The Clock Watcher

The Clock Watcher

Year: 1945

Runtime: 8 mins

Language: English

Director: Jack King

AnimationComedy

Donald takes a job as a gift wrapper in a department store.

Warning: spoilers below!

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Timeline – The Clock Watcher (1945)

Trace every key event in The Clock Watcher (1945) with our detailed, chronological timeline. Perfect for unpacking nonlinear stories, spotting hidden connections, and understanding how each scene builds toward the film’s climax. Whether you're revisiting or decoding for the first time, this timeline gives you the full picture.

1

Donald clocks in late and rigs the clock

Donald Duck arrives late to his gift-wrapping shift at Royal Bros. He secretly uses a magnet to set the time back a few minutes, hoping to gain extra moments. He then settles at his work table, ready to begin, though trouble is already brewing beneath the surface.

Royal Bros. Gift Wrapping Department
2

Toys whirl past and strip his clothes

Toys zip down the assembly line, zooming past Donald and creating a chaotic whirlwind. The sudden rush erases his focus and even strips his clothes off in the chaos. He frantically retrieves his garments and tries to keep working amid the flurry.

Work table / wrapping station
3

Trombone forced into a small box

In a hurry, Donald attempts to squeeze a trombone into an improbably small box and ends up flattening it with a clamp to fake a French horn. The improvised packaging is awkward and clumsy, foreshadowing more mishaps to come. He presses on, determined to finish the order.

Work table
4

Wrong items in wrong boxes and a deflated ball

Donald stuffs a ring and a rugby ball into the wrong boxes, creating a logistical mess. He also deflates the rugby ball, adding to the confusion and frustration on the line. The accumulation of small mistakes fuels his growing irritability.

Wrapping line
5

Pretends to work, reads a book, and lunches

To look busy, Donald pretends to work while actually reading a book. He then pulls out his lunch and pours coffee into his cup, attempting to maintain a calm façade amidst the chaos. The routine ends abruptly as distractions keep piling up.

Work table
6

Coffee splashes on Donald; temper flares

The boss's speaker horn sneezes the coffee all over Donald's face, provoking a tantrum. The boss scolds him for losing control, and Donald reluctantly apologizes while trying to regain composure. The tension between worker and supervisor intensifies.

Near the speaker horn
7

Perfume box and the ominous smell

A perfume box rolls down the line and Donald sprays it into the speaker pipe, releasing a distinctive scent. The boss declares the smell as Comhither #5 and announces that production has increased in every department except gift wrapping, fueling Donald's anger and resolve to prove them wrong.

Assembly line
8

Rocking chair wrap and a rush order arrives

Donald wraps a rocking chair around himself, thinking it will help him stay organized. A rush order box comes down the line, and he bursts from the chair to continue wrapping the package. He fights with the increasing pressure of the deadline.

Wrapping station
9

Jack-in-the-box surprises and a chaotic spill

A Jack-in-the-box pops out from a box, and Donald struggles to keep the situation under control. He tries to wrap the box, but the Jack refuses to go back, bulges, and sends Donald sliding across the table into the grain hopper toy, sand cascading onto his beak.

Work table
10

Vise clamp to subdue Jack

After freeing himself from the confining gift boxes, Donald clamps Jack down with a vise to stop the chaos and attempt to seal him back inside the box. The struggle intensifies as the two rivals battle for control.

Workbench
11

Speaker prank backfires with a pie involved

Donald shoves a rubber ball into the speaker to silence it, but the ball shoots out and knocks the clamp, forcing Jack in his box to spring out and knock Donald into his pie piece. The absurd mishap leaves him more frustrated and sticky than ever.

Near the speaker
12

Tying Jack down, Jack escapes through the floor

In a final bid to regain control, Donald ties Jack down by hammering stakes into the floor. To his dismay, Jack breaks free again, and Donald looks up to see Jack has somehow gone through the floor.

Wrapping floor area
13

Jack steals Donald's clothes; Donald wears Jack's costume

Donald attempts to pull Jack's head out, but ends up being pulled into the box himself. He emerges wearing Jack's accordion-like clown costume, while Jack has stolen Donald's blue shirt and hat, leaving him in a ridiculous mismatch.

Work area
14

Quitting time escalates to a fight with the boss

The boss announces quitting time, only to inform Donald that he must stay and wrap a few more packages. Fed up, Donald storms upstairs to attack his boss, breaks the speaker pipe in the process, and quits on the spot, ending his troubled shift.

Upstairs to boss's office

Last Updated: October 09, 2025 at 11:04

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The Clock Watcher Summary

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The Clock Watcher Summary

Characters, Settings & Themes in The Clock Watcher

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Characters, Settings & Themes in The Clock Watcher

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