Release Date:

December 4, 1948

Main Character(s):

Bugs Bunny

Summary:

Bugs Bunny ends up in Scotland after making that wrong turn at Albuquerque, and mistakes a Scotsman named MacRory playing bagpipes for an old lady being attacked by a monster, and violently destroys the bagpipes. After he angers MacRory even further by calling the way he dresses “indecent”, Bugs is challenged by him to a game of golf. Unsurprisingly, Bugs bests MacRory at the sport.

That’s Not All, Folks:

The production number is 1062 and was released as a Merrie Melodie.

The cartoon was given the new Blue Ribbon reissue system.

This is the second cartoon where Bugs makes a wrong turn at Albuquerque, with the first being in “Herr Meets Hare”. Incidentally, both are written by Michael Maltese. Maltese would also write the third cartoon where Bugs does this with that being Jones’ “Frigid Hare” (1949).

MacRory later appears in new animation for the 1989 TV special “Bugs Bunny’s Wild World of Sports” (where this cartoon is shown as part of the special), the Sylvester and Tweety Mysteries episode “It’s a Plaid Plaid Plaid Plaid World” (where he is revealed to be Granny’s fourth cousin once removed), and a cameo appearance in “Space Jam” (1996) where he is one of several characters in the stands watching the game.

The title is a pun for the song, “My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean” (the actual tune plays under the opening credits).

In the front and back endpapers for Jerry Beck’s 2003 book, “Looney Tunes The Ultimate Visual Guide”, MacRory is seen as one of the 196 characters shown on said endpapers, but is mistakenly identified as one of the leprechauns in the later Jones cartoon, “The Wearing of the Grin” (1951). It could be due to the fact that both characters have red hair (the other leprechaun has black hair, but we will get to that cartoon when we do).

What I Like About This One:

Expecting to arrive at his intended destination, the La Brea Tar Pits, Bugs comes up in Loch Lomond, Scotland, at the “High Road” and “Low Road” intersection. After he looks at his map, he realizes he should have taken that left turn at Albuquerque (animated by Phil Monroe).

Bugs sees MacRory walking down the road playing his bagpipes and mistakes the sight as a horrible monster attacking a poor old lady. Yelling, “Have courage, granny! I’ll save ya! I’ll save ya!”, Bugs wrestles the bagpipes and violently beats them up, destroying them. MacRory walks up to the destroyed bagpipes as Bugs tells him, “He put up a terrific battle, ma’am. But clean living prevailed”, but MacRory is furious: “You’ve ruined my pipes. I’m going to-” As MacRory’s voice is clearly masculine, Bugs realizes, “Hey! Wait a minute! You’re no woman! You’re a man!” MacRory answers, “Certain I’m a man! And what’s wrong with that!?” Bugs responds, “What’s wrong!?” before asiding to us, “‘What’s wrong’, he says”, and criticizes his kilt, “Why, you can’t go around like that! It’s indecent!” “Indecent?”, MacRory says, puzzled (animated by Monroe).

Bugs puts a barrel over MacRory’s clothes (“It ain’t got no two pair of pants but it’ll do till you get home”) and politely asks him the shortest route to the La Brea Tar Pits (animated by Monroe). MacRory runs off and comes back without the barrel and now with his gun, “There are no La Brea Tar Pits in Scotland!” Bugs reacts, “Scotland!?” before sheepishly asking, “What’s up, MacDoc?” MacRory fires but the bullet flies past Bugs. He picks up the bullet and explains, “It’s been in the family for years” (animated by Lloyd Vaughan).

Seeing Bugs dive back down into his hole, MacRory shoots down into it and is confronted by Bugs disguised as an elderly Scotsman, scolding him for poaching on his property. “I’m displeased, MacRory. You shouldn’t-a shoot my rabbits”. MacRory tells him, “Yon bunny rabbit dinna belong to you”. Bugs asks, “It dinna?” to which MacRory responds, “No, it dinna”. Bugs asks if he wants to bet, but MacRory instead wants this to be settled in true Scots tradition, at games. Bugs assumes this is a card game and after setting up the table, says in his normal voice, “Okay, pigeon. Sit down”. But MacRory has a different idea: golf. “Golf?” “Aye, golf. Choose your weapons”. Bugs accepts, “Have it your way, mac. But don’t you get a little tired running them 18 bases?” (animated by Ken Harris)

At the first hole, Bugs takes his time setting up in a good position, and looks over at MacRory impatiently tapping his foot. Bugs looks over at him to which MacRory hides his foot and gives a sheepish grin. After a few funny putting poses, Bugs putts the ball and gives himself a hole in one by digging a very large hole (animated by Harris).

When it’s MacRory’s turn, Bugs nails the golf ball and the tee in place. Bugs calls “Fore!” which MacRory retorts, “Four? Three and a half!” MacRory’s attempt sends him and the patch of grass the tee was on flying into the hole, with MacRory’s feet sticking out. Bugs scolds him for “cheating”: “A hole in one!? Why, you little cheater! Why, you little four-flusher-” (animated by Vaughan)

A while later at the eighth hole, MacRory is seen laughing as Bugs apparently won’t be able to get his ball into the hole without knocking MacRory’s in first, as MacRory’s is only inches away from the hole. However, Bugs uses his club like a billiard stick and uses a billiard move to get a hole in one from the other direction. He flutters his eyebrows at MacRory, to which MacRory’s skin turns red in anger so much to the point that he snaps his club in half (animated by Harris).

At the sixteenth hole, MacRory is laughing again as Bugs has gotten his ball caught in a sand trap. Through persistent putting, however, Bugs still manages to get his ball into the hole. Thinking through for a bit, Bugs marks down his score as a two. MacRory exclaims, “Two!? FIFTY-FIVE!” Bugs turns this into an auction to trick MacRory into lowering his claim of 55 down to a 40, and then continues, “Going at 25. Do I hear ten? Do I hear five? Do I hear two?” before MacRory absentmindedly decides, “I’ll make it one and that’s my final offer!” Bugs marks down his score calmly, “One it is”. This causes MacRory to give the audience a half-confused half-horrified face (animated by Ben Washam).

At the last hole, MacRory receives a hole in one, but Bugs’ hole bounces over it. Bugs runs in front of it and digs a trench for it to end up in the hole (animated by Vaughan).

Marking down his final score, Bugs declares he’s won, but MacRory doesn’t think so: “That was a dirty bit of cheatin’” “Cheatin’”, Bugs asks (animated by Washam) before justifying his victory, “Why, that identical situation occurred in the New Hebrides Open. Kaduffleblaze versus Fuddle in 19-aught-18. And what about Fradis versus Ginfritter? Ha! Bizbo versus Stoigen in the Casablanca Amateur (animated by Harris) Cheatin’ indeed? Ha! The nerve!” MacRory accepts defeat, “Tis plain that the weight of evidence is greatly against me” but suddenly reverts to a retorting angry tone, “But ya still cannot beat me at the pipes!” He brings back a new set of pipes and plays them as Bugs walks off. “Try and top that!”, MacRory says before reacting to Bugs topping him in a different way: playing the pipes as part of a one-man band playing various instruments all at once (animated by Monroe).

Where Can I Watch It?

At toontales.net!

Carrot Rating:

🥕🥕🥕🥕 ½