Release Date:

June 3, 1944

Main Character(s):

None

Summary:

A black boy has been paid four bits to drown a cat, which is something he really doesn't want to do. The cat escapes the sack and puts bricks in his place before acting as the boy’s conscience, convincing him to do the deed. After the boy does so, the cat paints himself white to look like an angel and haunt the boy.

That’s Not All, Folks:

The production number is 4-14, the 4th Looney Tune in the 14th release season.

This is the penultimate cartoon in the Censored Eleven. It is also the only one of the eleven to be a Looney Tune as the other ten were Merrie Melodies, the only one of the eleven to be directed by Jones, and the only one of the eleven where Mel Blanc voices every character.

Porky and Daffy are featured in the intro, despite not appearing (and like with “Tokio Jokio”, I can certainly imagine people saying they would rather see a cartoon with them than this one). This is also the last cartoon to feature the original Porky and Daffy headshots, and the last cartoon to use the misleading trend where either Porky, Daffy, or both would appear in the intro of cartoons they didn’t appear in.

This is the first cartoon to give directors the credit of “Direction” rather than “Supervision”.

Jones was allegedly ashamed of making this one and refused to speak about it, with the exception of it being listed in the filmography section of his autobiography, “Chuck Amuck”.

The cartoon has the most appallingly unfunny gag in the entire series: in one scene, the cat lures the boy back to him by putting him in a trance by rattling a pair of dice, with the idea that black people are apparently addicted to gambling (which is an unbelievably racist idea).

What I Like About This One:

The premise is actually very interesting and I do believe the cartoon could’ve been great if it wasn’t so racially insensitive.

The rendition of “Angel in Disguise” that plays over the opening credits.

The boy’s rendition of “Shortnin’ Bread” while on his way to the river (animated by Robert Cannon).

The cat sticking his paw out of the sack to touch the water and shivering upon feeling it.

After the boy throws the sack into the water (unaware that the cat has filled it with bricks and was acting as his conscience), the cat drinks a glass of water from behind the barrel he’s hiding behind and gargles, “So long, Sambo!” (animated by Ben Washam: “Sambo” is a derogatory term for a black person)

The cat’s rendition of “Angel in Disguise” after he is already white, has already put on fake wings, and puts a fake halo over his head (animated by Washam).

The boy’s reaction upon walking into a graveyard after he is spooked by a “Be Kind to Animals Week” sign (animated by Ken Harris).

After seeing the disguised cat playing a harp, the boy nervously tries to run and says “Get going, feet!” (animated by Washam)

The cat then moves the boy’s mailbox in front of an abandoned mansion so that he runs in there instead of his actual house. After barricading the door, the boy finds himself face to face with the cat who greets him with a very calm “Boo” (animated by Cannon).

The cat eventually gets his comeuppance when he chases the boy upstairs and they skid out of the house, landing in the lake below. The water washes the cat’s paint off, causing the boy to realize he was tricked and he angrily stalks toward him. The cat tries to scare him off with several boo’s and maniacal laughing to no avail, until he walks past a mirror and sees that he’s no longer white. The boy grabs a rifle and shoots the cat whose nine ghostly lives march out and say in unison, “And this time, brother, us ain’t kiddin’!” (animated by Harris)

Where Can I Watch It?

At archive.org!

Carrot Rating:

🥕🥕🥕