In this Disney short, Donald Duck has a new neighbor, a real jerk played by Pete. Immediately after moving in, Pete starts throwing trash onto Donald's lawn and then 'borrows' everything in Donald's fridge. Soon, Pete's behaviors are so awful that the easily angered Donald loses his cool and an all out war takes place. You really can't blame Donald too much...Pete is simply awful. And, it is HIGHLY entertaining watching this war get worse and worse and worse...culminating with the local news covering it like a sporting event....and spectators egging them both on to do more!

In the 1950s, many familiar Disney characters seemed to mellow with age...particularly Mickey. However, in this one, Donald hasn't mellowed and the cartoon is violent...exactly the sort of unsophisticated stuff people prefer! A very good and enjoyable outing for the duck.

Is this cartoon short, Donald moves into the new neighborhood and meets new neighbor Pete. He is nice at first but eventually takes advantage of Donald, eating his food, borrowing his tools and letting his dog dig in his backyard. Soon, it results in an all-out war between the neighbors and the entire community comes to watch, with the media broadcasting it like a boxing match.

It's a typical cartoon story made out to be too much like a boxing match. I thought the sportscaster was and looked annoying and the cartoon lacked the slapstick humor and charm found in more conventional Donald cartoons. Still, you will get a few chuckles here and there, especially where Donald turns the hose on Pete. The animation is good and still can't go around with Donald's classic frustration. But, it's more of an average Donald cartoon.

Grade C+

Having seen Pete often paired with Mickey, it was interesting to see Donald taking on Pete. And you can see this in The New Neighbor with hugely entertaining results. The story is crisp, with a situation that almost everybody will relate to, and never with a dull moment. And it also worked to Donald and Pete's trademark if contrastingly(to one another) different personalities perfectly, Donald is temperamental yet endearing and Pete is suitably dastardly and rude. The writing is very funny, with Donald and Pete each having good lines, and the gags helped by good timing likewise, seeing them go at it at the fence is just one part of the entertainment. The animation is smooth, beautifully drawn and colourful, and the music has much energy and character as well as having lush orchestration. Clarence Nash and Billy Bletcher are perfect as Donald and Pete.

Overall, highly recommended. 10/10 Bethany Cox