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World’s Fair Wednesday – All’s Fair at the Fair

Aug 29, 2012 ·

Here’s a 1938 cartoon produced by the Fleischer Brothers in which a typical “everyday” married couple visits the World’s Fair and are continually amazed at the futuristic technology within.  They take a tour through advances in industry (a machine that fills a house shaped mold and then removes the mold to reveal a perfectly constructed, well painted house, for example), and then have a little bit of fun themselves.  They go to a salon where they are made-over by robots and enjoy a dance before driving off into the futuristic sunset in a futuristic car.

I’m not sure this was meant to directly tie into the ’39 New York World’s Fair; it seems more like it just celebrates the wonder of the Fairs in general and the futurist mood of the time.  A few things stand out to me, though.  First is the animation, which is a gorgeous blending of 2-D animation on 3-D backdrops.  Second is their unbridled glee while touring a future in which humans are all but non-existant in a service capacity.  Third is the fact that they get gussied up and head to a dance only to dance with other robots! They’re married! Lastly, the husband assembles a future-car at the end and invites their horse to ride along with them – to celebrate in its own obsolesence!

Anyway, enjoy.

 

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