Peace On Earth. Classic Christmas cartoon. MGM 1939.

Peace on Earth is a one-reel 1939 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer cartoon short directed by Hugh Harman, about a post-apocalyptic world populated only by animals.

Two young squirrels ask their grandfather on Christmas Eve who the "men" are in the lyric "Peace on Earth, good will to men." The grandfather squirrel then tells them a rotoscoped history of the human race, focusing on the neverending wars men waged. Ultimately the wars do end, with the deaths of the last men on Earth, two soldiers shooting each other. Afterwards, the surviving animals discover a copy of the Bible in the ruins of a church. Inspired by the book's teachings, they decide to rebuild a society dedicated to peace and nonviolence (using the helmets of soldiers to construct houses). The cartoon features an original song written to the tune of "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing". According to Hugh Harman's obituary in the New York Times and Ben Mankiewicz, host of Cartoon Alley, the cartoon was nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize. However, it is not listed in the official Nobel Prize nomination database. Mankiewicz also claimed that the cartoon was the first about a serious subject by a major studio. In 1994, it was voted #40 of the 50 Greatest Cartoons of all time by members of the animation field. It was also nominated for the 1939 Academy Award for Short Subjects (Cartoons).

• Category

  Film & Animation

[dedricthere]

How is this not a million times better than all these soulless CGI cartoons from today ?

[rirricca]

I discovered this movie through a music video and I was SO happy to see the love flow on from this old masterpiece!

Here's for a better future!!!

You can see it at: watch?v=ekDv9SdGEI0

[Mahbu]

I'm told that it really meant all men died out. I used to believe it was just that the animals didn't understand it was one battle that had likely ended.

[Mahbu]

They never show this cartoon anymore. . probably because it was a sort of propaganda but also because of how gruesome it might be considered.

[stokepogue]

They rebuilt a bank? uh-oh...

[psycologo121]

I lfreaken love this cartoon

[Diegoraf Blasio]

what???

[aYankee102587]

"I hope that this cartoon helps to usher in a new era of peace, starting in 1939."

[captainnutella67]

This has a great message but I love it for the WWI imagery. I still think of the big long snoots when I see gas masks.

[weirdTedE91]

Boy, I haven't seen this for so long...



[raymond lang]

Yes this "classic" 1939 animation is one to remember for many reasons.

Don't think it's on any DVD yet..was going to buy the Tex Avery Collection, till I found out a few of the cartoons have been "cut" because of racist sterotype!!

I think it was released in France, so maybe that has something to do with it?

Hopefully it will be released fully restored with all the harmless gags in, if released in the States.