Release Date:

December 5, 1942

Main Character(s):

Daffy Duck, Porky Pig

Summary:

Daffy Duck makes Porky Pig’s camping trip a living nightmare.

That’s Not All, Folks:

This is the second Looney Tune in color.

The cartoon was given a Blue Ribbon reissue. “On Moonlight Bay” played under the opening credits. Cels of the original title card and credits (with the latter being mismatched with the credits background for “Baseball Bugs”) were found in June 2021.

This is Porky’s third color appearance overall (after “I Haven’t Got a Hat” and “Old Glory”) as well as the first Daffy and Porky cartoon in color.

Several elements from this cartoon would be reused in later cartoons: the “duck season” gags predate Jones’ “Hunting Trilogy” where Bugs and Daffy try to persuade Elmer to shoot the other in three brilliant cartoons (1951’s “Rabbit Fire”, 1952’s “Rabbit Seasoning”, and 1953’s “Duck Rabbit Duck”), the cartoon’s plot would later be reworked for Robert McKimson’s “Boobs in the Woods” (1950), and the ending gag of the film “breaking” would be reused in Jones’ “Rabbit Punch” (1948).

The full cartoon would be used in the 1975 documentary “Bugs Bunny Superstar”.

What I Like About This One:

The opening scene of Porky rowing on the lake and singing “On Moonlight Bay” with Daffy joining him in harmonizing (one of Mel Blanc’s finest moments of singing as characters). It’s only when Daffy adds an extra line in that Porky becomes aware of his presence. Porky comments, “Gosh, what a cr-cr-screwy duck!” Daffy pops up and says, “That, my little cherub, is strictly a matter of opinion!” (animated by Phil DeLara).

Daffy preventing Porky from pitching his tent by sitting down in every place possible and singing “Blues in the Night”. Porky decides to hit Daffy with the pole for his tent but he is stopped by a sign warning him that duck season is closed. Daffy taunts, “Catch on, fatso?” He eventually tricks Porky into setting up his tent underwater and Porky doesn’t realize he’s underwater until a fish swims by. Before Porky can attack Daffy, Daffy hits him with a sign saying “$500 fine for harming a duck” (animated by Ben Washam).

While making lunch, Porky initially sings “Blues in the Night” before getting annoyed with himself and switching to “On Moonlight Bay”. When he’s not looking, Daffy steals his egg and replaces it with a larger one. Not realizing it’s a different egg, Porky comments, “There’s nothing like this mountain air to make things grow!” Instead of yolk, out comes a ticked off baby eagle which Porky says it looks just like a baby eagle. Its equally ticked off parent confirms, “For your information, it IS a baby eagle!” and slams the frying pan on Porky’s face offscreen (animated by Robert Cannon).

Before Porky can hit Daffy with the same frying pan, Daffy blows his beak like a fanfare and pulls out a banner reminding him about the $500 fine, which he ties around Porky’s head (animated by Ken Harris).

While Porky is out fishing and taking a nap in his boat, Daffy tips the boat over and flies up into the air with the fishing pole’s hook. Porky jumps and swims into the air. Seeing Daffy, he asks him what he’s doing “down here”. Daffy shows him where he actually is, resulting in Porky falling (animated by Harris).

Singing “Blues in the Night” again, Daffy makes some lunch for himself and absentmindedly spreads mustard across Porky’s arm. Daffy then runs into a hollow tree with Porky’s lunch. Porky orders him to return his lunch to him so Daffy smashes a pie over his head (animated by Rudy Larriva).

Attempting to smoke Daffy out, Daffy poses as a scoutmaster and tricks Porky into rubbing two dynamite sticks together (“You wanna get your Indian suit, don’t ya?”). The explosion results in Porky, the tree, and the tent being suspended in mid-air. Porky goes into his tent to get a match and falls where Daffy is seen watching him and his pupils turn into Porky falling (animated by Larriva).

Beyond fed up, Porky turns yellow and becomes fire before he forms into his normal shape and fumes, “If I just had a shotgun!” Daffy gives him one and taunts, “Ok, Annie Oakley, here you are. But it ain’t gonna do you any good!” but the sign he pulls down now reveals duck season is open! Overjoyed at an opportunity for revenge, Porky starts stalking Daffy with the gun. Daffy’s next signs read “No Limit. Shoot All You Want” and “$500 Reward for Shooting a Duck”. He then hides behind a billboard which advertises, “Shoot a duck today. Especially this duck” with an arrow pointing at Daffy. Daffy pulls out a white flag to which Porky’s bullets spell out “Start praying, duck” (animated by DeLara).

Porky then chases Daffy around a tree when the film suddenly breaks (animated by DeLara). Daffy walks out on a white screen and explains, “Ladies and gentlemen, due to circumstances beyond our control, we are unable to continue with this picture”. To make up for it, he tells us how it apparently came out with him stopping the chase around the tree and beating Porky to a pulp. A hook suddenly pulls Daffy offscreen and a crashing noise is heard. A triumphant Porky marches across the screen with a beaten Daffy in tow (animated by Cannon).

Where Can I Watch It?

At archive.org!

Carrot Rating:

🥕🥕🥕🥕🥕