Donald in Jail

Rob Klein bi442 at lafn.org
Mon Jul 9 05:53:50 CEST 2001


Answer to Daniel's question over Donald ending a story in jail:  In USA WDC
& S Nr. 62, Nov. 1945 (Waterski Race) Donald has caused calamaties which
bother the Race Judge (this implies he was an actual court judge as well). 
Donald ends up in a brick building with metal bars on the window.  It looks
like a jail or prison.  A sign in front says "durance vile" (old fashioned
English form of unpleasant endurance - meaning imprisonment or
confinement).  Is this a phrase formerly (or currently) used by judges in
USA or The British Commonwealth of Nations in sentencing defendents found
guilty?   I have never attended a court proceeding in USA.  I have seen the
sentencing of O.J. Simpson on TV.  But he was found not guilty.  I have
attended several court proceedings in Canada, but they were civil, not
criminal cases. I have seen hundreds of old American, British, Canadian and
Australian
films (mostly from the late 1920s, 30s, 40s and 50s; many of which
portrayed judges sentencing defendents.  I cannot remember any judge
saying: "You are sentenced to DURANCE VILE for the remainder of your
natural life!"   Perhaps one of our members can enlighten us here.

This story was before the Firebug story.  I cannot remember a story after
1946, in which Donald ends up in jail.  Perhaps Don Ault's book, which will
include information from his interview with former Western Publishing
editor Chase Craig, will provide a history of the changes in the
Disney/Western policy on this subject. 

Rob klein



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