The Sissy Duckling is a 1999 animated short film about a duckling named Elmer ( voiced by Harvey Fierstein, who also wrote this) who is ostracized by his flock for being what his father refers to as a "sissy". Or, to be blunt, obviously gay.

The film adopts a fairly typical approach in that eventually circumstances work out in such a way that - due to his actions during a crisis - the flock accepts Elmer as he is, but that predictability doesn't detract from what a terrific idea this is.

There's genuine value in a program that helps younger viewers who may have questions about themselves understand there's nothing wrong with not being like everyone else. In addition to incorporating messaging about acceptance and self respect, The Sissy Duckling admirably addresses the power of words when they're weaponized. It also isn't shy about depicting bullying and associated violence.

Unfortunately, none of that really matters because this movie makes some inexplicably critical narrative errors right out of the gate which undermine the intent and from which it never fully recovers.

The first is a supporting character we see being hatched at the same time as Elmer to a neighboring duck. The character is clearly meant to be developmentally disabled and the story repeatedly targets him for ridicule, including moments where even Elmer condescends to him. It's kind of hard to take a message of acceptance seriously when in the same breath the film is telling us homophobia is wrong, it gleefully mocks a character with a mental disability. Even worse, having nothing to say about this character, the story eventually has him fall in with the bullies. The hypocrisy at play here is grotesque.

The other big issue is Elmer himself. There's no kind way to frame this: He's a jerk. He's hyper-critical and condescending. His first scene has him berating the narrator (Sharon Stone) with an angry rant because she chose the word "different" rather than "unique".

Since the idea here is to direct this at younger viewers, I have to filter my review through a perspective of what the story is saying to kids, begging the question of what Fierstein and crew hoped to say with this scene? That kids should angrily demand everyone cultivate their speech at all times to avoid potentially offending someone and, should that person innocently employ a word as innocuous as "different", it's acceptable to publicly chastise them over it?

A better approach would have been to suggest kids wear the label "different" with pride and embrace it. It's not as if the word is a slur. It can be transformed into a source of personal power.

As presented, this program suggests it's okay to be over sensitive and expect everyone around us to walk on eggshells for fear of crossing some boundary , whether it's intentional or not. It's a terrible message, one the film unfortunately doubles down on in the closing moments.

If you're going to tell a story like this, the protagonist has to be sympathetic. Aside from the bizarre decision to mock the mentally challenged, the biggest detriment to The Sissy Duckling is the audience will likely spend much of the time early on thinking that the flock wouldn't like Elmer even if he were a typical alpha male, which makes it more difficult to invest in the character when he really does begin to be specifically targeted by harassing behavior.

The animation is good enough and it doesn't overstay it's welcome. I enjoyed the vocal work and there's also a really entertaining moment - my favorite in the film- when Elmer breaks into a song , proudly declaring he's comfortable being who he is.

That's about the highest praise I can give this.

It's a great concept, but in execution The Sissy Duckling is a swing and a miss.

I just wish the voice actors were better cast. Harvey Fierstein was NOT a good choice, at all, for Elmer's voice. It was waaaaaay to distractedly raspy. Not AT ALL believable that a duckling would even have this kind of voice. Unless that was part of the point of Elmer being different. But, I believe as Ferstein is a homosexual, that the story was more about homosexual tolerance. (Or specifically, his own story) The name "sissy" could be argued that it was used to make a better point, as opposed to, say "fatty". Not that I have no issues with subjects, like homosexuality, but the voice actors just made it hard to take the story seriously. Harvey Ferstein's singing didn't help at all, either. While I was listening to this without actually watching (I'm typing this while the movie playing midway going towards the end) I could not even imagine that a duckling was talking. All u could hear was Ferstein. Even Ed Asner got corny. But, as for tolerance stories, it was pretty smart. But, the voice actors needed to offer better performances. Even for 1999.

Guy Gilchrist published a "Silly Shape Book" in 1989 titled "Strummer, the One-of-a-Kind Duck." I've always loved it and have thought it should be made into a production of some sort, and last night saw "The Sissy Duckling" on HBO. WOW! I liked it. It expanded on the theme of the small board book, but the music was sweet and the voices were great. All children should grow up knowing the lesson of these stories. Hurray for the self esteem builders!