slymusic
Basically what you can learn from Private Snafu is how not to be a soldier, and in "The Goldbrick", Snafu is persuaded in song by his technical fairy that he no longer needs to exert any physical energy on his duties. That means trouble! Two highlights: First, the snoring Snafu blows upward the skirt in his girl's picture frame, thus revealing her panties; a bugle then blows reveille in Snafu's ear, and his head bobs uncontrollably from side to side. And second, the fairy reveals himself at the end as a stereotypical Japanese soldier who happily finishes the fairy's goldbrick song.Lesson learned: Soldiers, don't lie down on the job. Our country needs you!
MartinHafer
The Private Snafu films were clearly made to be seen by soldiers and not by the general public. The dirty jokes, sexual innuendos and language is relatively tame today but never would have been allowed in the regular theaters due to the Production Code. But, such off-color remarks went over very well with the enlisted men and helped to illustrate important information in a humorous and memorable fashion.In this cartoon, instead of Technical Fairy First Class, you see a new but fatter character. And, instead of teaching him a good lesson, this fairy encourages Snafu to take the easy way out again and again. By the end of the film, Snafu is in deep trouble and you discover the truth about this new fairy.Overall, a rather sub-par Snafu cartoon, though for fans of the series, it's still worth seeing. The biggest problem with it is that it's just less funny than the typical film and seemed a bit preachy.
phantom_tollbooth
Frank Tashlin's 'The Goldbrick' is a great Private Snafu cartoon designed to discourage "goldbricking" (slacking off) in soldiers. One of a handful of shorts in which Snafu actually dies at the end, 'The Goldbrick' has at its core an infectiously lazy song which is so laid-back that it's virtually a poem but is impossible to get out of your head afterwards. Convinced by Goldie the Goldbrick fairy that he should fake an illness to get out of duty, Snafu slowly begins to learn all the tricks of goldbricking until he is singing along with the film's theme tune. These scenes are cleverly set-up with a couple of nice laughs but 'The Goldbrick' really makes its mark with the grim turn it takes at the end. The final scenes are genuinely troubling (and not just for the racist caricature) and the message is delivered forcefully without having to make any sacrifices in terms of entertainment. There are many Private Snafu shorts which more than justify the redistribution of the series and 'The Goldbrick' is amongst the very best.
emasterslake
Snafu is tired of not getting any rest.That's when Goldie the GoldBrick(who's fatter than Technical Fairy First Class) comes along.He gives out tips on how to skip his duties and rest more.Snafu takes every one of these tips.But when he goes out into battle that can be a problem when he's all pooped out. And Goldie the Goldbrick isn't as trustworthy as he seems.This is another fine Private Snafu Cartoon with plenty of Dr. Suess like rhythms.It's a good lesson in not being a Goldbrick yourself when you're in the war.
AD
