Old Glory

I remember seeing this cartoon as a child and I have always enjoyed it. Porky is having trouble learning the Pledge of Allegiance, when he's about to give up, Uncle Sam himself shows up and gives him a history lesson. I like the semi-realistic portrayal of Uncle Sam and the historical figures, though it's nothing like later Looney Tunes and/or Chuck Jones' trademark style. Also, I'm surprised most people don't know that the "Under God" line is a later addition! It was always in heavy rotation around the 4th of July on various syndicated Looney Tunes packages, so I and lots of others my age are very familiar with it.

I first saw this Porky Pig educational cartoon short on Buskin Bill's Storyland in the Bicentenial year of 1976. I later saw it after James Cagney's Yankee Doodle Dandy on a Saturday night on that same channel of WAFB-9, Baton Rouge, La. (possibly on the 4th of July). Having recently seen it on YouTube, I must marvel at how bright the colors are compared to the washed-out tones I remember from way back when. Great use of having Uncle Sam telling our stuttering hero about the American Revolution and subsequent events with wonderful realistic animation throughout to make their point. Highly recommended to any child who wonders why history is so important to learn.

I have mixed feelings about this Merrie Melodies short. What I mean is, I don't love it as much as I do some, certain others, but at the same time, I don't detest it either. Since it deviates from the norm of these usually comedic cartoons, it would come as both an unexpected surprise and a disappointment. I agree that not all cartoons have to be comedy-driven and this educational rather than entertaining one is alright for what it is. But regardless, many people still would expect all of them to bring the funny to them simply because it's for which they're known in most cases. It was a fair attempt at doing something different.

As other reviewers have explained, Porky Pig, as a schoolboy, finds learning the Pledge Of Allegiance dull, since he can't quite get the hang of the recitation. But after falling asleep, he meets the spirit of Uncle Sam, who explains the significance of it. And we're shown some scenes that go over the history of how that came to be. Another reason why I may not frequent viewing this short on the third disc of Looney Tunes Golden Collection Vol. 2 (other than on the special occasion of Independence Day) as much as I do several others whether on DVD or online, is because of the reputation of the two historical figures who are discussed, the very first U.S. president, George Washington and Patrick Henry, as both of them are slave owners. So the fact that they were touted as so-called great men is iffy. This is not even edu-taining, but purely educational. Like I said, I found it alright, but not among the best for me. Do I recommend this to others who may be reading this? Well, it all depends if anyone doesn't mind the break too much from the hilarity and thrill of the WB cartoons. But for those who don't have a high enough tolerance and appreciation for that, then you're all welcome to skip it.

This was an old-fashioned patriotic cartoon, not intended for laughs but to remind those at the time what "Old Glory" means. They didn't have to remind U.S. citizens for long since they learned a few years later with their entrance into World War II.

In this cartoon, Porky Pig is upset because he has to memorize the Pledge Of Allegiance. He tosses away a book where the Pledge is written and takes a nap. Suddenly, Uncle Sam appears and explains to the sleeping-yet alert Porky why he should learn it. One of the first things he tells him is "I'm afraid there are a lot of us who don't appreciate our freedom." Wow, how true, especially today when it seems fashionable by a number of ungrateful people to bash this country.

Uncle Sam's history lessons begins in 1775 with Nathan Hale and goes quickly through the Declaration of Independence, The Constitution, the exploration and sacrifices made by pioneers going West, and finishing with the eloquent writing of Abraham Lincoln.

The artwork in here is super, just a great restoration job done by the people who present this one and many others on the Looney Tunes Golden Collection DVDs. To be fair, for those disappointed because they expect laughs in a cartoon, that's understandable.

At a time when the war clouds in Europe were gathering and it looked as though America might be drawn into the conflict of WWII, this Looney Tune with Porky Pig, OLD GLORY, served as a patriotic reminder to everyone about America's place in history. Only the politically correct hard line liberals who object to any show of patriotism would be objecting to this sort of thing today.

The human characters are drawn more realistically than usual for a cartoon, and this is appropriate since this not your typical slapstick cartoon. Fans expecting the usual from Porky Pig are bound to be a bit disappointed, but it's worth viewing for the brief history lesson it gives, full of pioneer spirit and uplifting words from men like Patrick Henry, Paul Revere and Abraham Lincoln. Well done.