Wags to Riches

The short film about Droopy the dog and the catch to inherit some money. It's a short film that aired before the main feature. It's a quick film almost forgettable but somewhat comforting after all these years.

Love animation, it was a big part of my life as a child, particularly Disney, Looney Tunes and Tom and Jerry, and still love it whether it's film, television or cartoons.

Also have much admiration for Tex Avery, an animation genius whose best cartoons are animated masterpieces and some of the best he ever did. Generally like the Droopy cartoons and the character himself a lot, his best cartoons are classics and among Avery's best. Avery has done better than 'Wags to Riches' and so has Droopy, but still 'Wags to Riches' is very good and enormously enjoyable with pretty much everything that makes the best Droopy cartoons so good evident.

The central conflict, revolving around a familiar premise in animation, is pretty obvious with the outcome not exactly surprising. There are Droopy cartoons that execute their stories a little more imaginative and are a little more inventive. 'Wags to Riches' does have invention and the entertainment value is enormous, it's just been done better.

Spike is a sadistic, without being stomach-churningly so, foil and also a hilarious one. He works so well with Droopy who still continues to be a well-established personality and high in charisma and humour character.

Avery does a wonderful job directing, with his unique, unlike-any-other visual and characteristic and incredibly distinctive wacky humour style all over it as can be expected.

'Wags to Riches' is clever, beautifully timed and never less than very funny. It doesn't feel repetitious, with enough variety to stop it from being so, the violence is not done distastefully and the energy is fantastic.

It is no surprise either that the animation is superb. The character designs are unique, Avery always did have creative character designs, and suitably fluid. The music, courtesy of Scott Bradley, is lushly and cleverly orchestrated, with lively and energetic rhythms and fits very well indeed.

Can never fault the voice acting in the Droopy cartoons, 'Wags to Riches' is no different.

Overall, very good and enormously enjoyable. 8/10 Bethany Cox

When the rich millionaire's will is read, everything is left to Droopy. However, if Droopy dies, it all goes to Spike. So Spike tries to arrange that. None of which work. This being a Tex Avery cartoon, they all fail in disastrous and funny ways.

This is an average Tex Avery cartoon. By that, I mean it is an excellent one, with its constant barrage of brilliantly executed gags. Had a less well known cartoon director at some other studio directed this, it would be ranked among te gems of that studio's cartoons. This being Avery at MGM, it requires its own grading system. And so, while urging you to see this, I must note that among Avery's output, it is average.

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.

Droopy was always a favorite character for me. He is the slow moving, milquetoast dog who always comes out on top. His adversary is Spike, a big bulldog. In this one, Droopy inherits a house and a fortune, but if he dies, it goes to Spike. Well we know what's next. But like so many of these cartoons, Droopy's inaction leads Spike to destroy himself. This is one that's great fun. Poor old Spike!