Release Date:

February 20, 1943

Main Character(s):

Bugs Bunny, Cecil Turtle

Summary:

Determined to know how Cecil Turtle always wins the race, Bugs Bunny finds out from Cecil that turtles are apparently built for racing via modern design and streamlining. So Bugs builds a metal shell to use in the next race. Unfortunately, a gambling ring of rabbits have bet all their money on the rabbit to win this race and will stop at nothing to prevent the turtle from finishing.

That’s Not All, Folks:

This is the second part of the Bugs and Cecil trilogy.

The cartoon starts off with stock footage from “Tortoise Beats Hare” as Bugs is watching his and Cecil’s previous race on a projector with the footage ending with Bugs covering his eyes in shock and Cecil holding his arms in victory.

The newspaper on Bugs and Cecil’s rematch mentions an event that would come true two years later: “Adolf Hitler Commits Suicide”.

This is the first cartoon where Bugs’ final design was used, courtesy of a definitive model sheet designed by Robert McKimson.

One of Clampett’s layout men, Michael Sasanoff, has his name appear in the blueprint for Cecil’s “modern design” shell.

The cartoon is in the 100 Greatest Looney Tunes Cartoons book.

At the end of Bugs’ angry monologue at the start of the cartoon, the animation switches from Rod Scribner to Robert McKimson (when he says, “And I will, too!”)

What I Like About This One:

Bugs’ anger in watching the “Tortoise Beats Hare” footage end with an added announcer describing the race saying, “Yes, folks. The tortoise ALWAYS wins!” He kicks the projector away and rants about how a “natural speed merger” like him is beaten. “I got an athlete’s physique! (which he mispronounces) I got an athlete’s legs! Certainly! I’ve even got athlete’s foot! How does that moron do it? I’LL FIND OUT HIS SECRET IF IT’S THE LAST THING I EVER DO! (animated by Rod Scribner up to here) And I will, too!” (animated by Robert McKimson).

Bugs disguising as an old-timer when going to Cecil’s tree home and getting all of his information on his “secret way of winning” by typing away at a typewriter hidden in his fake beard. As Cecil begins to mention that rabbits are “built all wrong for racing” and their “ridiculous ears” are wind-resistant, Bugs types all that down as well but Cecil pushes the typewriter’s end back into Bugs’ fake beard. Realizing that Cecil did that instead of him, Bugs silently reacts in shock before Cecil opens the door back up to add, “And another thing, rabbits aren’t very bright, either!” This last insult angers Bugs so much that he rants “Ooh, that little so and so!”, tears his disguise off, and angrily jumps up and down on it (animated by Sid Sutherland with McKimson animating closeup shots).

Bugs’ building of his shell being made in an abandoned blacksmith shop with the sign “Danger: A twerp at work” (animated by McKimson).

In the newspaper, “the contestants say-” as their newspaper pictures come to life with Cecil saying “May the best man win” before Bugs pushes him aside and announces, “That’s me! I can’t lose, folks! I got a secret weapon!” before showing “A” and “C” gas rationing cards (animated by McKimson).

Meanwhile, the mob boss of the gangster rabbits informs us: “We’re bettin’ everything we got on the rabbit to win! In fact, we don’t even think that the turtle will finish! Do we, boys?” Several large and dopey rabbit gangsters lean their heads in and answer in unison, “Duh, no, boss. No!” (animated by McKimson)

As the race starts, Bugs cheats by walking tiptoes across the starting line with each “1 for the money, 2 for the show, 3 to make like ready” before zooming far into the distance and shouting, “GO!” (animated by Virgil Ross).

A short while later, Bugs puts his metal shell and green swim cap on before Cecil passes him and gets him angry by saying, “Time’s a wastin’, speedy!” (animated by Ross)

Bugs zooms past Cecil and whoops happily over modern design, but his joy is short-lived as the dim-witted gangsters (who clearly weren’t informed of Bugs’ disguise plan) ambush him by having him crash against a wall while they mallet him. “Take that, ya dirty turtle! Take that!” Regaining consciousness, Bugs argues, “Turtle schmurtle! I’m the rabbit!” An argument over which species he is ensues before the camera pans over to Cecil in a rabbit costume chewing on a carrot and agreeing to the gangsters’ false conclusion: “Yep, that’s the turtle, alright.” (animated by Ross)

Soon, the rabbit gangsters are unknowingly cheering on the wrong contestant before Bugs breaks past them. The gangsters then get violent as they attempt to shoot at him, only for the bullets to bounce off the metal shell, and then try to bomb him (animated by Ross).

Getting ahead of Cecil once more, Bugs is overjoyed at taking the lead and about to cross the finish line but the gangsters pin him down and hold him back while two other gangsters pick Cecil up from his location and carry him over the finish line (animated by Ross).

Furious and upset, Bugs tears off his disguise and frantically yells, “YOU FOOLS! WHAT’RE YOU DOING!? I’M THE RABBIT! THE RABBIT! LOOK! I’M THE RABBIT!” Realizing they made a horrible mistake and lost all their money, the gangsters shamefully sigh, “Eh, NOW he tells us!” and blow their brains out in one clean shot (animated by Scribner).

Where Can I Watch It?

At archive.org!

Carrot Rating:

🥕🥕🥕🥕🥕