Deputy Droopy

The Deputy (Droopy) is told by the Sheriff to mind things while he takes a nap. So, when some crooks come into town to rob the bank, these desperadoes do all they can NOT to wake the Sheriff but to take out the Deputy themselves. The problem is that the Deputy repeatedly hurts them--and they have to quickly run out of town to scream their heads off so as to avoid waking the Sheriff.

"Deputy Droopy" is a remake, of sorts, of "Rock-a-bye Bear". However, the film is also quite different--especially in the locale. Now I normally dislike remakes--but it's a lot easier to dislike this one because the animation quality is SIGNIFICANTLY lower than the original (as MGM had learned that crappier animation often paid off quite well--such as with the success of rival UPA). It's also odd, because you hear Droopy talking with a voice that is obviously not that of the usual voice actor--and, combined with the crappy animation that makes it look unlike Droopy, loses the charm of the character. So, while I give the original a well-deserved 9, this on only manages a 6.

Tex Avery used a plot device here that he used in several cartoons: A character or characters want to avoid being heard by another character. Another character does their level best to cause them to disturb the character, setting the stage for his much-beloved sight gags fired rapidly at the audience. Cartoons are an artform and animated shorts have differing limitations and requirements from longer works. Conventions, plot devices and gimmicks have been developed over the years. Tex Avery developed and/or refined many of these over the years and is, in my view, the most seminal creative force in the history of the animated short. He was an extraordinary artist. This is a funny, engaging, delightful short with a hysterical ending and one of his better efforts. Well worth watching. Recommended.

In this "Old West" story, Droopy is helping guard a shipment of gold. He takes orders from the sheriff, a burly big guy, and the two of them have just gotten off a stagecoach with several big bags of the valuable ore. They place it in the safe and the sheriff instructs Droopy to guard it while he goes in another room. Of course, two crooks have been watching all of this and are right outside the window watching and listening. The sheriff tells Droopy, "If you get in any trouble, if you see any varmints, just make a noise - any kind of noise - and I'll come a-shootin.'"

The two bandits are hilarious and what happens when they try to rob the safe, when they tie up Droopy, how they try to crack the safe, and - especially - what they do when they have to yell, is all great material. These are the dumbest two bandits I've ever seen and some of the gags are repetitive but they still will make you laugh. The best was the gag with the laughs coming out of the bottle. Now that was clever!!

The sheriff in a small western town takes receipt of a bag of gold.He tells his deputy, Droopy Dog, to keep an eye on it and holler if anyone tries to steal it. Two thieves overhear this, gag Droopy -- but do not bind his hands or thief. While they attempt to steal the money, Droopy torments them with an assortment of devices to make them scream.

It's all variations on a single gag, and while the variations are amusing, it lacks the variety of other Droopy cartoons. Tex Avery was pulling up stakes at MGM, getting ready to head over to Lantz, so he shared credit with his AD,Michael Lah. The result is amusing, but not one of the best.

Every time I see this cartoon I laugh until it hurts. Two villains are trying to steal a safe, but they can't wake up the sheriff. Droopy gives the bad guys hell like he always does. Droopy keeps inflicting them with pain and they have to constantly run up a mountain to scream so the sheriff wont hear them. The best part is when they swap heads because one of the villains stepped in glue. Try to catch this one on the Tex Avery Show on Cartoon Network sometime.