Release Date:

March 19, 1938

Main Character(s):

Porky Pig

Summary:

Porky Pig works at the Pony Express office and hopes to take the mail someday but is only made to be the janitor and to lick envelopes. When one of the riders comes in and explains that he can’t deliver the mail due to too many Indians, the boss concocts a plan: he’ll send Porky with a sack of horseshoes as a decoy, while the real rider gets through with no trouble. The plan backfires as Porky unknowingly grabs the real mail.

That’s Not All, Folks:

This is the directorial debut of animator Cal Dalton and storyman Cal Howard, who took over Friz Freleng’s unit when he left for MGM (although tomorrow’s post will be on Freleng’s last Warner cartoon in the 1930’s). Howard would direct two more cartoons with Dalton, “Katnip Kollege” and “A Lad in Bagdad” before being replaced by Ben Hardaway, who came back to the studio.

One of my favorite animators, Rod Scribner, does his first animation here: he animated the scenes where Porky reacts to the boss calling for him when the boss is about to execute his Indian-tricking scheme as well as the ending.

The animation of the Indians riding towards the camera from “Sweet Sioux” is reused here.

What I Like About This One:

A rider talking to his horse on a phone attached to the horse.

The way the boss yells, “Porky!”

Porky making a face at the boss but when the boss turns to look, Porky runs a finger across his lip.

The boss getting irritated when Porky imitates riding the mail.

Porky’s reaction on hearing the boss call him for his scheme (animated by Rod Scribner).

The boss and the rider laughing so hard at their scheme until the boss realizes their mistake when he accidentally pours out the sack of horseshoes.

One of the Indians slithering like a snake.

Porky and his horse literally turning white when they see the Indians shooting arrows.

When one of the Indians get shot, he and his horse freeze into place with shocked expressions and when another shot is heard, they collapse.

A cross-eyed Indian with a question mark on his outfit repeatedly shooting his horse in the back of the head. After the third time this happens, the horse throws him down.

Porky successfully getting the mail through and becoming a hero.

The satisfying ending: Porky is now the boss while his ex-boss is now the janitor and envelope-licker (animated by Scribner).

Where Can I Watch It?

At archive.org!

Carrot Rating:

🥕🥕🥕🥕