Text: Fransisca Bianca
Photo: Mubi

A classic from Disney that perhaps doesn’t escape most childhoods. A beautifully animated short telling of the story of an old windmill that undergoes a traumatic storm, it may not sound like a lot but perhaps there’s more to the story than meets the eye. Further completed with an equally beautiful orchestrated soundtrack, The Old Mill definitely fulfills anyone’s crave for a nostalgic, classic Disney feel.

A deeper look into the story, perhaps the poor old mill is telling a story of ‘this too shall pass.’ That in spite of traumatic hardships and violent occurrences, there’s always something left to look forward to on the other side. The famous notion of there being a calm before the storm doesn’t do this story’s moral justice; as a matter of fact, there is also a calm after the storm. The smell of lingering rain in a completely drenched scenery, for example. The huge sense of relief after a hard, much needed cry. A calm after a storm is all that makes the storm worthwhile.

Sounds pretty cheesy maybe, but after all, you can’t expect anything Disney without a hint of sentimentalism hidden somewhere along the lines. And perhaps, The Old Mill is just one of dozens of proof that as you grow older, it becomes more apparent what childhood stories are really trying to tell you.

Quick Review The Old Mill: 5/5

The Old Mill (1937)
Directed by Wilfred Jackson
Synopsis: An old windmill that is home to many animals suddenly encounters a violent storm.