who pulls this gesture while making a "shhhhlck" sound to taunt the king that the Golden Touch is will be his own undoing.

** Midas's pet cat is never seen after being turned into gold a second time by the king. Presumably, Goldie took him along with the rest of Midas's possessions, but it's not made clear where the cat went or whether he was restored to normal (though it's at least shown that Goldie has the ability to do it).

* AdaptedOut: Bacchus and the Greek gods, who gave and removed Midas's curse in the original myth, are not present and are replaced by Goldie the elf. Midas's daughter who he accidentally turns to gold is removed as well. The rest of the original Midas myth, such as the incident where his ears are turned into those of donkeys, is also dropped.

* LighterAndSofter: This adaptation removes the tragic story element of Midas accidentally turning his daughter into gold in favor of him just breaking down from not being able to eat anything (which unintentionally makes him less sympathetic). The story tone is also slightly more comedic than the original fable.

* WhatTheHellHero: Could almost be called "What The Hell, Hero: The Cartoon"...
** Midas. Incredibly rich king who only wants to be richer with the ability to transform anything and everything he touches to gold for himself. When he gains the ability to do so, he turns his cat into gold, deprives the birds of their bath and its water after turning them to gold, and only thinks of what will happen to him when the curse starts to rear its ugly head...
** Goldie. After showing the effects of the Golden Touch (on [[TheWoobie the cat]], no less), he launches into a rant about the evils of gold and greed without even showing or explaining to the king WHY it's a curse. [[spoiler: Considering Goldie winds up taking everything the king owns and leaving him with only a hamburger, maybe this was intentional]].

* VillainousAromanticAsexual: In the opening number, King Midas mentions that he has no interest in romance, simply because he LovesOnlyGold. While he's not exactly villainous, he is shown to be a selfish {{Jerkass}} in this part, before his development later on.

* VillainProtagonist: Midas

* VillainousAromanticAsexual: In the opening number, King Midas mentions that he has no interest in romance, simply because he LovesOnlyGold. While he's not exactly villainous, he is shown to be a selfish {{Jerkass}} in this part, before his development later on.

* AntiVillain: King Midas. He's extremely greedy, arrogant and rude, but otherwise doesn't do anything actively evil or harmful (barring willingly turning his cat into gold), and once the detrimental effects of the Golden Touch come to bite him in the rear, prompting him to surrender his kingdom and riches, he finally comes around humbled by the ending.

* BeCarefulWhatYouWishFor: Everything you touch turning into gold seems great, until you realize that includes anything you try to eat or drink.
* BigEater: Midas planned on eating the entire table's worth of food all by himself, which makes him realize his power is a curse as he can't eat ever again.
* BittersweetEnding: Midas gives up his whole kingdom and riches to Goldie, all just so that he can have a hamburger to eat. Fortunately, he gets just that -- with onions, to his delight.

* BrokenAesop: While the story seems to be trying to teach a lesson about greed and the consequences of it, it seems hollow when the ambiguity of Goldie's intentions comes to light, particularly when the elf makes off with all of Midas' possessions just to release him of the curse.
* CanonForeigner: Goldie the Elf is a unique creation for this adaptation and replaces Bacchus and the gods in the role of giving and taking away Midas' curse.

** Cat in this case. The king's cat knows that Goldie is no good and tries to flee from him, as well as from Midas once the king gets the Golden Touch.

* GoldIsYellow: Zig-zagged. Many of the golden objects, whether turned gold by Midas' touch or not, have realistic tones and shading. However, some objects, such as the gold coins, appear more yellow due to their simplistic shading. This is probably due to the coins being drawn and inked, while the more "golden" objects are painted.

* KarmicTrickster: Goldie is friendly to Midas at first, and gives the king a fair shake with a warning about the danger of unmitigated greed before bestowing the Golden Touch at Midas's insistence.

** An object turned into gold also affects anything softer that is touching it. For example, Midas' cat turns to gold when it's on a tree that Midas touches, but changing water in a birdbath doesn't affect the birdbath itself. Gasses are generally exempt. The sole exception is when he sticks a golden fork into a turkey, but only after the fork is turned into gold--the turkey doesn't turn into gold until he tries to bite it.

* NakedPeopleAreFunny: Subverted when Goldie starts to take Midas' underclothes but relents when the king begs to keep them.

* RegalRuff: Amusingly, King Midas' cat wears one, implying that Midas is so rich that he's able to afford such a fancy accessory for his ''pet!''

* ThrowTheDogABone: Goldie allows Midas to keep his underwear, and also puts onions on his hamburger.
* TreasureRoom: An early example, where the short opens on Midas merrily counting gold coins in his treasury.

* VillainSong: The opening song, as well as the little ditty Midas, sings when he discovers the power of the Golden Touch.

** Midas's pet cat is never seen after being turned into gold a second time by the king. Presumably, Goldie took him along with the rest of Midas's possessions, but it's not made clear where the cat went, or whether he was restored to normal (though it's at least shown that Goldie has the ability to do it).

** Midas. Incredibly rich king who only wants to be richer with the ability to transform anything and everything he touches to gold for himself. When he gains the ability to do so, he turns his cat into cold, deprives the birds of their bath and its water after turning them to gold, and only thinks of what will happen to him when the curse starts to rear its ugly head...
** Goldie. After showing the effects of the Golden Touch (on [[TheWoobie the cat]], no less), he launches into a rant about the evils of gold and greed without even showing or explaining to the king WHY it's a curse. [[spoiler:Considering Goldie winds up taking everything the king owns and leaving him with only a hamburger, maybe this was intentional]].