Nicky Nut

Story

A party in the forrest: two squirrels get married. The very next day, the brand-new family is struck by a series of misfortunes. With foresight, you can protect yourself against risks.

From the 21st century

Seen from the 21st century, a rather curious little story: the wedding of a pair of squirrels, the male of whom starts work as a woodcutter the very next morning. During a storm, the newlywed husband is crushed by a falling tree. Meanwhile, a fire breaks out in the wife’s cottage. When she is subsequently told that her husband has died, her reaction is one of relief that she has insurance covering both her household contents and her husband’s life.
This concept was presumably chosen to portray the characters as animals. This made the dramatic succession of accidents seem somewhat more detached to the viewer. And it was more readily accepted by the public.

Technical differences

To give you an idea, the classic Kermesse Fantastique (1951) was from the same period. This film demonstrates what was considered ‘state of the art’ within the studio at the time. Due to cost constraints, puppet films such as Nicky Nut were produced to a lower technical standard, though they still featured plenty of colour and movement.
These limitations are evident, for example, in the execution of camera movements. Compare the precise work in Kermesse Fantastique with the somewhat wobbly movement in Nicky Nut. The explanation lies in the fact that the studio had limited access to suitable equipment and, as an alternative, used wooden (!) camera rails, along which a trolley was placed that could be moved past the set.

Trivia

Nicky Nut was produced during the same period as Kermesse Fantastique (1951), a film that demonstrates the highest technical standards of the Dollywood studio at that time. In comparison, Nicky Nut is more simply produced. This was mainly due to the available budget. Nevertheless, the film is colourful and vividly animated. The technical limitations are most evident in the camera movements. Whilst Kermesse Fantastique features smooth and steady camera shots, the camera work in Nicky Nut sometimes appears somewhat shaky. This is easily explained: in the early 1950s, the studio still had limited technical resources at its disposal. For tracking shots, they even used homemade wooden camera rails, along which a small trolley was slid past the set.

A studio in full growth

Although the technique may seem simple or even amateurish by today’s standards, the film was made with great care. The early 1950s were a period of significant growth for the Dollywood studio. The number of commissions increased rapidly and the production department was running at full capacity. It was precisely during this period that the studio experimented extensively with new techniques and developed its own distinctive style. Despite the heavy workload, the creators strove to give each production its own distinct character. This is particularly evident in the elaborate opening scene, which features a large number of forest animals. All these characters had to be designed, built and animated individually.

József Misik

The animation for *Nicky Nut* was handled by József Misik. Remarkably, during the same period he was also working on the large-scale production *Kermesse Fantastique*. How both projects were realised simultaneously has not been documented. The editors do not rule out the possibility that Kermesse Fantastique was produced in several phases. Due to the complex set construction and the necessary approvals from the client, there will have been regular delays. It is quite possible that Misik used these intervals to work on Nicky Nut.

Spoken text

"Poor little Mrs Squirrel, what a dreadful situation. Misfortune seems to be dogging them. And after the fire at her little house, she has now also learnt of her husband’s fatal accident.
Well done, Mr Mayor, you have a good heart. But this act of solidarity will not be necessary, for her husband, the sensible and far-sighted squirrel, had thought of everything. He had taken out insurance with a reputable company. Not only against fire, but also life and accident cover – just as you yourself ought to do by turning to the Belgian General Insurance Company.
Fire, accident and life insurance, pensions and mortgage loans. So turn to A.G. (General Insurance), who will protect you against misfortune and offer you peace of mind and security."