Slick Hare

For this viewer, the directors who handled Bugs Bunny best were Isadore Freleng and Robert Clampett. Art Davis did well with his one entry, and Tex Avery clocked in, but Freleng and Clampett are still best over-all.

The "Mocrumbo" in "Slick Hare" is, apparently, where the stars came to be seen--which would explain why there are so many of them here. First up is Leopold Stokowski , or in this case "Leopold and his Chifafa Five" (that 'Chifafa' being taken from the lyric of the song hit of the 40s by Nat King Cole, known as "The Frim Fram Sauce"). It's hilarious to see Leopold deposit a nickel in the juke-box, and then do a pretend conductorship of the recording. Incidentally, the song played by the orchestra in that scene is "Nagasaki", composed by Harry Warren. As Carl Stalling drums up strains of "A Gal In Calico", we see Gregory Peck, cutting up a steak with a razor, Ray Milland trading in his typewriter for drinks at the bar, Sinatra being sucked up by a straw--instead of the other way around. The action finally settles on Elmer Fudd (and in this cartoon the voice is still being done by its initiator, Arthur Q. Bryan and not Mel Blanc--yet)and on Humphrey Bogart, who demands rabbit, and gives Elmer an ultimatum. There we have the scenario that sets the pace for the rest of the cartoon. We are treated to more cameo caricatures (the Marx Brothers, Sydney Greenstreet, and even a number by Carmen Miranda, whose voice is dubbed by a singer whose name I would like to know--as well as the name of the song).

Bogie turns up the heat on Elmer, and the pressure builds. Elmer can't come through and fears the worst. But a turn of events in cartoon logic changes things at that very moment, and the ending will come as a pleasant surprise to anyone who has not seen the cartoon...and I would recommend that the cartoon be shown to as many as would care to view it. Certainly not the best Bugs Bunny cartoon, but one of the better ones.

In a slick New York club for the rich and famous, Mr Humphrey Bogart orders rabbit. Waiter Elmer Fudd is at a loss where he'll get fresh rabbit at that time of night until he finds Bugs Bunny feasting on carrots. With running out, Fudd tries to get Bugs into the pot.

Starting out with a range of topical cameos from entertainers and film stars of the period, this film risks being hit and miss in the today but happily many of them will still be recognisable to modern audiences. After these jokes we move into what is the usual Bugs/Elmer fare of chases and trickery. Most of this is pretty funny and it all moves quite slickly, some of it is a little lesser than it should be but none of it really misses.

Bugs is a god character, even if it feels like he isn't the star here. Elmer does good work as a waiter but Bogart's voice work lets him down and doesn't totally sound realistic or natural. The celebrities were pretty well caricatured and quite funny (or at least those I recognised).

Overall this was an enjoyable short apart from the unavoidable failing that I wasn't totally sure who all the celebrities were at the start.

Slick Hare (1947)

**** (out of 4)

Elmer Fudd plays a waiter at the Mocrumbo, a restaurant with Hollywood's A-list stars. Humphrey Bogart orders rabbit but when Elmer tells him they're out the legendary tough guy demands he get one. Back in the kitchen lies Bugs Bunny but will Elmer be able to serve him up? This is a great cartoon from start to finish because of all the celebs we get to see. Not only do we have a great impression of Bogart but we also see the Marx Brothers, Frank Sinatra and a funny bit of Ray Milland in his THE LOST WEEKEND role. Bugs and Elmer are also at the top of their game as the action between the two is great as are all the jokes. One of the highlights deal with pies being thrown and Bogart taking one in the face.

This is absolutely hilarious!!... It is my favorite BB cartoon. Bogie,Groucho, Ray Milland....its fabulous. Then hiding in Carmen Miranda's hat followed by the dance. Priceless. The fact that a cartoon character can provide laughs like this is living proof of the talent the creators had. If you want to see the essential "wise-guy" that was in essence the character itself, this is the one to see. This, along with the cartoon in which he is offered the "oscar", shows that this was one that played in the big-leagues. It also provides a little bit of a history lesson for the younger generations. It shows the "star power" that was in place at that time...and a mixture of comedians, dramatic actors and musical entertainers.

We are at the Hollywood exclusive nightclub, "The Mocrumbo," where dinners are $600 apiece (today that translates to thousands). The entertainment: "Leopold And His Chifafa Five." Leopold is Leopold Stokowski, the conductor who seems to be a favorite of the Looney Tunes crowd.

Eating a steak is either Gary Cooper or Gregory Peck; At the bar is Ray Milland in a parody of "The Lost Weekend." Using a straw for a drink is the super-skinny Frank Sinatra; Elmer Fudd is a waiter and Humphrey Bogart asks for some "fried rabbit." Humphrey slaps him around and demands a rabbit dinner. Back in the kitchen, Elmer hears the obnoxious chewing of Bugs Bunny eating a carrot. Bugs gives him the famous line from "To Have And Have Not," telling Elmer to "tell Bogie if he wants me, all he has to do is whistle."

I enjoyed seeing Bugs imitating Groucho Marx; hiding in Carmen Miranda's fruit-basket hat, and doing the conga dance. The ending was kind of lame, but it was "cute" to see Bugs serving himself on a platter to Bogie's girl, Lauren Bacall.

I enjoyed the rich colors in this cartoon which was included in the Looney Tunes Golden Collection Volume Two.