Release Date:

September 9, 1939

Main Character(s):

None

Summary:

A terrible drought in “Hangnail”, Oklahoma is causing an Indian reservation to suffer and their animals to go on strike. When their rainmaker’s ruse to make it seem like it’s raining fails, he sends his son out to buy more water, but the son stumbles upon a salesman selling weather pills and buys those instead. The rainmaker is upset with his son for disobeying him and hurls the pills aside. The people and animals eat them with the expected results.

That’s Not All, Folks:

The cartoon was given a Blue Ribbon reissue. “I Want My Share of Love” played under the opening credits (this song also plays during the scene where the chief hopelessly watches the animals go on strike). The original title card (minus the MPAA number) also exists. You can view it here.

The cartoon reuses the premise of “Porky the Rainmaker”.

This is the last cartoon to use the 1938-1939 green rings.

What I Like About This One:

The thermometer reaching the top where it looks like it’s gushing its red liquid out like a fountain.

A totem pole is seen sweating while all four heads on it fan themselves.

Corn stalks drying into popcorn, a watermelon deflating, a worm getting stuck in a shriveled up apple and yelling “HEEEEEELLLLLLLP!”, and even a mounted moose head is panting!

The animals’ picket signs: the chickens’ signs read, “No Feed No Eggs”, “No Eggs No Chicken”, “No Chicken No Eggs”, and “Vice Versa Etc.”, the pig carries a banner saying, “No Corn No Ham”, and the buffalo carries a banner saying “No Hay No Buffalo, No Buffalo No Chiefie!”

The rainmaker’s name being JQ Drizzlepuss.

The rainmaker’s nonsensical rain dance where he says “We want rain!” before getting up close to the camera and making gibberish noises (animated by Richard Bickenbach).

Other Indians in the chant saying “We don’t want no fall”, “We don’t want no dew”, “We don’t want no ice”, and a short one saying “We don’t want no snow” but mispronouncing “snow” at first (animated by Gil Turner).

The whole rain dance being revealed to be a ruse where the rainmaker’s son pumps water down on to them but since the weather is so hot, all the water in the bucket has evaporated!

The rainmaker’s reaction upon finding out that his son bought weather pills instead of a barrel full of water (animated by Bickenbach).

A chicken eating the ice pill and laying eggs that are frozen solid!

A turtle eating the lightning pill and becoming a fast bolt of electricity (animated by Bickenbach).

A mother carrying a papoose eating the earthquake pill and experiencing body tremors. The papoose finds it fun and wants to do it again! (animated by Turner)

Although a vulture steals the rain pill, the rainmaker shoots it out of his mouth and up into the air, where the long-awaited rain finally starts and saves the crops and reservation.

When the rain abruptly stops for a few seconds, the chief angrily stalks the rainmaker, but when the rain comes back on, they go back to shaking hands (animated by Bickenbach).

Where Can I Watch It?

At archive.org!

Carrot Rating:

🥕🥕🥕 ½