Case of the Missing Hare

Directed by Chuck Jones

Animation by Rudy Larriva

Release Date:

December 12, 1942

Main Character(s):

Bugs Bunny

Summary:

A fat magician named Ala Bahma makes the mistake of posting a sign advertising his upcoming magic act over Bugs Bunny’s tree home and then pieing him in the face. Outraged, Bugs gets his revenge by heckling Ala throughout his whole act.

That’s Not All, Folks:

This marks the official start of Jones’ rule for Bugs Bunny: he must only attack when provoked. Two notable examples of Jones using this rule include “Long Haired Hare” (1949; one of the absolute best Looney Tunes cartoons to ever exist) and “Homeless Hare” (1950).

This cartoon is also in experiment in backgrounds as the backgrounds for the stage constantly change color. A later background experiment would be in Jones’ “The Aristo-Cat” (1943). Incidentally, both cartoons had layouts by John McGrew (Jones’ first layout artist).

This is the very first time where Bugs says the Groucho Marx line, “Of course, you realize this means war!”

Ala Bahma’s name is an obvious pun for Alabama.

The cartoon is in the public domain.

This is also a good example of a cartoon where its title has nothing to do with the plot. The title is a pun on “Case of the Missing Heir”, but there is no mystery involved in the cartoon.

This is one of the few cartoons where Bugs does not say “What’s up, doc?”

Ala would later make an appearance in the Sylvester and Tweety Mysteries episode “The Cat Who Knew Too Much” as well as a brief cameo in “Space Jam” (1996).

What I Like About This One:

Ala having posters literally posted everywhere (with some hanging off of telephone poles, and others appearing to be suspended against a background).

Bugs tearing through the first poster over his tree to get more carrots before telling Ala he lives here. Ala pastes another one over the tree’s hole. Annoyed, Bugs asks, “Look, doc, do I go around nailing signs over YOUR house!?” and starts talking about the “inalienable right of the sanctity of the home”. Ala pretends to be polite and asks Bugs if he likes blackberry pie. Bugs says he does so Ala produces one and slams it in his face. “Well, have some!” As Ala walks away laughing, Bugs vows, “Of course, you realize this means war!” (animated by Phil DeLara).

Ala’s first trick for his act is hanging his cape on an invisible rack and then looking over at it, to which the cape is revealed to have a life of its own and tiptoes away (animated by Rudy Larriva).

Instead of pulling a rabbit out of the hat, Ala pulls out a carrot instead, causing the audience to laugh at him. As Ala reaches into the hat, Bugs crawls up his sleeve and pops out next to Ala’s head. When Ala sees Bugs, Bugs fumes, “Yes, me! You didn’t expect to see ME again, eh, Svengali?” (animated by Larriva).

Bugs offering to help Ala by diving into the magic hat and pulling himself out of the hat. This gets applause so he bows to the audience and then to Ala several times (animated by Ben Washam).

Ala attempting to catch Bugs only for him to fail and for Bugs to kiss him and tie his mustache into a braid, complete with a hair bow (animated by Washam).

Bugs then gives Ala some advice via a sign: “Try tempting me with a carrot”. Realizing this could be a good idea, Ala places a carrot outside the hat, and waits for Bugs with a mallet. Bugs’ fingers act like a dog sniffing and although he manages to grab the carrot, he grabs the mallet and whacks Ala with it (animated by Washam).

Robert Cannon’s animation of Bugs pulling Ala into the hat and then Bugs himself getting out of the hat.

Ala then pulls Bugs back into the hat and then boards it up, so Bugs can’t cause him any more trouble (animated by Cannon).

Ala asking for a small boy in the audience to be his volunteer for the “swords in the basket” trick. His volunteer is Bugs disguised as a little boy. Ala quietly whispers to him that he has nothing to worry about since the swords don’t actually penetrate. After winking to him several times, Bugs appears to go into the basket, and is heard making painful noises, causing Ala to nervously sweat. Bugs eventually makes a noise at the wrong moment, causing Ala to get wise upon seeing that Bugs has actually been handing him the swords. Ala asks, “Does it hurt very much, sonny boy?” (animated by Cannon)

Bugs attempting to dive back into the hat but forgetting that Ala boarded it up earlier, causing him to hit the boards. Seeing Ala sneaking up on him with a sword, Bugs plays “red light, green light” with every “red light” pausing Ala’s movements. Bugs then dresses up like a swordsman declaring “En garde! Touche!” and other French words. Ala swings his sword at Bugs, only to see Bugs up in the balcony watching Ala swing at nothing and laughing “What a performance!” Ala allegedly shoots him but Bugs instead pops out of the no longer boarded up hat and gives Ala an explosive cigar. And just for good measure, Bugs produces a blackberry pie and smashes it in Ala’s face, imitating Red Skelton’s “Mean Wittle Kid”: If I dood it, I get a whippin’! I dood it!” Bugs then sings “Aloha Oe” and descends into the hat (animated by Ken Harris).

Where Can I Watch It?

Carrot Rating:

🥕🥕🥕🥕 ½