Release Date:

September 11, 1948

Main Character(s):

Porky Pig

Summary:

Porky Pig’s home is invaded by a French-Canadian termite named Pierre, who is the strongest and hungriest termite there is. After failing to get rid of Pierre on his own, Porky enlists the aid of an exterminator named Sureshot, an ever-smiling dog who constantly says he’s always there to help, and who proves to be an even bigger nuisance than Pierre.

That’s Not All, Folks:

The production number is 1051 and was released as a Looney Tune.

The cartoon was given the new Blue Ribbon reissue treatment. When it was restored for the Looney Tunes Super Stars Porky and Friends Hilarious Ham DVD set in 2012, the original opening rings were put back in.

This is the last Warner cartoon to be written by George Hill and the last Davis cartoon to have animation by John Carey. Emery Hawkins shortly replaced the latter afterwards (while “Doggone Cats”, “Two Gophers from Texas”, “What Makes Daffy Duck”, “A Hick A Slick and a Chick”, “Bone Sweet Bone”, and “Dough Ray Me-Ow” were all released before this one, they were all in production AFTER this one).

As this is a cartoon centered around a termite, I’ll bring this up here: when the Looney Tunes were in black and white and the Merrie Melodies were in color, the Looney Tunes were made in a run-down building infested with termites, which the animators affectionately nicknamed “Termite Terrace”.

This is also the last cartoon to use the 1947-1948 red rings with the blue background and the last cartoon to use “In Technicolor”.

The title is a pun for the 1939 play and 1942 film, “The Man Who Came to Dinner”.

This cartoon is a very rare instance of having a scene where a character is blackened but the scene was not censored anywhere nor is it considered offensive. Despite Pierre singing “Mammy’s Little Coal Black Rose” in that scene, the outcome of it is still funny in spite of it.

What I Like About This One:

The rendition of “Shortnin’ Bread” over the opening credits.

Feeling tired, Porky decides to sit down and relax for a bit but the chair he’s about to sit in is buzzed down to sawdust. “Hey! Th-th-That’s funny. I thought there was a ch-ch-chair there”, Porky says as he sits in another chair, but that is buzzed down to nothingness too. With the newspaper landing in his face, Porky realizes his home has been invaded by a termite when he reads that termites are threatening the city: “Oh! S-S-So that’s what’s happening around here! T-t-termites!” (animated by Basil Davidovich)

The very termite responsible, Pierre, flies on to Porky’s shoulder and introduces himself: “Oui, oui, monsieur. Permit to introduce to you myself. Pierre, the biggest, the strongest termite of them all. Also the hungriest”. He then demonstrates his hunger as he eats away at the dinner table, reduces it down to a smaller table, then to an even smaller table before only the bowl that was on there is left (animated by Bill Melendez).

Porky attempts to open the closet to get something to combat Pierre, but Pierre eats away at the door, causing Porky to get dizzy when trying to open it. Pierre slaps Porky down. Porky gets back up and uses a wooden baseball bat but Pierre chops it down like a tree causing it to hit Porky’s head like a punching bag (animated by John Carey).

Next, Porky traps Pierre under a plunger and figures he has him right where he wants him, but Pierre buzzes out a hole around him, causing Porky to crash into the coal in the cellar. Coming back up with his head completely black from the coal, an angry Porky rises out as Pierre sings “Mammy’s Little Coal Black Rose” (animated by Melendez).

As Porky rings the phone for the Sureshot Exterminator Company, Pierre is preparing to eat the table the phone is on. On the other end, Sureshot himself is answering, “So you’re bothered by a termite. So you want an exterminator. Well, son, I’m hear to help ya. Just give old Sureshot the lowdown.” (animated by Carey) By now, the table the phone was on has been eaten away at as Porky is standing on a stool and literally leaning down to speak into the phone: “Th-this is about as lowdown as I can get! Hurry, please!” (animated by Davidovich)

Sureshot arrives a few seconds later, explaining he got held up in traffic but reassures Porky his troubles are now over. He first gives him a squirt gun that sprays gas as it will give “that little squirt a squirt” and send him up to “termite heaven” (animated by Don Williams). Pierre simply covers up the sprayer’s mouth with his pipe, resulting in the fumes being sprayed back at Porky, sending him up as an angel along with several termite angels (animated by Davidovich).

Sureshot revives Porky with a bucket of water and reassures he’s here to help him (animated by Williams). Going up the stairs with a vacuum (animated by Melendez), Porky mouths “Okay” down at Sureshot who plugs it in and again says, “I’m here to help ya, son!” Pierre eats away at the part of the banister Porky is standing on causing him to slide down the stairs (animated by Carey). Pierre also sends several dishes rolling down, all of which hit Porky on impact. Pierre then carves out the post on the bottom of the stairs in the shape of Porky’s head, which comes to life and sticks its tongue out at him! (animated by Melendez; Carl Stalling’s trumpet blurt for the Porky-shaped post sticking its tongue out is hilarious)

In the basement, Sureshot sends Porky up a ladder, guiding him up with his plunger. Pierre eats away at the ladder’s rungs until nothing is left, leaving Sureshot to give Porky a meek wave before Porky falls (animated by Williams).

Porky attempts to sneak up on Pierre, but Pierre handcuffs him to a post (animated by Carey) and eats away at it, resulting in the above floor crashing down atop the basement. Sureshot happens to be on this very floor, the bathroom, and once again reminds Porky he’s here to help him (animated by Melendez).

Porky and Sureshot attempt to use a hose in the wall to flush Pierre out, but Pierre guides it out of the wall (animated by Melendez). When Sureshot turns it on, the bathroom floods, knocking down the door and creating a waterfall down the stairs as a still-grinning Sureshot and an annoyed Porky go down it in a bathtub. Pierre goes down it, riding a bar of soap and singing “By a Waterfall” (animated by Carey).

Sureshot then gives Porky his ultimate weapon, guiding Porky’s hands to light it and having him pinned against the wall with his plunger: “Now you take this stick of dynamite in your left hand. And you take this match in your right hand. And you take the match you got in your right hand and apply it gently to the stick of dynamite you got in your left hand. And always remember, son, I’m right here to help ya!” He then runs all the way back into his office, and yawns after hearing the inevitable explosion in the distance (animated by Williams).

Porky comes into Sureshot’s office, fuming (animated by Williams), as Sureshot says, “Well, so ya finally got rid of him. Good. Good. Good” before Porky angrily gets in his face as Sureshot repeats “Good” in a nervous tone (animated by Davidovich). Porky tells him, “N-n-n-now I’m here to help YOU, son!” (animated by Williams) Pierre flies down to Sureshot and adds, “Tell you what we are going to do” (animated by Carey). Porky now behaves like a termite and eats away at Sureshot’s desk! (hilariously animated by Melendez)

In tune to a very jaunty instrumental of “Shortnin’ Bread”, Porky and Pierre have become good friends and have taken over Sureshot’s office, setting up a new store “Porky and Pierre Antique Furniture” where said furniture is carved by means of Pierre eating away at pieces of wood on a conveyor belt (animated by Williams).

Where Can I Watch It?

At archive.org!

Carrot Rating:

🥕🥕🥕🥕🥕