314. The Fighting 69 1/2th (1941)

Warner cartoon no. 313.
Release date: January 18, 1941.
Series: Merrie Melodies.
Supervision: Friz Freleng.
Producer: Leon Schlesinger.
Starring: Mel Blanc (Ant Leaders/Various Voices).
Story: Jack Miller.
Animation: Herman Cohen.
Musical Direction: Carl W. Stalling.
Sound: Treg Brown (uncredited).
Synopsis: A pair of picnic ants quarrel over a picnic setting; which leads to war on who claims the food.

For a Warners cartoon that occurred during 1939-1941; this short actually goes to a different direction; in terms, making the short artistically fulfilling and creating a string of gags enjoyable. For example, this short takes a great break from a typical Warner shorts that tried too hard on spot-gag shorts or having radio references in their shorts.

The synopsis for the cartoon however is very basic and non-philosphical: a separate tribe of ants (red vs. black) battle over a picnic set up in a park, and this results in a war. A rather new turn for the Warner shorts at the time it was in production.

You could consider the short to be, perhaps, revolutionary when developing the humour for the Warner shorts, but a typical Warner fan would rebuff this short as an adequate Warners cartoon, whereas watching the short chronologically, it goes a step further from what was made in the past year. This is quite possibly Freleng's comic timing come to very good use, where he helps create some very creative gags that appear in the short, and which shall be explained in the short throughout the review.

Being Jack Miller's last Warner Bros. credit he written for the studio, is a pretty decent farewell short for the director. The whole setup and abstraction of the short is very creative and entertaining. Having a group of black ants, and red ants going to war over a picnic is of course, silly and wacky, but at least it lives up to the Warner's style. In terms of dialogue; the opening sequence is not a far cry from what you may expect from a short written by Michael Maltese.

The opening part with the black ant and the red ant quarrelling and snatching the olive from one another chanting, "Oh no, you won't/Oh yes, I will!" is  a step ahead from what you'd expect from dialogue in a Warner's short. The delivery, the dilemma, and the scenario of it is a great bracer for what's to come in later shorts. Of course if you are going to count the Groucho Marx line: "Of course you know, this means war!" and the fact the title references the movie The Fighting 69, but that's just about it when viewing the short.

The short itself also experiments with some alternate camera angles, as well as a montage for the war sequence, and it's quite a decent parody of the trench life in the First World War. The montage itself is quite an effective start which follows the war sequence. It has some pleasing and intriguing staging, as well as some creative gags that follow.

The red ants are seen with their feet walking through the muddy paths, and then it follows with a little parody of the 167th Infantry Regiment, being called the "4th Alabam".

The "ants in your pants" synonym is in fact a rare pun for the time it was made that tops a lot of what Tex or Clampett were making in their Warner shorts. I suppose the "Royal Flying Ants" gag is a little lame, considering how ants don't have wings, and being disguised as warplanes, by adding wings is a little dumb but I suppose it fits in decently with the other montage shots.

The sequences during the battle also show some great gag opportunities which are quite impressive for the time it was animated. During the battle sequence, we find in the ant's trenches where the black ants are seen defending a hot dog. One of the black ants, however, then rushes over to the trench, and retrieves a jar of 'hot mustard', and speaks with a Rochester voice, "Forgot the mustard".

Not only does Blanc make the impersonation work, but its use of wild caricature and that black ants have the connotation for a stereotype actually blends in very well, and it ends up as a funny scene, which would have worked from any Warner short from a later era.

Other war related gags with some great deliveries and punchlines shows the black ants attacking their enemy with a piece of limburger cheese, which are seen as a hand grenade. It's all comical in its subtle or overtly ways. The black ant is seen wearing a gas mask, to prevent the horrid smell of Limburger flowing around him. When the red ants receive the dropping in their trench, they then dug up the limburger and place it with the disclaimer, "Keep in a cool dry place".

Nevertheless, Freleng also takes some advantage with his comic timing in most of his scenes, especially with the sequence of the black ants rushing in and out of the screen to collect small pieces of food like olives, strawberries, etc. Carl Stalling also steps in for the right touches where he uses his 'musical cliche' for the steps, which is a favourite element for Friz.

Other collaborations with Friz and Stalling for the sequences is also evident for the construction of the sandwich sequence, as well as when the red ants are seen creeping through the trenches, and stopping during the sound of gunshots firing.

A great piece of delicate timing and staging appears where the ants are each grabbing a piece of a chocolate cake which leaves the cherry centred in a isolated position, whilst the pieces move towards the distance. Possibly done by an effects animator, it's great to see how the pieces appear to be divided by measurement and also how they move away in the same pace. Already feeling ambitious from that point, Freleng hasn't finished the touch by having a red ant steal the cherry which is seen left in the screen.

After what appears to be ages of consistent war related gags, it all therefore comes to an end; where a human is seen wrapping up the picnic basket. This leaves to a pothole, as to why the human didn't stop the ants raiding the food, and also how it somehow remained unnoticed.

I suppose potholes are excused for cartoons. This then leads to the red ant leader and the black ant leader (now seen in uniform) quarrelling over one last piece of food left, which is a cherry cake. They agree to a peace conference, where it is decided the cake would be divided equally. A very subtle, though warming gag shows two veteran ants from each race reuniting, reflecting perhaps some last remaining Civil War veterans.

The ants, however, decide to split the cake equally, but considering the cherry is in the middle, they move the line over the cake, making the rations unequal. The feud is then restored, and this results in the ant race fighting over the cherry cake. A great plot device for a cartoon, with a great conclusion. Though, they could have removed the piece of cherry, but I suppose it shows whats a 'cake' without a cherry topping. The ending and irony all works well and satirises peace conferences splendidly.

In all, The Fighting 69 1/2th is a good break from consistent poor shorts with dated radio references, and this short takes a new breath of air. It provides what the writers and artists can offer, which is a looney concept with some fine gags and dialogue. Considering that previous Warner shorts relied heavily on references and pop culture for the dialogue, (and that is still a element they use); the quarrel of the ants is a great example of how they can create a funny conflict, as well as personality. To say if there were any flaws of the short, I'd say story wise it is quite bumpy. Whereas the beginning and the middle are important plot points for their reasons, during the war sequences, they are a middle consistent, and it is mostly just gags being thrown at the screen, with not much dialogue or dilemma. It would have worked better if it showed the continuos flaws from each side of their trench. I suppose, The Gay Anties, another Freleng short about ants is an improvement from the short, though they are very different to one another.

Rating: 3/5.

300. Calling Dr. Porky (1940)

Warner cartoon no. 299.
Release date: September 21, 1940.
Series: Looney Tunes.
Supervision: Friz Freleng.
Producer: Leon Schlesinger.
Starring: Mel Blanc (Porky Pig/Drunk/Patient with Headache/Elephants) and Sara Berner (Receptionist).
Story: Jack Miller.
Animation: Herman Cohen.
Musical Direction: Carl W. Stalling.
Sound: Treg Brown (uncredited).
Synopsis: Porky works as a doctor; and one of his patients happens to have a particular symptom seeing 'pink elephants'.

When watching animated cartoons, and a particular sequence associating with 'pink elephants' appear; you'd really associate the concept to the Disney film Dumbo due to its surrealism, as well as beauty. This concept appears earlier than the film, though the pink elephants are played around as particularly humorous characters, and are almighty to the drunken man's mind.

For those who may not know; "pink elephants' is quite a well known bit of euphemism which is mainly a hallucination from when you are either delirious or drunk, but it is mostly associated with the latter. It was a very popular phrase for its time; having being referenced in the Philip Marlowe book: The Lady in the Lake, as well as Action Comics (issue 7).

Whereas the Pink Elephants on Parade sequence in Dumbo may have been particularly believable and surreal, the pink elephants in this cartoon are just gag-like characters, which shows how the Warner writers would come up with some crafty sequences to freak out the patient.

The elephants, however are particularly absolute in terms of the drunk patient's mind, their instincts are sort of similar to the Mynah bird in the Inki cartoons. Except, the minah hard was more almighty by just repeating the exact same actions without being provoked or dangered. Instead of hopping in tune to Fingal's Cave, Stalling puts the appropriate touch as they hop in sync to Stalling's own music cue which is was notoriously first heard in Mighty Hunters.

The elephants, however, have a more crafty, obnoxious personality which isn't a far cry from Daffy's early years, as well as for the newly-created Bugs Bunny. They are particularly very mocking towards him, as well as particularly off-the-wall. This is particularly evident when the drunken patient is sitting in Porky's office, and the pink elephants surround him, and attempt to treat his symptoms. They check his reflexes where one of the elephants hits him on the knee, but gets a bad vibrating alert.

When they have finished checking his symptoms and reflexes; he is then questioned on his chair by a group of pink elephants and the gag then runs like a trial. In that sequence their personalities are just presented as menaces who pester the patient's mind.

The whole sequence itself is played around like a trial, where the elephants pose as an attorney asking multiple questions: "Where do you live?  Married? Single? How old are you? Answer 'yes' or 'no'!".

The delivery and interruption makes his personality particularly amateurish by not giving the patient a second's worth to respond to his questions. The patient responds harshly, 'I object!', and which the attorney-like elephant responds 'Objection overruled'. He hiccups. 'That'll be all. Your witness!'.

The other elephant, however, is much more broader and is capricious in his delivery and spontaneous, personal questions: "Who was that woman you were with last night?", "Who did you vote for?". etc. Wonderful Warners-like humour which shows how Freleng and Jack Miller really did lead the Warners humour and personalities into a clearer daylight. They mock him when he cries, "Now take it easy fellas, I'm a sick man!" with the prosecuting elephant mocking him. Demanding many orders; the drunken patient is driven to chaos as he is about to banish at the door.

Jack Miller's story construction is really particularly satisfying when its climax has reached its breaking point. The patient attempts to escape Porky's office, but Dr. Porky approaches him and cures him with a drink to help sober him up. After guzzling; he's all cured and thanks patient. "I feel better. They're gone, etc!". Just as he proceeds to walk outside; he spots a parade of real elephants walking; though the pink elephants, turning out to be a reality, then join in the parade. Amazed at the immense size of the pachyderms; the patient spots the elephants again, rushing back to the hospital believing he isn't cured. Jumping back onto the patient's bed, he is tossed off by the pink elephants; who continue to hide.

It's a particularly very incoherent ending but it has a very funny charm which you would expect in a typical Warner cartoon; and you can tell the type of formula in a cartoon story is already kicking in around just this era; which is certainly a breakthrough from the monotonous spot-gags; as well as particularly out-dated plot cycles; which involve battle climax. The conclusion to the short as well as the story itself is one of the key moments which shows how Freleng's return really did get the cartoons back on track.

Porky, again, doesn't particularly play a big role other than those supporting roles where Freleng treats him as a character who's supposed to be there. It's also particularly disappointing to find that he is also particularly used for very weak spots of the film, which is evident when he deals with a patient with 'dizzy spells' with his head spinning continuously which is in reality a lame pun.

However, in some scenes he is particularly used in some of Freleng's best comic timing in THIS cartoon. Watch the particular scene where he hears the knock on the door. He approaches towards it, and all of a sudden, the drunken patient slams the door hitting Porky to the door all in about 13 frames which is less than one feet of animation.

Friz's timing was really put to great use, where you can feel the energy for the panic-stricken patient, even even bringing on the pain for poor Porky. It's all so sudden, so fast, and paced in such a hilarious form that Friz is really the master of timing.

The patient then breaks up into a couple of over-dramatic breakdowns about pink elephants following him. Whilst it was possibly intended to be funnier; Porky being slammed on the door really does steal the sequence because of how it occurs as quick as a flash.

Friz also plans out some particularly very funny comic performances such as the reflex scene, as well as one particular scene; which was quite a common use of comic timing for the Warner shorts of the 40s. The patient rushes back into the hospital; stampeding Porky. Porky turns around, and discovers that dust is fading away and the sliding doors are moving from his rush. It makes the staging a lot more complex to design, and his timing is a great bracer for what will become of much later. Treg Brown and Carl Stalling also contribute to great timing; particularly when Stalling syncs his music cue for the pink elephant's walk cycle; and Treg Brown, once again, creates such cartoony and wonderful effects during when the pink elephants are treating the patient.

Mel Blanc, however, puts on a superb performance of the drunken patient who is seeing pink elephants. He creates such frustrated emotions into the character, and yet put a comic touch into it; which is why Mel is the go-to guy to put on a great performance. He also contributes to some of the funnier voices of the Pink Elephants, though it was sped up.

One of the Pink Elephants voice, however in particular, I'm unsure of is the one that acts as an attorney towards the patient, and has a childlike voice.

I'm not certain whether it was a different voice actor/actress; or just sped up to a great extent...but either way, it is a particularly convincing performance. Sara Berner, however, contributes to a small voice towards the hospital receptionist towards the beginning. Though she contributions much smaller than Blanc' dominant characters; as always; she knows how to put on a show with whatever voice she is given..of course, the receptionist nurse slips out a 'Dr. Kildare' reference when working on the operator.

To conclude, Calling Dr. Porky is a cartoon where you can see the Warner humour really about to kick off into such greater use. This is a key short to where the stories are in fact improving a great deal, the climaxes are a lot more broader and exciting, and it's definitely a notch away from the average-at-best cartoons the Warner directors were mostly used to producing. The story climax is very convincing and enjoyable which is when the patient is cured, but 'double-takes' when the pink elephants turn out to be real. The looney humour is real evident in the writing. The 'pink elephants' characters are particular concepts similar to the personalties what Bugs Bunny as given, though I'd say they were just particularly more loonier and menacing, even though they are almighty to the patient's mind.

299. Malibu Beach Party (1940)

Warner cartoon no. 298.
Release date: September 14, 1940.
Series: Merrie Melodies.
Supervision: Friz Freleng.
Producer: Leon Schlesinger.
Starring: Danny Webb (Mostly male actors), Jack Lescoulie (Jack Bunny/Phil Harris), Sara Berner (Actresses), Marie Greene (Darbis singing) and Mel Blanc (Rochester).
Story: Jack Miller.
Animation: Gil Turner.
Musical Direction: Carl W. Stalling.
Sound: Treg Brown (uncredited).
Synopsis: Jack Benny and his wife host a beach party in his Malibu home with various celebrities invited as they enjoy the lifestyle and fun.

Ben Shenkman at his office at
Hanna-Barbera. c. mid-1960s.

Quite possibly the biggest contributor of the cartoon was one of the finest caricaturists to work in animation: Ben Shenkman. Shenkman's career in animation had begun in the 1930s in New York where he was working as an assistant animator. One of his contributions in the 1930s where he designed all the caricatures of the celebrities for the Color Rhapsody cartoon: Mother Goose in Swingtime.

Friz Freleng had evidently been impressed with Shenkman's caricatures that he borrowed him over to the Schlesinger Studio where he would design the caricatures for this cartoon, and also for Tex in Hollywood Steps Out which was already in production around the time Malibu Beach Party was.

Thanks to Keith Scott whose incredibly research reveals the voice actors for the cartoon; as well as the story of Shenkman's brief stint at Schlesinger; before he moved over to MGM after his stint for Warners. His designs had a particularly very exaggerated but realistic appeal which is particularly challenging and delicate to animate, due to the richness of his drawings.

Jack Benny, however called Jack Bunny in this cartoon, is the main 'star' of this cartoon. His beach party takes place in his Malibu home; where he receives his guests, along with his wife and partner: Mary Livingstone.

Jack Lescoulie, however, performs a rather fun impression of Benny; whose voice impersonation has quite a similar tone..who used the same Jack Benny voice for the Caveman in Daffy Duck and the Dinosaur and also Slap Happy Pappy.

A lot of Benny's cast crew from The Jack Benny Show also appear in this cartoon; not to mention Rochester, but parodied as "Winchester"; and Mel Blanc of course pulls off the voice with such great execution and delivery. Let's not forget, Phil Harris who also appears briefly with his band, but his band are given the pun: Phil Harris and his Corn-fed Band. 

He responds to Benny's request for music; 'Okay Jackson, I'm right on the beam'. 'Jackson', however was a line what Harris would regularly call Benny during radio shows with a cheerful expression. Of course; not to forget: Mary Livingstone who was Benny's wife and longtime partner for his show appears towards the beginning; waiting for the guests to arrive at their beach party. I believe she is on character which references her radio performances; though not too sure.

Being a whole cartoon crawling with old-time references, which is really what the gist of the cartoon is; another satirical short with then's most popular celebrities. Jack Benny, being the main star, also concludes, and ruins his beach party where he plays on the violin in an unappealing tune to Kinderszenne.

The gag appears to have been a particular mock towards Benny's talent in playing the violin, who was a gifted violinist in reality. This causes a particular stir amongst his guests who then turn to leave the party.

He even forces Rochester to stay on with the show, when Benny catches him attempting to sneak out the back door. Friz's timing as well as the ending shot wouldn't have been presented funnier; where he sits on poor Rochester. He asks him when he expects an agreement, 'Isn't this beautiful, Winchester' as he responds: 'Under the circumstances..yes!'. Benny concludes; quoting himself: 'Goodnight, folks' during the iris out. Note the music cue is also heard in one of the Schlesinger gag reels.

In other aspects, even so towards the end, Jack Benny himself is really the main butt of the satirical humour and gags in this whole cartoon; much more than the other celebrities. There is without doubt he was very popular in radio, and would still remain so...though here he is presented as particularly unpopular with his guests. It mainly happens when he holds out the 'applaud' card when no-one applauds, and Winchester ends up having to grab out a pair of hand-clappers to clap for them. Any Benny experts, see the real gag behind this?

Much of the cartoon story itself is sort of constructed in the form of a beach party. It begins off with an invitation letter from Jack Bunny to an anonymous guest. It then follows through with particular guests arriving; then they chill at the beach, following on with a dance/talent show, but it all goes ruined with Benny's violin playing. The first to arrive are the following caricatured: Bob Hope, who is greatly exaggerated. Following Hope is Bette Davis, who is dressed as a Queen which is referencing herself from the 1939 Warner Bros. film: The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex. Andy Devine then walks through, with his dopey attitude shouting 'Hiya, buck'...and he was also another member of Jack Benny's radio programme and regularly quoted the catchphrase. Danny Webb performs a rather solid voice for Webb, as well as various other voice actors for the short.

The beach sequence also shows the beach party following on chronologically; the guests have all arrived and are all chilling by the pool, enjoying the sunshine. It's also a good time for Friz as well as story man Jack Miller to pull out a few string of gags and references for a couple of celebrities.

John Barrymore approaches towards Caesar Romero; where John Barrymore performs a Julius Caesar act; where instead of stabbing him in the back; he buries him in sand which makes the punchline just appear wackier.

The gag to feature Ned Sparks; who exclaims with his grumpy tone: 'I never go anywhere, I never do anything..I never have any fun' in a funny performance also by Danny Webb. The crab who responds, 'Aww shaddap ya old crab!' is a particularly corny pun but Mel Blanc's delivery once again makes it funnier.

Friz Freleng's timing is particularly ingenious in this sequence; where Fanny Brice as Baby Snooks wants to bury Ned in the sand. Friz's comic timing as well as the punchline should be appreciated as Brice just returns with a truckload full of sand and dumps it on top of cantankerous Ned...all rather quickly timed, and it all particularly works in a comic, funny way.

Of course, up next you would not expect to see a Clark Gable gag without mocking his ears. He swims in the sea, though his ears do the strokes whilst he rests. Particularly hard to time comically, though it shows great satire. Friz's comic timing and delivery would be perfected and hilariously timed later on when Deanna Durbin sings; as Ned Sparks, can't help but slowly smile with difficulty and Treg Brown's sound effects are put to such good use.

A particularly interesting sequence towards me is during the talent show; where Deanna Durbin, one of the guests, goes onto stage and goes into a great opera performance of: Carissima. She performs so well she even tries to get Mickey Rooney impress and causes Ned Sparks to crack a grin on his face. When Deanna tosses the flower towards a keen Mickey Rooney, but Cary Grant catches it in time; leaving Mickey disgruntled. It is a particularly funny touch.

For a particular Warner enthusiast or historian, you'd definitely recognise the staging of the sequence, as well as the song from an even more infamous, and better Freleng cartoon: Back Alley Oproar.

Though the concept, the timing as well as the whole underplay of its satire of the singing cat was much more funnier as well as unrealistically well-done. Here, it isn't particularly too much of a gag, other than the reactions of particular audience members watching her sing. Though the sequence was reworked into the latter short, it is much more charming and funny due to being completely looney and off the wall. Thanks to Keith Scott for letting me know, and to warn everyone else: though this is Maria Greene singing as Deanna Durbin, bare in mind it's NOT the same voice or audio used in Back Alley Oproar; it is sung by a different performer.

Of any particular sequence who may particularly already parodied, or borrowed from previous shorts. You could say Friz particularly borrows a tiny portion from what Clampett had used in Africa Squeaks; gag wise.

Spencer Tracy walks over towards Mary Livingstone to greet get, asking "Miss Livingstone, I presume?", which is a take of Stanley Henry from the 1939 film: Stanley and Livingstone. Kay Kyser quickly zips in in his uniform responding (as well as one of his traits); 'That's it, that's it! Yeah, yeah, yeah, etc.!'.

A part of it feels particularly influenced from the short; but at least it was subtle. The dance action of notorious dance partners Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers as they dance around the room; whilst the song Where Was I? played by Phil Harris' band, it was particularly reused though unnoticeable animation from a previous short: September in the Rain; another Freleng entry from three years earlier.

The cartoon doesn't particularly indulge or force too much on particularly silly puns as well as spot-gags; a few particular ones to mention are also heard when Mary Livingstone sees Robert Donat leave the household, and remarks: 'Goodbye, Mr. Chips'. It is a real giggly and well executed punchline to the film of the same name, and quite possibly Donat's most famous film.

Other puns which is already seen is the 'old crab' rearm at the beach. As for the rest, however, they are particularly very same: like 'Jack Bunny' and 'Winchester' which are just particularly unrelated names which feel particularly forced and appear to lack much purpose.

The George Raft gag, though with the caricatured celebrity flipping a coin, and standing next to a raft has more purpose than 'Jack Bunny' type puns, though it is still particularly very weak.