Release Date:

December 6, 1941

Main Character(s):

None

Summary:

A lion foreman “conducts” his crew of construction workers to build a skyscraper to the tune of Liszt’s Second Hungarian Rhapsody.

That’s Not All, Folks:

The cartoon was given a Blue Ribbon reissue. An unknown original tune by Carl Stalling played under the opening credits. In June 2021, cels of the original title card and credits were found. These cels also reveal that the “Vitaphone Symphony Orchestra” was given credit for helping to score this cartoon and the title card was subtitled “From the Second Hungarian Rhapsody by Franz Liszt”.

This is the first cartoon to use Liszt’s Second Hungarian Rhapsody, albeit an orchestra version rather than piano as it was heard in later cartoons using the piece.

The cartoon was nominated for an Academy Award (and was also released on the same day as another Oscar nominee, the third Tom and Jerry cartoon, “The Night Before Christmas”).

The cartoon was released just a day before the infamous attack on Pearl Harbor.

The cartoon has no dialogue.

The cartoon is in the 100 Greatest Looney Tunes Cartoons book.

What I Like About This One:

In general, the idea of a building being constructed to the tune of classical music is a clever one.

The foreman using his ruler as a conductor’s baton before not using it to conduct; probably a reference to Leopold Stokowski’s refusal to conduct with a baton (animated by Gil Turner).

A sleeping worker not hammering in a nail on a beam when given his cue. The foreman throws a brick at him to wake him up, prompting the worker to hammer in the nail (animated by Richard Bickenbach).

Another worker sawing wood like he’s playing a large bass (animated by Turner).

A steam shovel having a shoe attached to it to help the machine to shovel.

A cement mixer mixing up sand in time to the music.

During a repeat of the first music cues, the sleeping worker this time immediately hammers when given his cue (animated by Bickenbach). The foreman is also shown that he had a brick ready to throw at him.

A little dog hammering on the wall since it says “Ring for elevator”. But it turns out he’s standing on top of it so he rises up and accidentally hammers another worker in tune to the music (animated by Manuel Perez).

Several workers (which include five dogs, a bear, and a pig) are all shown accidentally hammering nails into each other’s behinds (animated by Perez).

The little dog tries hammering for the elevator again but this time it goes downward but it goes around him before it can crush him.

A worker obliviously burying another worker digging.

Another worker carrying bricks is unable to get up to where he needs to, thanks to other workers always coming down (animated by Cal Dalton).

Two big dogs use teeny hammers while a mouse uses a large mallet (animated by Turner).

The worker unable to ascend the ladder eventually gets fed up, so he drops his bricks, throws his hat on the ground and bumps every worker coming down off the staircase. He reaches the top- only to be brought back down to the first floor by the elevator! (animated by Dalton)

A big dog with a large mallet accidentally hitting a small dog with a teeny mallet (animated by Dalton).

When the piece starts to get faster, a bricklayer lays down the bricks so fast and pants every time he finishes constructing two rows of bricks (animated by Perez). The foreman is also shown to be panting while conducting at this part (animated by Turner).

Now building the skyscraper in record time, the workers construct the building around a cloud in the way.

An octopus is shown as another bricklayer.

The exhausted foreman notices the time (5:00), blows his fingers like a whistle, and then gives it his all for the energetic final part of the piece (animated by Turner).

Having finished the building, a worker hangs up a flag labeled “Umpire State”.

Unfortunately, all the hard work is reduced to nothing as the little dog who had trouble with the elevator comes out and carelessly slams the door so hard that everything falls into rubble! Rising out of the wreckage, the foreman angrily glares at the little dog before he is hit by three bricks for the final three notes of the piece (animated by Turner).

Where Can I Watch It?

At toontales.net!

Carrot Rating:

🥕🥕🥕🥕🥕