Le chapeau magique

Case of the Missing Hare (1942)

*** (out of 4)

Magician Ala Bahma is in the forest hanging up posters for his upcoming show and he crosses paths with Bugs Bunny. After throwing a pie into his face, Bugs decides to go to the show and cause the magician some trouble.

While this film is far from a classic it still contains enough good moments to where fans of Bugs will enjoy watching it. As you'd expect the animation quality is extremely high and that beautiful color is on full display throughout. Ala Bahma appeared in several shorts and I honestly never found him to be the greatest of villains. The entertainment factor certainly comes from Bugs with one of the highlights dealing with swords.

Magician Ala Bahma is hanging his own posters for an upcoming performance. He covers a hole in a tree which is the entrance to Bugs Bunny's home. During the performance, Bugs comes in and claims to want to help. It's not the type of help that Ala is looking for.

This is swimming in muddied waters. I can't tell if Bugs is actually trying to help or pretending to help. It is his trickster nature and it could be both. I would like a scene to definitively signify one way or another. Papering over his door seems minor, but it is fine for him to over-react. I can't tell and in the end, that does bug me.

When a--hole magician Ala Bahma nails a poster over Bugs Bunny's tree-hole (since when does Bugs live in a tree?) and subsequently shoves a pie in Bugs's face, Bugs decides that it means war. So, Ala Bahma's show that night becomes a venue for Bugs to make a mess of everything. Whether it's the carrot, the swords, or the end, this is a magic show unlike any other. Why can't we all do this more?! So, maybe "Case of the Missing Hare" isn't the best Looney Tunes/Merry Melodies cartoon ever, but it's still a real pleasure. Bugs always knows how to turn the power structure on its head, even when dressed like a little kid. Really funny.

He dood it alright.

When a magician desecrates Bugs Bunny's tree home (yea I know Bugs doesn't usually live in a tree, but just go with it), the rabbit decides to go to the magician's show to heckle him unmercifully, making him look quite the fool in front of his audience. If you can get over the whole tree thing, you'll find that this IS a truly funny short, and worthy to be more widely known than it appears to be. This animated short can be found on Disk 1 of the Looney Tunes Golden Collection Volume 3 and includes an optional commentary by Greg Ford which is quite informative by itself and is worth at least one listen.

My Grade: B+

In this Bugs Bunny episode, we meet the rascally rabbit living happily in a tree. And why are some people not OK with this? It is perfectly fine - it is actually quite a good touch to the episode - funny in some aspects.

Also, kissing can be quite funny, cartoon or real life. The way that the Looney Tunes characters used to do it can strike up a chuckle or two. In this day and age, I do not find it terribly funny, but it does not matter.

Anyhow, this is a very funny episode, another one of those ones where Bugs Bunny earns revenge from a nasty stage person. The animation of Bugs Bunny is good, the jokes are good (especially where Bugs Bunny is imitating a dog with his fingers) and the theme of the episode is used well.

In this short, a stage magician is putting up posters advertising his magic show. He so happens to pin a poster over the door of Bugs Bunny's home - a tree, funnily enough. Bugs Bunny starts to become annoyed with the stage magician, who in fact turns out to be an obnoxious meanie. Bugs Bunny will soon fight for revenge...

I recommend this Bugs Bunny episode for anyone who likes stage magic (a lot of the jokes here are based on it), old Bugs animation and Looney Tunes. Enjoy "Case of the Missing Hare"! :-)