Release Date:

April 4, 1936

Main Character(s):

Porky Pig

Summary:

A mad bomber has been terrorizing the city and is planning to blow up the Blotz Building. Meanwhile, Porky Pig realizes that he can earn the pennies necessary to buy an ice cream soda by picking up lost items and giving them back to the people who dropped them. Seeing the bomber leave behind a time bomb, Porky thinks it’s a clock and keeps trying to return it to the bomber. No matter where the bomber runs off to, Porky is there waiting for him.

That’s Not All, Folks:

Tex Avery would later use the “little guy is always where the bad guy runs off to” plot in two of his funniest MGM cartoons, “Dumb-Hounded” and “Northwest Hounded Police” (both of which involved Droopy the dog going after a wolf who is an escaped convict).

Future director Bob Clampett would also use this plot nine years later in “Draftee Daffy”.

At one point, there is a sign that reads, “LOONEY TUNE TONITE”.

This is the first time where the gag of “only the eyes are seen in the dark” is used (when the bomber tries to hide in a manhole).

This is also the first time where a villain talks to the audience. In this case, the bomber says, “Now, I’ll fix the little pest, so he’ll be blown to pieces- whether you people like it or not!”, when he thinks he has Porky trapped (he is unaware that Porky came out through another manhole).

What I Like About This One:

The scene where the bomber makes his time bomb shows just how insane he is.

Porky thinking that only having half of the amount he has will (an ice cream soda costs 10 cents) get him half of a soda.

Porky spotting a discarded nickel and deciding to pick it up so it will save him the trouble of having to get two more pennies. But he is beaten to it by a Scotty dog.

The music that plays when Porky chases the bomber.

The bomber’s reactions whenever he sees Porky ready to hand him his own bomb.

The police thinking that Porky is trying to catch the bomber (“The little fella’s got plenty of nerve to tackle a mug like that!”).

The bomber fleeing from Porky into the waiting police wagon and Porky shoves in the bomb at the last second.

Porky getting his happy ending: he is given $2,000 as a reward for capturing the bomber. So what does he do? The last scene shows him slurping down one ice cream soda after another in rapid-fire succession.

Where Can I Watch It?

At archive.org!

Carrot Rating:

🥕🥕🥕🥕🥕