La Estrella Estrellada

Bugs Bunny now a big star in LA tells gossip columnist Lola Beverly of his humble beginnings growing up in New York in particular facing a gang of street tough dogs. Of course outwitting these canine ruffians is no problem for young Bugs. This short is fairly humorous if nothing special, Bugs doesn't even have to use his razor sharp wit in this one as the dogs are pretty much on the dumb side. That being said, it was STILL a Bugs cartoon and I find myself entertained by every short of his just because of that (unless the shorts happens to be directed by Robert McKimson). This animated short can be found on Disk 1 of the Looney Tunes Golden Collection Volume 3 set.

My Grade: B-

I have seen one or two episodes of Bugs Bunny where he is interviewed by press about his background history/career and I think this is the first one made. I enjoyed this episode very much so, Bugs Bunny as a young rabbit in Manhattan was a sweet character when dancing and he does a good job of avoiding his pursuers as well as he does in most of his episodes (except here Elmer is not pursuing Bugs in a wood, it is a stray dog pursuing Bugs in New York City). There are quite a few good jokes in this episode, the animation is all right and the idea is one that is clever and original (even if I myself have already seen a few episode on the same premise).

The cartoon opens with a very strange woman interviewer saying that they will meet the Hollywood Star Bugs Bunny. They first encounter him in his burrow (right next to palm trees and a SWIMMING POOL) and he has to dress into clothes that are not pyjamas for the interviewer. He then tells about his young life in Manhattan...

I recommend this episode to people who like Bugs Bunny and to people who like Looney Tunes in general. Enjoy "A Hare Grows in Manhattan"! :-)

Have always been a huge fan of Bugs Bunny, so would see anything with him in. Not all his cartoons are great, with a few of his later efforts being quite bad, but his best cartoons are masterpieces and some of the best cartoons ever made.

'A Hare Grows in Manhattan' may not be among his best, Manhattan itself could have been used more and same with the premise of Bugs being a film star which began the cartoon so promisingly. While the whole stuff with the bulldog is clever and lots of fun it is somewhat typical of a chase cartoon and not hugely surprising or innovative story-wise and just seemed a tad disconnected.

Because 'A Hare Grows in Manhattan' is so much fun throughout the length, any reservations about the story and Manhattan and the film star premise not quite living to their full potential don't feel like huge problems. The animation is truly beautiful here, the painterly buildings and landscapes are particularly striking while the colours are gorgeously vibrant, the backgrounds meticulous in detail and the drawing crisp and smooth.

Carl Stalling's music score shines as bright as a twinkling star as always, no other Looney Tunes/Merry Melodies wrote music so consistently great without putting a foot wrong. Orchestration is lush, rhythms are rich in character and energy and it not only adds to everything so well the impact of scenes are enhanced to a greater level by Stalling's music. It is especially fitting agreed in the Egyptian billboard, the ascending elevator ride and Bugs' hopping on all fours.

The writing is razor sharp, fresh and deliciously witty, and the gags are beautifully timed, clever and at their best hilarious. Hard to pick a favourite line or gag because there isn't a clunky line or misfiring gag among them. Pacing never gets dull or chaotic, Bugs has everything that makes him such a great character in the first place and the bulldog is good fun with strong chemistry with Bugs. Mel Blanc can be counted on to give great, or even better than that, voice work and be a large part of a cartoon's success, no disappointments here, he's superb.

In conclusion, hugely enjoyable cartoon if not among Bugs' best. 9/10 Bethany Cox

Friz Freleng's 'A Hare Grows in Manhattan' starts out with a promising premise and then reverts to a straightforward and largely uninspired chase picture. Opening as a Celebrity Lives TV show which interviews Bugs Bunny about his early years, 'A Hare Grows in Manhattan' virtually abandons this idea immediately for a chase between Bugs and a tough street dog. Although this is meant to take place during Bugs's formative years, there's really nothing to distinguish it from the average Bugs Bunny cartoon. There's a few nice little moments here and there but 'A Hare Grows in Manhattan' is nothing special at all. Robert McKimson would take a better (if not entirely successful) stab at Bugs's life story in 'What's Up Doc?', which at least ran with its original concept instead of lapsing into predictable antics which render the opening sequence entirely insignificant.

One of the ways to make a character a 'hero' is to make trouble find the character, instead of the character looking for trouble.

In this short, Bugs is encountered by a group of New York 'toughs' who just happen to be dogs.

This short is most noticeable for one of the early introductions of Spike, the big dog wearing the derby and sweater, later paired up with Chester in their own couple of shorts. This is a fun short, so if you get the chance, definitely watch it. 8/10.