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Wags to Riches

  • 1949
  • Approved
  • 7m
IMDb RATING
7.4/10
710
YOUR RATING
Wags to Riches (1949)
AnimationComedyFamilyShort

A millionaire with two dogs (Spike and Droopy) leaves his fortune to Droopy with the stipulation that should he be killed the entire fortune will revert to Spike. Guess what Spike is up to?A millionaire with two dogs (Spike and Droopy) leaves his fortune to Droopy with the stipulation that should he be killed the entire fortune will revert to Spike. Guess what Spike is up to?A millionaire with two dogs (Spike and Droopy) leaves his fortune to Droopy with the stipulation that should he be killed the entire fortune will revert to Spike. Guess what Spike is up to?

  • Director
    • Tex Avery
  • Writers
    • Jack Cosgriff
    • Rich Hogan
  • Stars
    • Tex Avery
    • William Hanna
    • Pat McGeehan
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    7.4/10
    710
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Tex Avery
    • Writers
      • Jack Cosgriff
      • Rich Hogan
    • Stars
      • Tex Avery
      • William Hanna
      • Pat McGeehan
    • 14User reviews
    • 1Critic review
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • Photos6

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    Top cast4

    Edit
    Tex Avery
    Tex Avery
    • Spike
    • (voice)
    • (uncredited)
    William Hanna
    William Hanna
    • Spike
    • (voice)
    • (uncredited)
    Pat McGeehan
    • Lawyer
    • (voice)
    • (uncredited)
    Don Messick
    • Droopy - additional dialogue
    • (voice)
    • (uncredited)
    • Director
      • Tex Avery
    • Writers
      • Jack Cosgriff
      • Rich Hogan
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews14

    7.4710
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    10

    Featured reviews

    10Kalashnikovin

    When the Greed reaches its highest point

    After leaving Warner Bros, Avery got a job at MGM again directing Short Films, after several Characters like Screwy Squirrel and George and Junior, Avery learned what it takes to be funny after Dumb Hounded in 1943, where with a very simple plot she managed to entertain and funny, but the focus was not obtained by the Wolf who was the protagonist of that short, but by the Hound that appeared there, previously called Happy Hound.

    Happy Hound (later renamed as Droopy) continued to appear in supporting roles until gaining the recognition he deserved in The Shot of Dan Mcgoo in 1945, so he got his own series of short films, where he was paired with many iconic MGM characters, Like the Wolf and the Little Red Riding Hood.

    And after following a path full of success, Droopy reached its highest point with Wags to Riches, in the last year of the 40s, "we must close this decade well" Avery thought when creating this masterpiece, which I consider it one of his most important works and one of the best he directed.

    Here he is paired with Butch (here called Spike) a Bulldog similar to Spike but with a Greedy and Treacherous Personality, who upon learning that his late owner left his entire fortune to his Housemate Droopy, is filled with anger and envy , and after reading a text that says "in the case of the death of the Droopy dog, all the money falls into Spike's possession" he takes the Initiative trying to assassinate him but failing in all his poor and miserable attempts.

    The animation was glorious, MGM at its Highest Moments, attractive and well colored backgrounds, there is a great use of Smear Frames, which cause a more attractive and moderately fluid Animation, as well as exaggerated expressions, which fit the humor well.

    The Music was good at best, once again praising Bradley I can just say it was well placed and a delight to the ears.

    It really was a good short, it has a simple plot but it was charmingly done, it has relentless animation and a Humor on par with Looney Tunes or Tom and Jerry, I think it's one of Droopy's best and it will still hold that position.

    For all the above, this short gets a more than deserved 6, it's a joke, it's actually called a deserved 10! Congratulations to Avery and his team for this wonderful job.
    7SnoopyStyle

    Spike vs Droopy

    A late millionaire leaves his fortune to one of his two dogs, Spike and Droopy. It's Droopy but in case of Droopy's death, the estate would be next turned over to Spike. It's obvious what Spike plans to do to Droopy. This is standard Spike vs Droopy. I like it. It's pretty good. I would have liked for something more violent in its climax. It's fine.
    TheMan3051

    Hilarious

    This is another classic cartoon in true Tex Avary style! The premise is simple, Droopy was left a fortune but if he should die all the money goes to Spike. Obviously Spike will do anything within his power to kill Droopy and make it look accidental. And what follows is another blend of classic Avary gags.

    3(***)out of 4(****)stars
    8llltdesq

    The first of two versions of this and the better one

    This cartoon was re-done about seven years later as Millionaire Droopy with little changed, for reasons I can only guess at. Millionaire Droopy is the ultimate "cheater" short, in my opinion. A "cheater" is a short where much of the short is comprised of cribbed scenes from other cartoons, with some new animation as a framing device around it to make a "new" cartoon. This was done so that distribution contracts could be adhered to when they fell behind the production schedule (as they inevitably did), as a cheater required less time to produce than a completely new short did. While a good cartoon, Wags To Riches wasn't good enough to be cloned! Good to see it's in print, though. Well worth watching. Recommended
    9ccthemovieman-1

    Spike Can't Win For Losing

    Droopy is an heir of a million dollars by his owner, but the will also states that the other pet dog, "Spike," gets the money if Droopy dies. Hmm, that gets big Spike to thinking....

    Spike is absolutely hilarious, especially in the reading of the will. Talk about someone who's jaw drops!! The sight gags in here, especially with this dog, are Tex Avery classics - just really funny stuff. I almost felt sorry for sadistic Spike as, of course, everything he tries in eliminating Droopy backfires. This must have been an inspiration to the guys who did the Road Runner cartoons, with Wile E. Coyote having the same fortune as Spike.

    This is another winner from The "Tex Avery's Droopy - The Complete Theatrical Collection" DVD.

    Best Emmys Moments

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    Related interests

    Daveigh Chase, Rumi Hiiragi, and Mari Natsuki in Spirited Away (2001)
    Animation
    Will Ferrell in Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (2004)
    Comedy
    Drew Barrymore and Pat Welsh in E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982)
    Family
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    Short

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      The will being read to Droopy and Spike is signed "W. Higgins". This refers to Bill Higgins, who was an assistant animator but never received screen credit for his work on MGM cartoons.
    • Goofs
      As Spike's jaw drops to the floor when Droopy is announced as the sole inheritor, it breaks a large hole in the wooden table. The table hole has many jagged edges, but the wood pieces on the floor are mostly rounded (like "punch-outs" on a modern desk to allow electrical and computer cords to pass through).
    • Quotes

      Droopy: [to the audience] You know what? I'm happy. Hooray.

    • Connections
      Featured in Så er der tegnefilm: Episode #17.30 (1991)
    • Soundtracks
      I'm Sitting on Top of the World
      (uncredited)

      Music by Ray Henderson

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    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • August 13, 1949 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Не подхалимничайте перед миллионерами
    • Production companies
      • Loew's
      • Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Cartoon Studios
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      • 7m
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.37 : 1

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