The Scarlet Pumpernickel

This cartoon starts out with Daffy Duck in J. L.'s (Jack L. Warner's) office pitching for a dramatic role. He's tired of having anvils drop on his head and never getting the girl. In his buildup of the proposed plot, he has J. L., and us, on the edge of our seats.

This is not your typical Looney Tunes fair. It's a roller coaster ride of slapstick comedy, cameos and that special brand of humor from writer Michael Maltese, all beautifully animated by one of the best crews ever assembled. It's a welcome departure from the formulaic series that the Warner Bros. cartoon factory from this era did so well, but the recipe from this one was to be tried out again with great success in later Daffy Duck shorts (Duck Dodgers, Stupor Duck).

Scarlet Pumpernickel, The (1950)

*** (out of 4)

Daffy Duck, tired of playing comedy roles, goes to J.L. Warner with a new swashbuckler screenplay and begins to read it. It features our hero (Daffy) trying to save the woman he loves from her evil father (Porky Pig) and the man he wants to marry her off to (Sylvester). This film has a lot of heart and imagination but not enough laughs to make it one of the best from Merrie Melodies. The visual animation is top-notch from start to finish with some beautiful looking backgrounds especially those inside the castle. The wedding scene in pedicular stands out as does the ending where we see a volcano go off as well as a dam break. Sylvester is pretty much wasted in the film as is Porky but we do have Daffy going all out.

Blowing your brains out is the answer and that's just what Daffy Duck ends up doing.

The cartoon opens in the office of one of the Warner Brothers producers. Daffy is trying to get him interested in making a movie from his 1000 page script 'The Scarlet Pumpernickel'. Daffy plays a swashbuckling hero/thief who would like for no more than to marry his maiden in peril. But Sylvester is out to catch him and take her for himself.

The producer likes Daffy's script but need a bigger ending. How about a tidal wave? Not good enough? And a volcano explodes? Not good enough. But there's nothing left for the Scarlett Pumpernickel to do but blow his brains out?

Blam!

I love that Duck.

The Scarlet Pumpernickel is a great and very interesting take on the Alexandre Dumas classic The Scarlet Pimpernel. The short starts with Daffy getting frustrated at only being typecast in comedy, and reads HIS version of the classic to the producer. The rest is a roller-coaster of priceless performances from the toons, swashbuckling and sight gags complete with references to Errol Flynn, with an unexpected ending to boot. The animation is pretty much spotless, and the music is rousing. The story is fun, and there are some many good moments, so much so I cannot think of my favourite part.

The toons however are the real stars here; Daffy takes on the role of "The Scarlet Pumpernickel" and does so with gusto. Porky is given little to do but does what he can with The Lord High Chamberlain, while Sylvester relishes his part as the Duke. Also Melissa is a very beautiful and cute duck I think. All thanks to the marvellous vocal talents of the immortal Mel Blanc. All in all, hugely entertaining. 9/10 Bethany Cox

With TWO good themes carried off in a hilarious way, good characters chosen and a good plot, this Daffy Duck episode is pretty tough to beat! Yet another good thing about this episode, is the clever, brilliant mux-ip of the modern and the old Daffy Duck (this episode was made in 1950, when the new greedy, sly, mean Daffy Duck that most of us know was just starting to appear) and the choosing of so many Looney Tunes characters - including a new one!

The episode begins with Daffy feeling hyperly angry and stressed at doing so much comedy and he has had the nerve and steel to write a script which focuses on a more serious theme - or as serious as Daffy can possibly be. The story is not the Scarlet Pimpernel - but the Scarlet Pumpernickel, as Daffy! Also appearing is Porky as the High Chamberlain and who seems to be a new character, a yellow duck, as the fair Melissa. She is to marry the Grand Duke, who is Sylvester, but she loves the Scarlet Pumpernickel, who is an outlaw. It's the start of a grand adventure, with good gags along the way...

Good for people who like comedy versions of famous book people and good for people who want to watch Daffy's attempt at a more serious episode. Enjoy "The Scarlet Pumpernickel"! :-)