Release Date:

May 25, 1940

Main Character(s):

None

Summary:

Spot gags on fairy tales and nursery rhymes.

That’s Not All, Folks:

The Three Little Pigs all resemble Porky Pig.

The scene of the marching soldiers is reused from “Detouring America”.

Jack Be Nimble speaks in a voice similar to Bugs Bunny (who would debut two months later).

This is one of the shortest Warner Bros. cartoons from this period, clocking in at only 6 minutes and 20 seconds. This is rather ironic considering that this was the very next cartoon after “You Ought to Be in Pictures” (one of the longest Warner Bros. cartoons).

Freleng would do a similar cartoon two years later, “Foney Fables” (1942) which also has spot gags on fairy tales.

What I Like About This One:

Mistress Mary’s answer when asked “how does your garden grow?” She speaks in a Katharine Hepburn voice, “Confidentially, it stinks!” The camera then pans to reveal a pile of junk (I also like the pleasant rendition of “In an Old Dutch Garden”).

Humpty Dumpty falling without a crack, but as he walks away, there IS a crack on his rear end.

Jack and Jill go up the hill but don’t come down. Jack then comes down with kiss marks on his face, chuckling, “The heck with the water!”

Little Miss Muffet is so ugly, she scares the spider away! (animated by Rod Scribner)

The Three Little Pigs combat the wolf’s huffing and puffing with a bottle of Histerine mouthwash! Before drinking it, the wolf exclaims, “WHY DON’T SOME OF MY BEST FRIENDS TELL ME THESE THINGS!?”

After Jack Be Nimble jumps over the candlestick numerous times, he brags about his jumping abilities. “Ah, there’s nothing to it. Just fast. Speedy, that’s me. The flames didn’t even touch me.” As he walks away, however, he is oblivious to the fact that his behind is burning!

Little Hiawatha shooting an arrow into the air. An eagle then comes down with the arrow in his behind. He warns Hiawatha, “Listen doc, be a little more careful where you shoot these things!” (animated by Scribner).

On “The Night Before Christmas”, only two mice are stirring. One quietly says “Merry Christmas” to the other mouse. The other mouse yells, “QUIET!” which echoes all throughout the house. Realizing his mistake, he covers his mouth in fear as the cartoon irises out (animated by Scribner). Even better is that this final scene has no music until the “That’s all folks!” closing music plays, which makes it very ominous as to what the outcome might be. And I love it.

Where Can I Watch It?

At archive.org!

Carrot Rating:

🥕🥕🥕🥕