Release Date:

June 27, 1959

Main Character(s):

Pepe Le Pew, Penelope

Summary:

In New Orleans, Penelope (named “Fabrette” here) is one of two cats born to Pierre and Fifi Cat, and is actually born with the white stripe down her back. While her sister, Jeanette, easily attracts an eager tomcat boyfriend, Penelope is unable to get one due to her skunk-like stripe. Pepe Le Pew arrives, having stowed away on a ship, and she actually falls for him this time, while he reciprocates her feelings. Saddened to discover that Pepe stinks, Penelope either runs away or tries to make the best of it. Meanwhile, Pepe becomes confused as to why everyone exclaims “Pew” every time they see him.

That’s Not All, Folks:

The production number is 1418 and was released as a Merrie Melodie.

This is the first of three Warner cartoons directed by Abe Levitow (all of which were made by Jones’ unit). The other two include “A Witch’s Tangled Hare” and “Unnatural History”, both released later in 1959. Judging by the production numbers, these were likely pushed aside during production, but when Levitow was given a chance to direct, he decided to have these three finally be made into cartoons.

This one easily stands out among all Pepe and Penelope cartoons, in that she actually DOES want to be with him, but his odor is the only problem, Penelope is born with the stripe instead of it being painted onto her, and Pepe realizes everyone always runs away from him.

This cartoon also has a female narrator, in this case, June Foray speaking in a French accent.

This is the other Warner cartoon besides “Hare-Abian Nights” to have layouts by Samuel Armstrong.

The title is a play on words for “really sent” as in someone who gets delighted, thrilled, or excited by someone.

Favorite Scene:

Deciding to “find out what this ‘pew’ means every time I appear”, Pepe actually looks the word up in a thesaurus and becomes shocked at the definition.

What Happens in This One:

“Ah, New Orleans. City of many moods, enchanting in its old world charm, forever old, forever new. On this day, a momentous event is taking place in the lives of Pierre and Fifi Cat”. Pierre, smoking a pipe, is pacing back and forth and trying to catch the smoke he puffs, before his nervousness changes to happiness upon hearing the crying of newborn babies. He runs into where his wife has given birth to their two daughters, “Oh, how tout sweet. The mama and the papa, they are so proud. And the babies, they are tres cute!” As Pierre gives a shocked look at Penelope having been born with a skunk-like stripe down her back, the narrator continues, “But wait! What calamity of nature is this? When one is so young, it matters not, but-” (animated by Richard Thompson).

The following spring, Jeanette and Penelope have both grown up, “It is the following spring, and time for a grown girl’s first date. First, pretty Jeanette answers the call of spring”. After she walks out on all four’s, she immediately attracts the attention of a tomcat, who falls in love with her. They leave together arm in arm, “Ah, l’amour. Then, eh, uh, Fabrette”. Penelope walks out and at first does attract another tomcat but he backs away in horror when the stripes cause him to mistake her for a skunk. As Penelope begins getting tears in her eyes, the narrator laments, “Poor Fabrette. Spring means nothing to you” (animated by Thompson).

Meanwhile, the ship “La Belle France” is being unloaded as a crate with Pepe standing on top of it is hoisted out from the ship’s below deck cargo storage. As he sings “Blow the Man Down” with substitute lyrics, “I sailed from Paris to find me a bride” and then continuing in fractured French, Pepe is discovered by one of the crew members, who shouts upon getting a whiff of him, “Sacre illiac! Un polecat de pew! Avec! Pew!” Everyone else also runs off, all shouting “Pew!” in unison. As the crate is lowered down onto the pier, Pepe corrects them, “No, no. Not Pew. LE Pew. Pepe LE Pew is my name” (animated by Ben Washam).

Penelope walks out of her yard sadly before she is informed by the narrator, “Fabrette, all is not lost! Look! Your ship has come in!” Spotting Pepe, Penelope squeals in delight and looks at him lovingly. He also spots her and is just as delighted, “Ah! Un belle femme skunk creole!” The narrator encourages, “Go get him, Fabrette!” as she runs to him with open arms. Pepe does the same as he declares, “Vive la colonies Americque!” They catch each other in an embrace as Pepe remarks slightly crazed, “This must be the place!” As Pepe begins making love, “Ah, my little waiting for the rabbit in me! We will sail the sea of matrimony together!”, Penelope makes the sad discovery of Pepe’s bad odor, and attempts to get out of his arms. Pepe brings her back and continues, “Ah, we will-”, before she runs off, causing him to spin around. He chuckles, “This Bayou baby is alright by me!” (animated by Washam)

Penelope stops behind a tree to catch her breath and notices Jeanette and her boyfriend staring lovingly at each other in the flowers of “Loveurs Lane”. The narrator asks, “Fabrette, would you want the others to think you could not get a boyfriend?”, to which Penelope shakes her head (animated by Ken Harris). Pepe approaches while doing his hop on all four’s, “Where are you, my little combo of chicken? Your French fried shrimp is sizzling for you!” (animated by Thompson) Narrator: “Here he comes, Fabrette. Will you try?” She nods nervously and holds her breath before standing out in Pepe’s path with her arms out for a hug. Happy to see this, Pepe asides, “It is true what they say about Dixie!”, with the smoke from his dashing towards Penelope making the shape of a heart with an arrow in it (animated by Harris).

Penelope’s cheeks begin turning red from her starting to need air, as Pepe continues with the lovemaking, “You will be my blushing bride”, and upon seeing Penelope’s red cheeks, assumes this is the case, “Oh, how sweet! You are blushing for Pepe! (chuckles), Darling, you will love Paree!” He walks off, escorting her as Penelope’s cheeks start turning more colors from the lack of air, “We will stroll on the Rue de La Paix, and the Eiffel Tower, oh, I can see it now!” Penelope slumps down and begins pounding on the ground as the narrator questions, “Fabrette, you are not going to let a little thing like breathing stand between you and happiness?” Penelope nods and lets her breath out, before running away (animated by Harris).

She stops inside “Le French Markette et Shoppe’s” and then hides in “Parfum de Voque” when Pepe is heard entering with, “Where are you, living doll?” As Pepe looks around for her, “Come to me, my melan-baby-choly!”, Penelope sprays him with perfume, only for Pepe’s stench to form into the shape of a monster scaring away the personified perfume, much to Penelope’s dismay. She runs past quickly, to which a confused Pepe lets out a “Huh?” A woman with a basket of oranges walks past him, does a take, and runs out screaming, “Pew!”, followed by everyone else in the store running out and shouting it in unison. Pepe decides, “I must find out what this ‘pew’ means every time I appear” and goes to a “Le Booke Shoppe” stand of “Dictionaires et Thesauruses”. Looking in a thesaurus, he finds the very word, “Ah. Ah. Here it is. ‘Pew’. It means-”, and shortly does a shocked take and expression upon silently reading it, “No. No, not me. (chuckles) Sillay ridiculous!” (animated by Thompson)

Pepe walks out of the store in disbelief, “C’est impossible de pew! No! Non pew!” He then walks by “Le Hole de Seweur”, where even a sewer rat is repulsed by his odor, “P.U!” Realizing this is why Penelope has been running from him, Pepe becomes deeply saddened about this, “C’est true. Pepe, you are a pew”, but cheers up upon seeing he’s in front of “Henri’s Deodorizing Service” and declares, “For her, I will make myself dainty”. He runs inside and into the door of “Vat de Chlorophyll”. Penelope is seen walking out on the pier with a rock tied to her body and preparing to drown herself out of suicide. She is stopped by the narrator, “Wait, Fabrette. If you cannot lick them, join them! Look! Over there!” She spots “Pierre’s Limburger Cheese Co.” and runs inside to the door of “Le Vat de Limburger. 150% Proof” (animated by Thompson).

The now fresh-smelling Pepe hops out joyfully on all four’s as Penelope comes out in a vicious manner foul-smelling. Pepe greets her with, “Baby doll!” while she responds with a yowl (animated by Washam). In an embrace again, Pepe resumes making love, “Ah, my darling. I am so glad you-”, but gets a whiff of Penelope’s new odor, “So glad you-eh, ooh-glad I-”, and runs off, with Penelope chasing after him. In the midst of running, Pepe sighs, “Oy vey! What a day!” As Penelope chases Pepe into the forest she ran to earlier where adjacent trees and their branches form numerous heart shapes, the narrator ends the cartoon with, “And that is love in old New Orleans. Laugh a little, cry a little. Au revoir!” (animated by Thompson)

Where Can I Watch It?

At toontales.net!

Carrot Rating:

🥕🥕🥕🥕🥕