Rival Romeos: Oswald the Lucky Rabbit (Disney, 1928)

This rare black-and-white archival footage presents "Rival Romeos," a classic Oswald the Lucky Rabbit cartoon from March 5, 1928, created by Walt Disney and Ub Iwerks for Universal Studios—nearly a century ago—offering a nostalgic laugh for early animation fans. The silent film follows Oswald, the mischievous black rabbit with expressive ears, as he drives to woo his sweetheart, Ortensia (also known as Sadie), only to face rivalry from Pete, who speeds past in a faster car. When both hit a mud puddle, Oswald’s willingness to get dirty lets him take the lead, arriving to serenade Sadie with a guitar—only to be thwarted by a goat eating his sheet music and a grumpy cat attacking him. Pete arrives, sparking a tug-of-war over Sadie, but she slips away with a motorcycling dog, leaving both suitors defeated, all set against simple, whimsical backgrounds typical of the era. A lively window into 1920s animation’s golden age, this preserved gem—marking one of Disney’s final Oswald shorts before leaving Universal—grips cartoon enthusiasts, animation historians, and nostalgic viewers, offering a timeless peek at a romantic rivalry frozen in time.