Yankee Doodle Daffy

Smeller Productions shuts it's doors early when Porky Pig stops auditions for the day in order to go and get his plane for a business appointment. However, his office is stormed by Daffy Duck - Actor's Agent, who is keen to push his young act in front of Porky.

I love Daffy Duck, but I greatly prefer him when he is crazy, in his early days - not only do I prefer his character but also the cartoons seemed to have more value placed upon them. Here I wasn't sure what to expect as the cartoon had a structure that I didn't think would lend itself to a crazy duck - how wrong was I! The plot actually allows Daffy to be crazy (or screwball as his young client points out) in a very funny way. The various acts he puts on are all very funny and work well because he is such a good character. The cartoon dips a little bit when it leaves the office but it is still worth seeing.

Daffy is brilliant. The material may not be the strongest he has ever had but it is he who uses it really well and carries the film. Porky is only really any good when he is reacting to the work of others and, for that reason, he is good here. The little act in question is a small black duck that sits silently for the majority. He is hilarious as he pulls out pictorial signs to comment on the relative sanity of his manager - it is not his fault that he is the focus of a punchline that serves as an anticlimax after such madness!

Overall this is a fantastic little short that allows Daffy to demonstrate why I always prefer him in full `crazy' mode as opposed to his later incarnations. He may be a ham, a corn and a screwball, but Daffy makes this cartoon what it is - great fun!