Sock a Doodle Do

Whether the Foghorn Leghorn cartoons are among the best cartoons ever made is up for debate. I for one get much entertainment out of them, which matters more to me. Sock a Doodle Doo is one of Foghorn's better ones. It is not much different from what we usually see, apart from a new support character, so the ending for example is on the predictable side. However, the animation is fluid and lusciously coloured and the music as ever with Carl Stalling is dynamic and full of energy. The dialogue has the razor sharp wit that you'd hope, as with most of his cartoons Foghorn bags the best lines, and the gags are clever and never less than humorous. Foghorn is still engaging and distinctive, and Barnyard is a cunning foil. You may argue that these two have no reason to fight, the fact that they work so well together doesn't make that too much of a problem to me. The rooster(?) character counterpoints with them fairly well if perhaps rather bland in comparison. Mel Blanc does a sterling job as ever. To conclude, a fun and very good cartoon. 8/10 Bethany Cox

A boxing rooster named Kid Banty, the Pinfeatherweight Champion of the World, falls out of his trailer onto the highway and makes his way to the farm where Foghorn Leghorn lives. Foghorn and his nemesis Barnyard Dog are busy making each others' lives miserable, as usual. It quickly becomes obvious that Kid Banty is a little 'punchy.' Whenever he hears a bell ring he immediately starts boxing whoever is in front of him. Foghorn and Dog waste no time trying to use this to their advantage in their never-ending feud. A funny short with several good gags and lines. The animation is colorful and bright with well-drawn characters and backgrounds. The music is cheery and upbeat. Mel Blanc is wonderful as usual and Sheldon Leonard does a great job as Kid Banty. A fun cartoon that Foghorn fans will enjoy.

The relationship between Foghorn Leghorn and the Barnyard Dog might well be the strangest in the entire Warner stable, as there is just no natural reason for a rooster and a dog to fight. The fact that both of them seem to enjoy hurting each other equally makes it hard to feel much affection for either of them. To make matters worse, they always try to manipulate each and every visitor to their farm purely to get at each other.

While Foggy and B.Y. are trying to out doodah each other, Kid Banty, the world's pinfeatherweight Fighting Rooster champ accidentally arrives on Old Macdonald's farm. The Kids' problem is that each time he hears a bell, he starts throwing punches. It does not make any difference to him if it's a cow bell, an alarm clock, a triangle or a grandfather clock.

Naturally Foghorn forgoes his game of hopscotch to make use of the Kid's potential. At one point he even convinces Barnyard Dog to be Kid Banty's sparring partner. But eventually Barnyard always gets the better of Foggy's by building another elaborate contraption. In fact, Barnyard comes up with some of his most inventive traps ever in "Sock a Doodle Do", involving flying saucers and a Hula Hula hut. You can bet all the gags ring a bell for Banty.

6 out of 10

When I took an ethics class, one of the topics that we discussed was using someone as a means to an end. It contradicts ethical practice to involve someone in a process so as only to benefit oneself (more commonly referred to as using someone as a mere means). In this sense, Foghorn Leghorn and Barnyard Dog violate ethical practice in "Sock a Doodle Do". When a boxing rooster accidentally falls out of a truck and ends up on farm, FL and BD use him as the fighter in their eternal fight; you see, whenever he hears a bell, he immediately starts boxing.

I admit that I'm probably reading way too much into this cartoon. After all, it was probably just intended as quick entertainment to be shown before a feature film (and it certainly is entertaining). But I always like to see whether or not I can derive a greater issue from these cartoons. If I'm wrong, then I am - to quote Foghorn Leghorn - as wet as a used tea bag and as sharp as a bowling ball.

All in all, a pretty good cartoon, even though "How many lumps do want?" was pulled out of the Bugs Bunny vehicle "Rabbit's Kin".