Nothing But the Tooth

"Nothing But the Tooth" probably seemed funnier back when people didn't recognize it as racist. It portrays Porky Pig going out to California to find gold, only to meet a nerdy Indian who wants to scalp him and stops at nothing to achieve this goal.

Yeah, so just as long as we understand that this is a demeaning portrayal of Native Americans, we can accept it (or can we?). I notice that the cartoon mentions Gene Autry - specifically how his horse would have sacrificed himself for his master - and Humphrey Bogart. Would six-year-old children have recognized those names in 1948? Worth seeing as a historical reference, if nothing else.

Personally I did not really see this as racist, although now I acknowledge that it is. I've watched one or two things which are just as racist at points and yet they have not been banned. I am seethingly against racism, but I do not mind watching it in an old cartoon.

I quite like this episode, as I found some of the gags very funny and the theme of the episode is also good and works well (the Gold Rush and Gold Tooth theme). Porky turns out to be a good character, I think this might be one of a few episodes where he was starting to become braver and more intelligent than the characters alongside him (for example, Daffy Duck). I also quite like the animation of this short.

This episode starts with a dog yawning on a hillside. He has a gold tooth. Immediately a passer by tells everyone that there is gold to be found in California. Mad or what? Porky excitedly goes on his way, little does he realise there is someone to try and scalp him on the way...

I recommend this episode to anyone who does not mind anything at all racist and to people who like Porky. Enjoy "Nothing but the Tooth"! :-)