Paul Bunyan (1958) ***

The Disney cartoon about the legendary lumberjack starts with his childhood in a small Maine community and moves West as Paul clears the land for new settlers and even creates some new mountain ranges. The story is told through mock interviews with various pioneers who supposedly met Paul as he helped them cut the forests. The cartoon achieves a delicate balance between ironic whimsy and straightforward storytelling. An excellent companion piece to the "Johnny Appleseed" segment from "Melody Time" (1948).