Hold It (1938)

Hold It (U.S., 1938) Director: Dave Fleischer. Fleischer Studios had multiple “full color” projects under its belt (including a two-reel Popeye special) by the time work started on 1938’s Hold It, which presents a cozy bouquet of teal, lavender and caramel across its cool nighttime palette. The plot follows a scratchy-voiced feline crooner’s performance of the title song for an audience of neighborhood cats. The accompanying action includes a full order of Fleischer-style surrealism and anarchy: hyper-fluid kitty choreography gives way to a neighborhood dog chase, while the song’s refrain (“Hold it!”) generates a series of memorable, gravity-defying gags.—Russell Zych Restoration funded by ASIFA-Hollywood. Restored by the UCLA Film & Television Archive from the 35mm nitrate successive exposure negative and a 35mm variable density track negative. Laboratory services by Roundabout Entertainment, Inc., Audio Mechanics, Simon Daniel Sound.