The Ugly Duckling

The Ugly Duckling

A baby duckling is shunned by his family because he is different.

Directed by Hamilton Luske, Jack Cutting, Clyde Geronimi

Produced by Walt Disney Productions

19399 min7.0 / 10

A gentle, whimsical animated fable about acceptance and self-discovery, where an outcast finds belonging by learning who he truly is.

An outcast duckling's search for a family to accept him leads to constant rejection before learning his true identity as a swan.

Questions people ask

  • Is The Ugly Duckling easy watching? Yes. More comforting than 88% of films.

  • Does The Ugly Duckling end with hope? Yes. More hopeful than 85% of films.

  • Is The Ugly Duckling violent? Barely. Less violent than 76% of films.

  • Is The Ugly Duckling scary? Not especially. Less frightening than 65% of films.

  • Is The Ugly Duckling sad? Somewhat. More sad than 61% of films.

These describe how the film comes across, measured across the whole film and compared with other well-known films. They are not a content list — nothing here was counted or checked scene by scene, so for age-suitability or specific content use a classification board or a dedicated content-warning service.

Written about

54/ 100

Cinnamon Score

How much this film gives you that nothing else will, and whether it delivers.

Familiar shape, done well.

Rarity34

How unlike any other film this one feels

Surprise60

How much more it delivers than it promises

Love70

How much audiences actually like it

The highest scores in the catalogue →

Ensemble

Like The Ugly Duckling

Nearest across the full emotional profile.

Same Mood as The Ugly Duckling

Nearest on what's most distinctive about this one.

Like The Ugly Duckling, But Darker

Similar, pushed toward heavier and more intense.

Like The Ugly Duckling, But Lighter

Similar, pushed toward warmer and easier.

Like The Ugly Duckling, But Less Popular

Same territory, far fewer people have seen it.

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