Rhapsody in Rivets

Very odd but fun cartoon short that was nominated for an Academy Award. It shows a bunch of dogs that act like humans constructing a building. The foreman comes out and has them play like a symphony while building! This leads to countless sight gags as the dogs construct a mammoth building in record time. No dialogue--just the music which is "Hungarian Rhapsode #2". Bright, cheerful, fast-moving Merrie Melody. TCM shows this every once in a while and their print is in pristine shape. The music is loud and the colors are so bright and vivid that they pop out at you. Also there is a character from other 1940s cartoon in this. He's a small dog with a terminally depressed expression. He has a hand in the ending. Well worth catching.

I've always found it neat when classic cartoons play famous songs to move the action along, and Friz Freleng's "Rhapsody in Rivets" adds to that. This is one of the many instances* (it may have been the first one, in fact) where they play Franz Liszt's inimitable "Hungarian Rhapsody #2". In this case, a construction foreman conducts/instructs the builders to that tune as they erect a skyscraper...with a surprise at the end.

The Academy's decision to not give this cartoon an Oscar was matched only by their decision to not give "The Shawshank Redemption" any Oscars. It's one of the all-time classics and one that I recommend to everyone. Among other things, it goes to show that a cartoon doesn't need dialog to be great; as a matter of fact, that makes it easier for people in other countries to understand. Available as a special feature on "The Bride Came C.O.D." DVD.

*Other Looney Tunes/Merrie Melodies cartoons that play that song are "Rhapsody Rabbit", "Back Alley Oproar", "Wise Quackers" and "What's Up, Doc?". Many years later, Daffy Duck and Donald Duck played it in "Who Framed Roger Rabbit".

When the foreman steps from his office, his entire construction workforce is poised to embark on what is an entertaining exercise in humorous synchronicity as Franz Liszt provides the music and a myriad of enthusiastic workers set about building, drilling and cementing their way up, and up, and up - all whilst plenty of slapstick humour sees comedic injuries and disaster ensue. It's end to end stuff this with some finely drawn characterisations giving us an idea of just how complex building a building can be, especially when some of your colleagues are half asleep, or hungry or absent-minded and the choice of score is as inspired as the vibrant animation. This is good fun.

This is my second review of a cartoon nominated for an Academy Award for 1941 having previously done so for George Pal's Rhythm in the Ranks. It depicts a dog construction crew performing Franz Liszt's "Hungarian Rhopsody # 2" with their tools. Director Friz Freleng does the gags justice when done in tune here. That particular piece of music would appear in other cartoons over the years including Freleng's Rhopsody Rabbit starring Bugs Bunny. I thought the whole thing was hilarious from beginning to end. Freleng always knows how to make entertaining musical cartoons, that's for sure! So on that note, Rhapsody in Rivets is highly recommended.

While classical music (as well as this particular tune) has long been used in cartoons, I can't say I've ever seen it used like it is in "Rhapsody in Rivets". It's darned clever and made incredibly great use of the music--integrating it into a film that is simply a delight to watch.

This film begins with the foreman on a construction job overseeing it just like the conductor of an orchestra. As he gesticulates, the characters working on the bridge do so in perfect unison with the music--or when they don't the foreman becomes very angry. Seeing hammers, jackhammers and the like perfectly times with Liszt's 'Hungarian Rhapsody Number 2' was pretty amazing. And, I am not surprised that this one ending up getting nominated for an Oscar for Best Animated Short. For kids, I'd score this one a 6, as kids want more humor and characters bonking each other on the head. But for older audiences, it deserves at least a 9, as there is nothing quite like it!