Deduce, You Say

This is another Daffy Duck-Porky Pig cartoon short directed by Chuck Jones in which the two leads portray legendary folk heroes. In this one the duck is Dorlock Holmes and the pig is Watkins. They're on the search for the Shropshire Slasher. Daffy, as usual, has trouble taking him in while Porky manages to convince him to turn himself over especially after Daffy insults the Slasher's mother. Not hilarious but has many very amusing bits like the times when Daffy loses his beak after tripping on the stairs or some of the clues he takes. Notice in the credits the director actually is credited as "Chuck Jones" and not his previous "Charles M. Jones". This was on disc 2 of The Looney Tunes Golden Collection, Vol. 1.

In London, Daffy Duck is Dorlock Homes. He is a Sherlock Holmes type. Porky Pig is Watkins or the Watson sidekick. They are at the Beeker Street home base. Dorlock is doing his taxes when a telegram arrives. Shropshire Slasher had escaped prison and challenges Dorlock to catch him.

This is a pretty good spoof of Sherlock Holmes. Of course, Daffy as Dorlock is a bit of an idiot. The switcheroo works really well for this duo. I am not sure about the mystery part. I would be happy to have a silly mystery like if the Slasher's address is at the bottom of the telegram. I do like this for the most part.

7 out of 10, mainly because the design is excellent, as is the script. For those who have watched and enjoyed the series of 'Sherlock Holmes' movies made from 1939 - 1946 (all starring Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce) then this animated short would be a 10/10. Daffy's prickly, know-it-all personality satirizes the Basil Rathbone interpretation of Holmes, and Porky Pig as 'Watkins' does pretty much what Nigel Bruce did in all the films--nothing. Though at one point a frustrated Daffy barks: "All right, Watkins--enough of your bumbling!" which is a reference to how Watson was portrayed as a clueless idiot by Bruce. And as a topper, writer Michael Maltese is able to insert the line "Elementary, my dear Watkins (Watson.)" in a perfect spot.

Usually, Daffy Duck and Porky Pig are enemies, but here, they're partners. Daffy plays Dorlock Holmes and Porky is Watson. The two are investigating crimes committed by someone known as "The Shropshire Slasher". When they finally meet the Shropshire Slasher, Daffy tries to overpower him, but always gets overpowered. Porky, on the other hand, knows exactly what to do every time. When the Shropshire Slasher's mother arrives, Daffy accuses her of selling flowers illegally, and...well, let's just say that was biggest mistake of his life.

I don't know how the Looney Tunes creative team was able to come up with something every time, but they did it again. Let's face it, those men were geniuses.

Chuck Jones's 'Deduce, You Say' is one of the least celebrated of his genre spoofs in which he cast Porky and Daffy in well known roles. Although it is an enjoyable cartoon, 'Deduce, You Say' is undoubtedly inferior to instant classics such as 'Robin Hood Daffy', 'Duck Dodgers in the 24th ½ Century' and 'Dripalong Daffy'. Although it boasts a magnificent script from Michael Maltese, Jones has opted for an angular, stylised look which doesn't quite work. The premise of having Daffy and Porky fill in for Sherlock Holmes and Doctor Watson ought to be comedy gold but the odd look of 'Deduce You Say' is detrimental. Also, Maltese's otherwise fantastic script suddenly flags when the main villain, the Shropshire Strangler, shows up. It suddenly goes from razor wit to predictable antics, only regaining its footing with the smart climactic quip. Despite its flaws, 'Deduce, You Say' is a fun piece which is significantly dwarfed by the solid gold classics it aspires to emulate.