Release Date:

June 12, 1943

Main Character(s):

Bugs Bunny

Summary:

On the top of the beanstalk, Bugs Bunny invades a dopey giant’s victory garden and when the giant catches him, he heckles the gigantic oaf.

That’s Not All, Folks:

This is one of three Warner cartoons parodying Jack and the Beanstalk. The other two are “Beanstalk Bunny” (1955) and “Tweety and the Beanstalk” (1957).

In the title card, a staked sign is marked with the brand: “Marvel Brand (Inc.) Early Climber Beans Julian and Co.” This is a reference to background artist Paul Julian, who often liked to put the names of his fellow colleagues in his backgrounds as in-jokes.

While the cartoon has the word “Wabbit” in it, Elmer does not appear in this cartoon.

The cartoon was originally going to be included in the Looney Tunes Super Stars Bugs Bunny Hare Extraordinaire DVD set but was removed. It was later included on the Bugs Bunny 80th Anniversary Collection Blu-ray set in 2020.

The restored print uses the incorrect end theme.

“Twilight in Turkey” plays when the giant chases Bugs to the beanstalk up to the point where Bugs discovers the beanstalk has an elevator.

This is a rare instance where Bugs is seen without a glove at one point. In fact, there was a whole episode of the Looney Tunes Show called “Rebel Without a Glove” (2012) that revolves around Daffy shrinking all of Bugs’ gloves, which makes Bugs briefly take on a new identity as a tough motorbiker.

What I Like About This One:

When Bugs is caught by the giant for chopping his giant carrots with an ax (animated by Jack Bradbury), Bugs gets the giant to lean his head towards him by telling him to “come here”. When he does, Bugs slaps the giant with his glove and challenges him to a duel (animated by Gerry Chiniquy).

The “duel” is actually a ruse to send the giant away when Bugs tricks him into walking 20 paces. When the giant disappears into the distance, Bugs taunts “So long, jerky! Send me a postcard from Albuquerque!” He’s shocked however, when it turns out that the giant is so large that 20 steps brings him all the way around the world! (animated by Richard Bickenbach)

The giant trapping Bugs in a glass and asking, “You think you’re pretty C-A-T smart, don’t ya?” Bugs then gives a demonstration of a great scientific discovery: a glass cutter which he cuts out the glass in the form of his shape allowing him to walk out after leaving a sign saying the next demonstration will be in 15 minutes (animated by Gil Turner).

After 15 minutes pass by on the giant’s grandfather clock-watch, the giant catches on and believes “he can’t outsmart me because I’m a moron!” (animated by Phil Monroe)

When the giant catches Bugs in his hand, Bugs reads the lines on the giant’s hands, claiming he’s a “regular Don Ju-wan with the ladies!” Having the giant put him up to his ear to whisper some pointers, Bugs spots the giant’s ear drum (which is a literal drum with a sign saying “Ear drum”). “Huh. Ear drum”, Bugs observes (animated by Monroe up to here). The giant’s smile in expecting to hear some pointers is turned to grimaces by Bugs playing his ear drum like the instrument drum complete with a crashing cymbal noise! (animated by Chiniquy)

Running into the giant’s hair line which resembles a forest, Bugs notices a gray hair and pulls it out, to which the giant makes a hilarious-sounding yelp of pain. In response, the giant puts a hat on his head, making the forest of hairs appear dark. When Bugs lights a match to see where he is, an offscreen air raid warden yells for him to “PUT OUT THAT LIGHT!” (animated by Manuel Perez).

Realizing his head is smoking, the giant douses it with a bucket of water, knocking Bugs off his head (animated by Ken Champin).

Seeing that the beanstalk has an elevator, Bugs imitates an operator and tricks the giant into using the “stairway”- off a cliff! (animated by Turner) The giant falls several feet and crashes into the earth, creating a huge giant-shaped canyon in the ground. Getting up, he warns Bugs to “look out for that first step! It’s a lu-lu!” (animated by Bickenbach)

Where Can I Watch It?

At archive.org!

Carrot Rating:

🥕🥕🥕🥕🥕