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Credit: DisneyToday marks Goofy’s 91st birthday, as he made his Disney cartoon debut May 25, 1932. Since then, Disney’s dopey dog has entertained and delighted generations of fans with his clumsy antics. As with most of there original animated cast, Goofy has expanded his horizons far beyond his typical animated shorts.
Goofy has grown beyond the standard slapstick material from feature films to video games. While Roger Rabbit was absolutely right when he said, “Nobody takes a wallop like Goofy,” he might be much more complex than that. A Goofy Movie might be considered nostalgic ’90s cheese to some, one dialogue scene might push it into more emotionally mature territory.
How A Goofy Movie Got Deceptively Deep
Described by some as so dated its classic, A Goofy Movie was and still is the character’s finest hour. The concept of a roadtrip movie between Goofy and his son Max is already loaded with comedic possibilities, but Disney went the extra mile with the idea and made it as heartwarming and emotional as it was hysterical and hilarious.
Long story short, it’s a Goofy movie, exactly what it says on the box. However, one scene in particular is what truly pushes it out of its traditional comedy comfort zone. The main plot line consists of Max deceiving his dad into driving them to a Powerline concert to impress the girl next door. The truth eventually comes out, but the way Disney handled it was incredibly deep and mature for something with Goofy’s name in the title.
The scene where Pete reveals Max’s plan to Goofy takes a sharp turn into some some Oscar-worthy drama. So much so that some speculate Disney almost recast Goofy, fearing that Bill Farmer’s voice wouldn’t be enough to deliver the lines seriously. Fortunately, his original voice actor prevailed.
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Goofy not only defends his son, but calls Pete out on his authoritative parenting style. The line “Hey, my son respects me” carries such a chilling weight that we’re honestly surprised Disney would even allude to abusive behavior in a movie like this. Not only that, but the absolute shade Goofy throws back with only his glance shows an indescribable amount of talent from Disney and their animation team.
Additionally, but this level of dialogue even continues when Goofy and Max have their confrontation and resolve the conflict, all while engaged in a comedic chase scene. This mix of humor and heart is what maintains A Goofy Movie’s cult status, as well as showing how much of a top-tier dad Goofy can be.
Were you moved by the performances in A Goofy Movie? Let Inside the Magic know in the comments down below!