Movie Review: Walt Before Mickey

Storytellers learn so much researching those who came before us. From them, we learn there’s never an easy path to getting an audience; tears will be shed, friends lost, and there’ll be moments in which we’re tempted to give up.

I have a book about Walt Disney in my towering TBR pile; it will no doubt be a wonderful read, when I get around to it. I’ve already been inspired by his story because of the movie Walt Before Mickey. Stories are told in film as well as books; storytellers ought to pay attention to both.

Walt Before Mickey follows Disney’s life before the creation of Mickey Mouse. It’s a movie that shows there’s genius in failure; it doesn’t only bask in the cartoonist’s success. There were powerful scenes showing Disney penniless and alone on the streets.

In those scenes, it’s difficult to imagine him fulfilling his dream.

This movie also shows moments of grand determination. Disney has a dream, and he’s going to work himself to the bone until it comes true. He won’t buckle under pressure from his family. He keeps going, showing willpower I can only hope to have one day.

It’s inspiring because it shows that hard work pays off. Not only that, Walt Before Mickey celebrates things he did achieve before his greatest success. It shows that, even if we’re not where we want to be yet, the journey can be lovely.

The setting was beautiful, costume and dialog making me want to travel by train or write on a typewriter. I could almost smell the cigarette smoke; these scenes evoked a sense of being in the story.

Chasing a dream is never easy, and it’s often tempting to give up when we’re almost there! Walt Disney’s story shows that the greatest artists have felt disheartened. However, they persevered—and to this day, their dreams survive.

Walt Before Mickey reminds us success might be sitting before our very eyes. In the movie, Walt finds a mouse on his desk and keeps it as a pet for a while. In the last scene, after the premiere of the first Mickey film, he encounters another mouse in an alley.

The movie is great for people who enjoy historical fiction; it will inspire any dreamer going through rough times. Like Walt’s mouse, success might be looking right at you; harness your passion and work hard, until you can make it happen!