My Bunny Lies Over the Sea

1948's My Bunny Lies over the Sea, an amusing six-minute Loony Toons animated short that sees our long-eared hero Bugs Bunny once again not taking that left turn at Albuquerque and finding slap dab in Scotland, where comes into confrontational conflict with Angus McRory, finer and funnier over-the-stop Scottish caricature as one could find, with his red hair and beard just a being as firey as his temperament. Of course, we get the usual kind of tropes here, with at one point Bugs disguising him as a fellow Scot in an attempt to outwit Angus, which all then culminate in them playing golf in order to settle their dispute.

It's decent fun although the pacing is so breakneck a pace that it does overtake itself so that it arrives at its denouement a bit too abruptly. While not all the gags land quite as well as others. However, the voice work as ever is a first-rate job for not only Bugs but Angus as well. It's astonishing to think that he provided both, and one wonders if he delivered both of these simultaneously, in which case it's a sheer bloody genius that he could switch between the two so effortlessly. Solid, but not one of the absolute classics, My Bunny Lies Over the Sea as a comedic distraction gets the job done and is a pretty good way to waste some time.

I wouldn't put My Bunny Lies Over the Sea among the best of the Looney Tunes canon, but it was an enjoyable and entertaining cartoon. Even with its predictable game of golf and I wouldn't have minded it being a minute or so longer as well.That said, it goes at a cracking pace, has some fine sight gags and dialogue, beautiful crisp animation and an energetic music score. Also Mel Blanc as he always does does a fantastic job with all the voices. Bugs is still the witty and likable rabbit that I fell in love with, and the support characters work well too. I loved the title too, almost poetic like a love song.Overall, an entertaining cartoon. 8/10 Bethany Cox

When Bugs takes that oh-so-famous right turn when he should have went left, he ends up in Scotland instead of the Labrea Tar Pits. The best ever game of golf ever seen on T.V. against a Scottish bag-pipe player ensues. Definitely for any Bugs fan whose ever played a round of golf. I only wish i could pull some of those stunts on the links. 10 out of 10.

In perhaps Bugs's first reference to that "wrong turn at Albequerque," he instead finds himself in Scotland where he encounters a Scottish bagpipe player (whom he mistakenly presumes is an old lady being attacked by a monster - if that makes sense to you). After Bugs unknowingly destroys the Scotsman's bagpipes, he decides to settle the dispute by challenging the rabbit to a game of golf. Wackiness ensues.

Although nothing above the ordinary, this is still a pretty amusing Bugs Bunny short. The interplay between him and the Scotsman at the beginning is funny (particularly Bugs's portrayal of a Scottish landowner). As are several of the tricks Bugs plays on him when on the links. As far as characterization is concerned, Bugs is his usual tricky self (but no more) while the Scotsman is the stereotypical foreigner complete with a deliberately funny Scottish accent. With no other characters to speak of, this may be one of Bugs's most simplistic cartoons ever (not to be confused with "worst" mind you). The surprise ending is pretty funny too as it finally gives the Scotsman a fair come-uppance.

Perhaps the most interesting thing about this short is its animation. Despite being released in 1948, the cartoon both looks and sounds more like a 1950s short. By contrast, later shorts like High Diving Hare and Rebel Rabbit look and feel more like 1940s shorts. This just goes to show how ahead of his time Chuck Jones really was as his less cinematic style of animation was in the 70s and 80s imitated by almost every cartoonist in one way or another.

Overall, this is a fairly average Bugs Bunny cartoon. But understand that an average Bugs cartoon is still better than a top cartoon with most other cartoon characters. That alone makes it well worth watching.

Bugs Bunny takes the wrong turn at Albuquerque and ends up tunneling into Scotland (!). There he immediately attacks a horrible monster engulfing a defenseless old lady. Only it turns out the "monster" is a set of bagpipes and the "old lady" is a man in a kilt. Bugs thinks this is indecent (despite his own predilection for drag) and throws a barrel over the Scotsman. This is too much, and the angry Scot tries to blow out Bugs's brains. Soon the two opponents settle the matter more civilly - with a game of golf. Bugs's golfing strategy leaves most of his scruples buried under a divot. The infuriated Scotsman suggests one more contest, again underestimating the quick-witted bunny.

A fine series of gags and strong characterizations make this another winner from Chuck Jones, Michael Maltese and company. "McGrory," as Bugs dubs him at one point, gives a series of priceless reactions to the befuddling Bugs. Love that final gag!

This cartoon is available on the "Looney Tunes Golden Collection, Volume One," Disc 1.