Van Beuren cartoons are extremely variable, especially in the number of gags and whether the absurdist humour shines through enough (sometimes it does, other times it doesn't), but are strangely interesting. Although they are often poorly animated with barely existent stories and less than compelling lead characters, they are also often outstandingly scored, there can be some fun support characters and some are well-timed and amusing.'Marching Along' is the second cartoon to star The Little King, and the fourth of twelve Van Beuren adaptations of the work of Otto Soglow. Like 'The Fatal Note', the introductory cartoon of The Little King, 'Marching Along' is not quite as good as the first two cartoons that feature Sentinel Louey ('A.M To P.M' and 'A Dizzy Day) of the series, which were more faithful in visual style and humour to Soglow's work. Like that cartoon, even with a more serious subject, it's a good cartoon.There is not much wrong in 'Marching Along'. It's flimsy story-wise, it's occasionally heavy-handed and it is easy to raise an eyebrow at the less than kind stereotypes. Like 'The Fatal Note', it doesn't quite live up to the charm that the first two Van Beuren/Soglow cartoons had.However, 'Marching Along' demonstrates why Van Beuren's cartoons adapted from Soglow's work are among the studio's better, more ambitious and more entertaining efforts.One expects Van Beuren cartoons to generally not be well animated. That's not the case with 'Marching Along', the studio's Soglow adaptations come to think of it were all among their better-looking cartoons and showed more detail and crispness. It may not quite be as visually ambitious as 'The Fatal Note' but the improvement in quality is huge.Music as always with Van Beuren, very nearly always the best thing about their cartoons and sometimes the only good thing, is lively and beautifully and cleverly orchestrated, that song is so infectious. While amusing and well-timed, it's the educational aspect that interests more, the subject handled on the whole with tact. The Little King, in a rare speaking role, continues to be an appealing lead.Altogether, good and interesting cartoon. 7/10 Bethany Cox