Release Date:

October 31, 1942

Main Character(s):

Bugs Bunny, Elmer Fudd

Summary:

Elmer Fudd attempts to catch Bugs Bunny with hypnotism but Bugs turns the tables on Elmer to convince him he’s a rabbit. This works too well for Bugs as Elmer now becomes the heckling wise guy.

That’s Not All, Folks:

Elmer is now permanently back to normal weight.

The music over the opening credits would later be reused for Jones’ “Hair Raising Hare” (1946), Robert McKimson’s “The Super Snooper” (1952), and Freleng’s “Hyde and Hare” (1955).

The cartoon serves as a precursor to Freleng’s “Hare Brush” (1955) where Elmer is a millionaire who thinks he’s a rabbit so he is sent to a sanitarium. Elmer has Bugs take his place so Bugs leaves the sanitarium thinking he’s Elmer, resulting in each other’s roles being reversed with Bugs hunting Elmer.

What I Like About This One:

Elmer seeming to be able to navigate himself through the forest when he’s paying more attention to reading about hypnotism his book, “Stalking Wild Game” while walking (animated by Phil Monroe).

Elmer testing out hypnotism on a grizzly bear (animated by Gil Turner, with Manuel Perez imitating the bear being dazed and then passing out) and then making the bear think he’s a canary bird. The bear then flies into the air tweeting like a bird (animated by Richard Bickenbach).

Delighted at his successful hypnotizing of the bear, he sees Bugs asking him “What’s up, doc?” Realizing this is now the moment he has been waiting for (animated by Bickenbach), he begins to hypnotize Bugs, but is carried off by a balloon shaped like Bugs’ head (animated by Monroe). Elmer doesn’t realize he’s in mid-air until he passes the bird still under his spell. Bugs offers to catch Elmer with a basket, which is revealed to be bottomless so Elmer ends up falling through it (animated by Gerry Chiniquy).

Bugs and Elmer having a tug of war with Elmer’s rifle after Bugs goes into his hole. At one point, they switch places until both are outside the hole. Seeing Bugs next to him, Elmer cries in frustration (animated by Chiniquy). Bugs asks “What’s the matter, doc? Did I hurt your feelings?” Elmer answers, “How can I hypnotize you if you don’t coopewate?” Bugs pretends to let Elmer hypnotize him, but Bugs soon turns the tables (animated by Turner), with Elmer doing the same animation of the bear being dazed and then passing out (animated by Perez).

Bugs then pushes his luck when deciding to make Elmer think he’s a rabbit. The plan works too well as Elmer’s ears briefly turn into those of rabbits and he then kisses Bugs (animated by Bickenbach).

Chasing Elmer into the hole, Bugs demands him to “come out of there!” and then asks, “Who’s the comedian in this picture, anyway!?” (animated by Perez) Elmer then comes out from another hole, chewing a carrot and asking “What’s up, doc?” Bugs answers, “There’s a guy down there who thinks he’s a rabbit!” Elmer taps Bugs on the shoulder and kisses him again. “Now cut it out, wise guy, or you’re gonna get hurt!”, Bugs demands, only for Elmer to kiss him again (animated by Bickenbach).

Elmer sneaking up behind Bugs (animated by Perez) and while Bugs is munching on a carrot while confiding to us on how Elmer keeps trying to outwit him, Elmer has Bugs eat two more carrots at the same time up to the point where Bugs’ dialogue is muffled by the carrots until he gets wise and angrily spits them out (animated by Turner).

Another chase into the hole ensues with Bugs de-hypnotizing Elmer offscreen. Back to normal and realizing Bugs is more powerful at hypnotism, Elmer runs off into the distance. Bugs laughs at the idea of Elmer thinking he can hypnotize him before noticing his watch and realizing he’s late at the airport (animated by Bickenbach). Bugs then flies into the air like a plane as he makes his way to the airport. “I’m the B-19!” (animated by Ken Champin)

Where Can I Watch It?

At archive.org!

Carrot Rating:

🥕🥕🥕🥕 ½