The Dot And The Line
Also known as: The Dot And The Line: A Romance In Lower Mathematics
- Studio
- MGM
- Distributor
- MGM
Synopsis
A love story in which the line has unrequited love for the dot; she only has eyes for the squiggle. He overcomes his straight-laced life, and the dot sees him for what he truly is. The moral? To the vector belong the spoils. The dot has an evil laugh and goes around doing bad things. It misbehaves quite a bit, but it shows colors, shapes, and a smiley face which mouths off to the narrator. The first 30 seconds of the cartoon take place in an art room with easels.
Characters
Dot, Line, Squiggle
Credits
Directing
- Director
- Chuck Jones
- Co-directed By
- Maurice Noble
Producing
- Producer
- Chuck Jones, Les Goldman
Writing
- Writer
- Norton Juster
Voices
- Voice
- Robert Morley (Narrator)
Music
- Music
- Eugene Poddany
Animation
- Supervising Animator
- Don Towsley
- Animator
- Ken Harris, Tom Ray, Philip Roman Phil Roman, Dick Thompson Richard Thompson, Ben Washam
- Layouts
- Don Morgan (uncredited)
Art Department
- Production Design
- Maurice Noble
- Backgrounds
- Philip De Guard, Don Morgan
Camera
- Camera Planner
- Buf Nerbovig
Crew
- Typographer
- Don Foster
Production notes
Chuck Jones would animate two books by author Norton Juster; this, and 1970's The Phantom Tollbooth.
This and 1967's The Bear That Wasn't were MGM's only non-Tom and Jerry animation after 1958.
This and 1967's The Bear That Wasn't were MGM's only non-Tom and Jerry animation after 1958.
Awards
Academy Award Winner, Best Short Subject (Cartoon), 1966.
Nominee, Golden Palm, Best Short Film, Cannes Film Festival
Nominee, Golden Palm, Best Short Film, Cannes Film Festival
Reviews
The Dot And The Line
I love this story and the animation. It's such a classy piece of art.
The Dot And The Line
"High Note" which was Chuck's precurser to this film is readily available on video. However this his minimalist masterpiece is extremely difficult to find on any source.
The Dot And The Line
I loved this one, it sums of life
The Dot And The Line
I can relate to the Line, I've seen so many pretty women (or dots) that just love total losers (or squiggles). The cartoon itself is very engaging. The characters are simple; a Dot, a Line, and a Squiggle. The geometric prowess of the Line gives the viewer a handful of eye candy. Parabolas, dodecahedrons, pentagons, rhomboids, and other shapes. The ability to share in the Line's triumph is what the viewer ends up doing. He's such a hero! The simplicity of the cartoon is strong enough to produce an abundance of depth. Excellent cartoon!
The Dot And The Line
I watched this cartoon for the first time in years today and I am dying to get a copy of it!
The Dot And The Line
From the book of the same name by Norman Juster (of Phantom Tollbooth fame). This is a very good cartoon, and faithful to the book. Simple yet elegant animation and story. (I'm probably partial to it because an old girlfriend gave me a copy of the book in college.)