Release Date:

August 23, 1947

Main Character(s):

None

Summary:

A fox with severe insomnia finds out that a pillow filled with duck down is required for a good night’s sleep. He hunts a yellow duck for his feathers, but fails to catch him.

That’s Not All, Folks:

The production number is 1031 and was released as a Merrie Melodie.

The cartoon was given a Blue Ribbon reissue. “Sing a Song of Sixpence” played under the opening credits:

Story: George Hill

Animation: Don Williams, JC Melendez, and Manny Gould

Layouts: Thomas McKimson

Backgrounds: Philip DeGuard

Musical Direction: Carl Stalling

Directed by Arthur Davis

There is no dialogue in this cartoon apart from the fox saying to himself, “I gotta get a duck! I gotta get a duck!”

This is the only one-shot included on the first Looney Tunes Collector’s Choice volume.

This is the last Davis cartoon to have animation by Manny Gould.

“I’d Be Lost Without You” plays prominently throughout the cartoon.

Despite featuring the red rings with the blue background in the intro (the original titles), the blue rings with the red background are used in the outro.

What I Like About This One:

The fox’s door has several signs which read: “SCRAM”, “Gone Fishin”, “Keep Out!”, “Come Back Later”, “Do Not Disturb”, “Quiet”, “No Peddlers or Agents… or anyone else!!”, and a “Stop and Go” sign with “Go” X’ed out and replaced with “Beat It!”

Breathing heavily and tossing and turning, the fox finds himself unable to sleep, even though he has numerous sleeping pills, books on how to sleep, and charts that read “How to Feel Asleep by Dr. Morpheus” and “How to Cure Insomnia Read Instructions Carefully” (animated by Don Williams).

The fox puts two clips labeled as “Sleep Inducer” over his eyes but his bloodshot eyes just won’t close (animated by Bill Melendez).

Tossing and turning some more, the fox eventually falls off his bed where the book, “Insomnia and Its Cure” opens up to a page that reads: “Important Note: Have you tested your pillow? It must be filled with DUCK DOWN. These soft fleecy feathers are absolutely essential for good sleeping!” The fox finds out that his pillow has been filled with tons of metal objects. Angry, he attempts to kick them away only to hurt his foot in the process (animated by Cal Dalton).

At dawn, the duck is first seen doing some still-life painting of a tree. Unaware that this tree is the fox in disguise, the duck sees an arm with a mallet popping out and paints that as well before getting wise and running off (animated by Williams).

The fox chases the duck to the lake and doesn’t realize he’s standing on water until the duck points out in pantomime that he is. The fox only falls into the water after trying to run back to land (animated by Manny Gould).

Attempting to use a decoy and a duck call, the fox ends up getting blasted by several hunters that appear out of nowhere (animated by Melendez).

The fox’s next attempt involves sneaking up on the duck in a boat and dropping a huge rock on him, but the duck pulls the fox and his boat under the rock so they end up smashing through the hull. A fish is so shocked at the bizarre sight of the fox with a lump and the rock on his head that it passes out. The boat sinks and lands around the fox a few seconds later (animated by Melendez).

Attempting to pursue the duck in the water, the fox puts on an old-fashioned bathing suit and inflatable armbands but the duck moves his makeshift diving board away from the lake, resulting in the fox crashing through dry land (animated by Williams).

The duck is next seen swimming along in a happy carefree manner to the tune of “The Old Folks at Home” and does a brief dance (animated by Dalton).

Going up a tree with a rope and tying a heavy weight to it, the fox does an evil snicker after dropping it above the duck, only to hear the duck immediately do the same snicker as he ties the rope around the fox’s leg. The fox cuts himself free, but holds on to the rope, so he goes down anyway (animated by Melendez).

Spotting the duck atop a ledge (animated by Dalton), the fox goes to the top of it and attempts to grab the duck, who dodges his swipes in the air and reveals to him the long drop below (animated by Gould). The fox does a fantastic extended eyeball take just before the duck punches him with a boxing glove hidden in a camera (animated by Melendez).

The fox chops down a tree and creates a bridge of boards to reach the duck, nailing each by spitting out four nails into each board before hammering them in (animated by Gould). The duck watches the boards being nailed in front of him before he starts bringing the fox the boards himself (animated by Melendez).

It’s not until the fox has created a long bridge of boards that he hears a sawing noise and sees (animated by Melendez) that the duck has sawed off part of the tree and the first board. The fox attempts to run back but his weight causes the boards to come loose even further and for him to see the long fall (animated by Dalton).

Now in a terrifying predicament, the fox gulps in terror (animated by Melendez) as the duck flies above him and removes his tail feather for it to float slowly down on to him (animated by Dalton). As soon as the feather lands on his head, the fox and the boards fall several feet with the offscreen crash killing him. Thinking he has disposed of the fox, the duck looks down in satisfaction only to be confronted by the fox as an angry angel, who continues the chase in the sky as the cartoon ends (animated by Melendez).

Where Can I Watch It?

At toontales.net!

Carrot Rating:

🥕🥕🥕🥕🥕