| Donald's Better Self | |
| Director: | Jack King |
| Producer: | Walt Disney |
| Story: | Carl Barks Harry Reeves Tom Armstrong |
| Starring: | Clarence Nash Thelma Boardman Don Brodie |
| Music: | Oliver Wallace |
| Animator: | Chuck Couch Jack Hannah Ed Love Don Towsley Paul Allen Bernard "Berny" Wolf[1] |
| Studio: | Walt Disney Productions |
| Distributor: | RKO Radio Pictures |
| Released: | (USA) |
| Color Process: | Technicolor |
| Runtime: | 8:25 |
| Country: | United States |
| Language: | English |
Donald's Better Self is a 1938 Disney cartoon featuring Donald Duck. This 8 minute short premiered in March 1938, and was distributed by RKO Radio Pictures.[2]
Donald is fast asleep in his bed. As he turns in his sleep, his Conscience takes a form of its own beside him. She looks exactly like Donald, but wears a white robe and a golden halo. She also has a kinder and gentler voice than Donald. The Conscience tries to get Donald up and out of bed so he won't be late for school, but Donald's Anti-Conscience appears to keep Donald in bed. He has a different voice than Donald's and has a devil form with horns. He easily convinces Donald to stay in bed, but the Conscience wins out and walks with Donald to school.
Along the way, Donald is tempted by the Anti-Conscience to skip out on school and go fishing instead. At the fishing hole, the Anti-Conscience pressures him to smoke a pipe, which causes him to get sick. Soon the Conscience arrives looking for Donald. She finds him sick, and she gets angry at the Anti-Conscience for Donald's misfortune. The Anti-Conscience soon realizes he's in trouble when he sees the Conscience behind him. "YOU! This is all your fault!" says the Conscience to the Anti-Conscience, who nervously convinces the Conscience not to hurt him. The Conscience refuses, but after the Anti-Conscience deliberately tricks her, proceeds to fight the Anti-Conscience to teach him a lesson. Donald finally learns to do the right thing and go to school rather than give in to temptation.
The short was released on May 18, 2004, on Walt Disney Treasures: The Chronological Donald, Volume One: 1934-1941.[3]
Some elements from the short provided the basis for Donald's Decision.