Release Date:

November 13, 1943

Main Character(s):

Inki, Minah Bird

Summary:

Inki tangles with the Minah Bird and a lion with false teeth.

That’s Not All, Folks:

The production number is 23-12, the 23rd Merrie Melodie in the 12th release season.

The cartoon was given a Blue Ribbon reissue. “Goombay Drum” played under the opening credits:

Supervision: Charles M. Jones

Animation: Robert Cannon and James Culhane

Musical Direction: Carl W. Stalling

This is one of the few Warner cartoons to have animation by James Culhane, who worked at pretty much every major animation studio at some point in his life, most notably at Walter Lantz, where he directed some of the all-time greatest Woody Woodpecker cartoons.

The cartoon is in the public domain.

Like with all the other Inki cartoons, there is no dialogue and it also no longer airs on television due to racial stereotyping. However, this one was included on the Golden Age of Looney Tunes Volume 3 laserdisc.

What I Like About This One:

After Inki’s spear narrowly dodges a worm, his spear won’t stop vibrating, so that when Inki attempts to remove his spear from the ground, the vibrations cause him to lose his hair ties, resulting in his long hair falling in front of his face (animated by Robert Cannon).

A butterfly growling menacingly at Inki after the spear dodges him as well (animated by Cannon).

Several menacing jungle animals then get scared away by loud rustling from the trees and bushes. Of course, it’s only the Minah Bird who pops out.

Thinking he’s speared the Minah Bird when he disappears into a bush, Inki pulls out not the Minah Bird, but the lion holding his spear. Seeing what it is, Inki’s ponytail sticks up like a question mark before he makes a run for it.

Running into an abandoned hut that happens to have a fridge in it, Inki pulls out a steak to satisfy the lion’s hunger. But the Minah Bird is now in the lion’s mouth, and he eats the steak instead! The lion then throws a tantrum at being robbed of the steak. His crying turns to fury as he decides to go after the Minah Bird, who disappears into a haystack that gradually gets smaller.

The lion furiously pounding against a coconut tree to which several coconuts fall down. It also turns out Inki was hiding there and he lands in the lion’s arms.

Inki running back to the hut to hide but ends up hiding in the lion’s mouth! (animated by Cannon)

Realizing where he is, Inki runs out of the lion’s mouth, and ends up taking the lion’s dentures with him. After Inki clubs them off his head, he runs off again while the lion puts his teeth back in his mouth (animated by Cannon).

In mid-chase, the haystack the Minah Bird was in forms back starting as a piece of straw that gets bigger and bigger until the Minah Bird emerges from the hay and keeps disappearing into holes (animated by Cannon).

The lion attempting to ambush the Minah Bird by appearing over one of the holes, only for Inki to pop out of it instead.

After a fight in a barrel ensues, the Minah Bird prevents the lion from making Inki his dinner by grabbing the lion by the tail and spinning him around. The lion lands in the haystack where it again gets smaller and smaller until it becomes a piece of straw that disappears. Wanting to shake the Minah Bird’s hand, Inki is instead given the piece of straw that forms back into the lion. Inki beats it but after the lion gets into a fight with the Minah Bird, he notices his teeth are missing. The Minah Bird opens his beak to reveal that he’s now wearing the false teeth!

Where Can I Watch It?

At archive.org!

Carrot Rating:

🥕🥕🥕 ½