It should go without saying that “Floyd Norman: An Animated Life,” a lovingly crafted biographical documentary about one of the most beloved, talented, hard-working, and experienced animators in Disney history, is a godsend for fans of Disney and animation in general. Yet as Floyd Norman’s wholly impressive and inspirational life story is meticulously laid out in front of us, a broader perspective beyond the realm of animation emerges. Eventually, a more universal theme is extracted out of this simple-yet-irresistibly-charming doc as it strongly and compassionately makes the case for the importance of passion and tenacity when it comes to being a lifelong artist, or anyone who turns their craft into their raison d’etre for that matter.
The doc opens with Norman celebrating his 79th birthday, surrounded by younger Disney animators who obviously respect and look up to him as an invaluable mentor. On the outside, Norman is a shy and reserved man who feels awkward around people expressing their admiration for him. That’s why he requests a quiet birthday party where no one sings “Happy Birthday,” which of course takes place, since it’s damn near impossible to not heartily sing that song to anyone who truly deserves it. Even though he feigns a slight annoyance, directors Michael Fiore and Eric Sharkey capture a quick child-like smile on his face. He knows he’s given his life to this craft and more than deserves the love that surrounds him. Even though he’s a married man with four children, to him, Disney is home.
Maybe that’s why, even though he was forced into retirement fourteen years prior, he still shows up at the Disney animation offices every day, strolling around, regaling the staff with stories of the old days, and occasionally acting as a muse for younger animators who yearn for his wisdom. We can tell that this drives his wife crazy, since she also works at Disney, and is annoyed at the fact that she has to spend every living moment of her life with her husband. Yet she lets him come to “work,” because she knows that a lot of the other animators from his time passed on before him, mainly because they lost their will to live after retiring. Remember that joke in “Annie Hall” about the shark that needs to keep swimming? Apparently an animator has to keep drawing; otherwise they might as well cease to exist.
Five minutes into ‘An Animated Life,’ it’s damn near impossible not to fall in love with Norman. He is incredibly sweet, helpful, humble, and most importantly, immensely dedicated to his art. How does one, especially if one is a struggling artist, not wish to vicariously live through this guy? Here’s a man who figured out exactly what he wanted to do with his life, worked hard to make a living out of it, and when it came time to retire, not only did he feel the exact opposite of relief, which is what ninety-nine percent of us would experience after giving decades to our jobs, he refused to stop working.
Animation enthusiasts know Norman primarily as the first African-American animator at Disney, having been recruited in the 1950s, yet he’d prefer to remember for his work rather than his ethnicity. “I don’t consider myself a black artist,” he says proudly, “I consider myself an artist.” This utter confidence in his talent is what emboldened him to apply to Disney in the first place, even though his peers told him that Disney didn’t hire people of color as animators. Yet Norman didn’t care. As he says, he applied, and he got the job. Even though Fiore and Sharkey are obviously big Disney fans, the directors don’t shy away from depicting some of the racism and misogyny that openly took place in the studio, as well as bosses who worked the animators to the point of exhaustion while not paying them what they were worth. In some cases, one of those bosses was Walt Disney himself.
By being honest and fair about Norman’s whopping 60-plus-year experiences with Disney, Fiore and Sharkey efficiently show that Norman’s career was far from a cakewalk, which makes us appreciate his dedication so much more. In many ways, Norman’s philosophical approach to his race mirrors some of the racial themes found in ESPN’s groundbreaking documentary, “O.J.: Made in America.” Both films are about a subject who wanted to only be known for their craft, and not for being the first member of their race to do it professionally. Yet while O.J. Simpson completely loses touch with his identity, building the basis for a real life Greek tragedy, Norman creates a bona fide American success story.
Yes, all he wanted to do was to draw talking cartoon animals for a living, but that didn’t mean that he would turn his back on the civil rights movement that was erupting during his prime. The doc wisely spends a considerable chunk of its runtime on Norman’s attempts at educating the public about his race, such as creating an animated series about black innovators during the late 60s. While the Watts riots were taking place, he “borrowed” his boss’s camera to capture footage from areas that even the bravest journalist wouldn’t go into. One of Norman’s white peers confesses that none of the white animators would dare go into that neighborhood during that time, before adding that no black animator should have either. More than any other, this section of the doc paints Norman as a person who knows when and how to do the right thing, without worrying much about the consequences.
Fiore and Sharkey obviously managed to earn Norman’s trust, as they capture surprisingly intimate moments with his peers and his family. This is an impressive achievement, especially considering how reserved Norman is in his day-to-day life. All of the interviews from pretty much every generation of Disney animator is dripping with love and respect for him. The black-and-white cell animated segments that whimsically depict some of Norman’s stories from the good old days are a more than welcome distraction to the live action interview segments. “Floyd Norman: An Animated Life” is as joyful as its subject, and is heartily recommended to every artist who might have lost their way and are looking for some inspiration. [A-]