The Country Cousin is a 1936 Silly Symphonies short, produced by Walt Disney, directed by Wilfred Jackson.
It is a retelling of one of Aesop's Fables about the City Mouse and the Country Mouse, done in opulent Disney style.
Abner the Country Mouse receives an invitation from his cousin, Monty the City Mouse, to come to the city and live with him in luxury. Abner shows up at Monty's, and Monty immediately shows him an opulent dinner table that has been laid out by what must be wealthy humans. Abner takes full advantage, wolfing down cheese, having a bad experience with mustard, and getting drunk on the champagne in a glass.
But there's a problem, something that has been causing Monty to constantly shush his cousin—a cat.
Tropes:
- Alcohol Hic: Abner does this repeatedly after getting drunk on champagne.
- The City: "Come to the city and live with me in splendor," Monty wires to Abner. But after a narrow escape from the cat and getting lost outside, Abner can't wait to leave.
- City Mouse: Averted, despite being one character's name and identity, as Monty doesn't try living in the country but prefers to remain within his area.
- The City vs. the Country: Abner at first is eager to move to the city, but after escaping being eaten by a cat, stepped on by pedestrians and run over by traffic, he hightails it back to the country.
- Country Cousin: Abner does not have a good time. The terrifying encounter with the cat ends with Abner fleeing with panic into the street. This leaves Abner a mouse out the streets of the city, frantically trying to stay alive and not get squished by the feet of humans or run over by cars, as horns blare and light flashes everywhere. The cartoon ends with Abner fleeing in terror.
- Country Mouse: The other main character. Abner wears overalls.
- Fire-Breathing Diner: Abner after downing a mouthful of mustard.
- Food Porn: There is a very delectable spread of food left out that Abner and Monty to dine on.
- Foreshadowing: From the first second they meet, Monty is constantly shushing Abner and telling him to stop making so much noise. About 3/4 of the way through the reason is revealed: there's a cat in the house.
- Giant Food: From the perspective of the two mice, the food set up at the table is enormous. One scene has a shot of a hunk of cheese seen from Abner's point of view, looming like a skyscraper.
- Harmless Electrocution: The cat suffers no lasting damage after getting into a light socket while pursuing the mice.
- Impairment Shot: After drinking too much, Abner starts seeing three of Monty.
- Intoxication Ensues: Well, Abner didn't know what the champagne in that glass would do, did he?
- Liquid Courage: After swilling a lot of champagne Abner decides to kick the cat in the butt. This turns out to be a serious mistake.
- Rough Overalls: Country Cousin Abner is wearing overalls along with a straw hat.
- Screw This, I'm Outta Here:
- As the drunk Abner prepares to kick the cat in the butt, Monty, understandably frightened, darts back into the mouse hole and disappears for the rest of the short.
- At the end of the short, after escaping the cat and the city traffic with perils within, Abner rushes out of the city and leaves back for the country at the end of the short.
- The Man in the Mirror Talks Back: Abner sees his reflection in a gelatin mold and thinks it's another mouse mocking him. He tricks it by faking out a jump; the reflection jumps and hits his head on the top of the mold.
- Too Hungry to Be Polite: The difference between Monty and Abner's upbringing is highlighted in the scene where they eat cheese. Monty takes a small piece, sniffs it, takes away a smaller piece and then eats it. Abner, on the other hand, just shoves a huge chunk into his mouth.
