Wild Over You

I don't know who said it, but a really good quote says that an insane person does the same thing over and over and expects a different result (which can easily apply to the present state of US-foreign policy). But at the very least, we can apply it to Pepe Le Pew, who always tries to to get slinky with females but always repels them.

In "Wild Over You", a wild cat - presumably a female, but they don't really identify the gender - escapes from a Paris zoo and paints herself black and white. Sure enough, Pepe sees her and his hormones go crazy. But this wild cat is a real fighter, and nearly massacres Pepe every time that he tries to hug and kiss her. Of course, Pepe never gives up.

Probably what makes me laugh the most in this cartoon is how they play with the French language. Every sign begins with "le", and a paper boy shouts out "Read-ay vous all about it!" after the wild cat escapes. I can imagine that Michael Maltese had a lot of fun writing the screenplay, Mel Blanc had a lot of fun creating the voices, and Chuck Jones had a lot of fun directing. A really funny cartoon.

By 1953, the Pepe Le Pew formula is getting to be pretty set in stone--Pepe comes upon a cat that looks like a skunk and he spends the rest of the film ardently in pursuit. This time, it's a bit different due to the setting (the famous Paris Exposition) and because the cat is in this case an escaped wild cat from the zoo. The bottom line is that if you love Pepe Le Pew, you'll love this one as well. If not, then there are no major differences that will change your mind (though, if you DON'T like these cartoons, you are a real curmudgeon).

One thing I particularly liked were all the terrible puns and plays on words when it comes to the French in the film. Again and again, terribly funny but bad puns abound when you see a sign in this short.

This is the kinkiest of all the Pepe Le Pew cartoons (and the series is pretty out there to begin with!). Pepe's quarry in this one is an escaped wild cat, disguised as a skunk to elude capture. When Pepe goes after her, she doesn't merely run away--she viciously mauls him in a hissing flurry of fur and claws. Rather than deter him, the violence seems to entice him all the more! At the end, he tells the audience, "If you have not tried it, do not knock it". Hard to believe that this cartoon was shown to 1950s theater audiences, or that it is still shown to children. It's twisted and subversive...and funny as all get out! It just goes to show what you can get away with in animation.

Fun Pepé Le Pew short from the great Chuck Jones. It takes place during the Paris Exposition of 1900, where a wildcat has escaped from a zoo exhibit. The cat paints herself to look like a skunk to avoid being captured. If you've ever seen a Pepé Le Pew cartoon before, you know where this is going. Pepé chases the cat and puts the moves on her. The twist this time is that the wildcat rejects Pepé violently, which only seems to turn the skunk on more. This Sadomasochistic angle has made the short more noteworthy for some than your average Pepé cartoon. As always, the incomparable Mel Blanc is terrific as Pepé. The animation is colorful with well-drawn characters and backgrounds. The gags are funny with the usual French puns we all love from these shorts. It's not the best Pepé cartoon but it is entertaining.

If you are familiar with Pepe LePew, you will know where Wild Over You is going to go. But that isn't enough to mar the cartoon's enjoyment. The animation is full of simple detail and elegant colour, very Chuck Jones but with also an authentic touch. The music is catchy and beautifully orchestrated, with a lovely amorous French flavour. The dialogue is very witty and quite kinky even for a Pepe cartoon, a series that was uniquely risqué to start with. The gags are as is the case with Pepe and Looney Tunes in general clever and imaginatively timed. The story could be seen as formulaic, but the vibrant pacing and entertainment value more than makes up for that. Pepe is still likable and true to the personality that we are used to seeing him, and the cat contrasts with him very well. Mel Blanc, criss crossing Charles Boyer and Maurice Chevalier, is stellar. All in all, a fine cartoon that has much to like about it. 9/10 Bethany Cox