Release Date:

October 25, 1941

Main Character(s):

Porky Pig

Summary:

A parody of Robinson Crusoe with Porky Pig as the title character.

That’s Not All, Folks:

This is the first of 11 cartoons (all of which are in black and white) to be directed by Norm McCabe, a former animator of Clampett’s old unit. McCabe would then leave the studio in 1943, when he was drafted. He was replaced by Frank Tashlin, who returned to the studio around that time. Interestingly, McCabe would later become an animator for DePatie-Freleng Enterprises (which Freleng opened after the original Warner Bros. studio closed in 1964), which was contracted to produce some new Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies for Warner Bros. from late 1964 to 1967. I still remember when I first started knowing a lot more about the cartoons starting in 2015 and learned that McCabe was a director. Upon seeing McCabe’s name in the credits of a DePatie-Freleng produced Looney Tune, I remember being astonished that he was involved with stuff that late in the game.

The cartoon is similar to “Kristopher Kolumbus Jr.” in that both cartoons have Porky playing a character in literature and both cartoons have the word “Jr” in the title.

Warner would parody Robinson Crusoe again in the Bugs Bunny and Yosemite Sam cartoon, “Rabbitson Crusoe” (1956) with Sam as Crusoe.

The character of Friday is based off of Rochester. This has resulted in the cartoon being banned from airing on television. A similar Tom and Jerry cartoon released ten years later in 1951 called “His Mouse Friday” would also be banned from airing on television due to black stereotypes.

The high quality print of this cartoon on the Porky Pig 101 DVD set uses the incorrect opening theme.

In the opening credits, animator Vive Risto’s name is misspelled as “Veve”.

A brief instrumental from this cartoon can be heard in The Carl Stalling Project Volume 1.

What I Like About This One:

When an offscreen voice announces, “All ashore that’s going ashore”, several mice run off the boat. A mouse who speaks like Baby Snooks asks her father why they’re getting off to which he replies, “Well, confidentially, it sinks!”

After nine weeks of smooth sailing, Porky is still thinking about how silly those rats were to run off. He also has a certificate signed by John Hancock that guarantees the cruise is absolutely safe. After Porky wonders if that goes for hurricanes, a hurricane immediately blows in.

In the next scene, an angry Porky is seen amongst his wrecked ship on an island. “I had to open my big mouth!”

Friday singing about how he loves coffee and tea to the tune of “Java Jive”.

A turtle joins Friday in dancing behind laundry resembling a curtain. When it opens up, the turtle is now wearing Friday’s grass skirt while Friday is wearing the turtle’s shell.

One of Porky’s diary entries is “Monday was Friday’s washday so I set out to explore the island”.

Porky’s hut acting like an elevator when he goes out to hunt.

Porky encounters a parrot and asks “Polly want a cracker?” but the parrot is waiting for the $64 question.

The animals’ water hole is revealed to be a water cooler when they all run away.

Monkeys are seen playing cards with both their hands and feet while another is struggling to climb up a “Slippery Elm”.

Porky following footprints that lead into a dark cave and wondering what Dick Tracy would do in a spot like this. He decides to head in there and confront whatever it is. It’s a group of cannibals that he quickly runs away from.

Porky running so fast that his footprints only appear seconds later.

As Porky and Friday escape from the island via a motorboat Porky carved from a log, the cannibals throw their spears at them, but Porky hangs a US flag on the boat’s end which causes the spears to skid to a stop and plunge into the water. Friday then holds up a “V” for victory sign.

Where Can I Watch It?

On Vimeo!

Carrot Rating:

🥕🥕🥕 ½