Duck! Rabbit, Duck!

The "Hunting Trilogy" of Rabbit Fire (1951), Rabbit Seasoning (1952), and Duck! Rabbit! Duck! (1953) should be considered the comedic high water mark of the Chuck Jones-Michael Maltese collaboration. While they are seldom mentioned in lists of the "greatest" or "most important" cartoons in the history of animation, they are certainly THE FUNNIEST cartoons I've ever seen. Michael Maltese never got the credit that directors like Jones, Freleng or Avery got, but it's his dialogue and situations that make Warner Bros. cartoons, and these three in particular, some of the FUNNIEST ever made.

This is another one of those "It's duck season. No, it's rabbit season." You know, back-and- forth as Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck each try to send stupid Elmer Fudd off to shoot the other guy during hunting season, beginning with signs pointing the way. There were three of these similar-themed animated shorts, one each year from 1951-53. This was the final one of what some call "the hunting trilogy."

Anyway, as usual, Bugs gives Elmer some ridiculous line which is working until Daffy interrupts, saying "What is this? A cooking class? Shoot him!" Daffy was always one to get right to the point....but Bugs is the brains of the three.

The parts that made me laugh hardest were the looks on Daffy's face several times, like the kind Jack Benny used to make. It's also incredible how many times the poor duck has hill bill blown off. Daffy's final line to Bugs sums it up best: "You're despicable!"

Overall, an excellent episode. It can be seen on the Looney Tunes Golden Collection Volume three DVD.

This is a funny short but it's the worst of the three because basically all three shorts are exactly the same thing!!!! What sets them apart is the dialogue and gimmicks. Rabbit Fire had the Joe Besser a/k/a Elephant spoof and Rabbit Seasoning had the clever dialogue. This one in the other hand really doesn't have anything! It just features the basics! The only funny thing about it is Daffy Duck screaming all those different animals and getting shot!

It is Duck season and Daffy Duck is burning all the signs. He is pointing the arrow right to Bugs Bunny's home and Elmer Fudd is following it. Bugs claims to be a fricasseeing rabbit and Elmer does not have a fricasseeing rabbit license. Daffy writes up a license for Elmer, but it's not quite right.

This is the last of the "Hunting Trilogy". This is not the best in the trio, but it is still plenty good. I love that they keep repeating fricasseeing. I actually don't know what that is other than some cooking terminology. It just sounds funny. Some words are simply fun to say. This cartoon is fun.

"Duck! Rabbit! Duck!" is the best of the "Hunter Trilogy." From the ubiquitous sign gags that only get funnier (Daffy: You dirty dog... Bugs: And YOU'RE a dirty skunk! Daffy: I'm a dirty skunk? I'M a dirty skunk!? Sign: Dirty Skunk Season Elmer: Blam!) to the wonderful ending where poor Elmer gets driven mad, this short is a laugh a second, and one of the prime examples why Chuck Jones will be missed.