Hare Tonic

In this cartoon, Bugs faces off against his old friend, Elmer Fudd. There are efforts along the way to get him, but her routinely escapes. The best part is when Elmer calls a doctor to treat Bugs. Of course, Bugs has already escaped and now is paying Doctor Killpatient. Elmer is made to see spots because he may have "rabbititus." There are some nice little sight gags with the erstwhile hunter getting it from all sides.

Elmer Fudd buys a rabbit from the market for his rabbit stew. Bugs Bunny climbs out of the basket and he is ready to talk his way out of the situation. It could never be so simple as running away.

After the recent events, this takes on a whole new meaning. At a base level, this is good fun trickery from Bugs and Elmer Fudd is a fine target. Bugs has good reason and all that works well. As for the disease paranoia, the panic is real. That may take some of the light humor out of this short. That does hold back the laughs a little, but I can't blame the cartoon. Real world events have overtaken it.

I immensely enjoyed this cartoon, even though there were many Looney Tunes "cliches" involved and there was a predictable storyline, there were many clever verbal jokes, fast-paced and amusing slapstick jokes (there was not much slapstick, but what there was, was good) and the involvement with the audience (even for nowadays, as Bugs Bunny references to cinemas) works very well. I felt quite sorry for Elmer Fudd in this cartoon, but it made me like the cartoon more as often I do not feel particularly sympathetic for him, great character that he is.

The episode begins when Elmer is walking to his home with a basket full of carrots and a rabbit for his rabbit stew. Bugs Bunny does the traditional "what's in the basket?" joke, going out of the basket and making Elmer look inside it, then wondering where the rabbit has gone etc. Eventually, Elmer manages to take Bugs Bunny to his house and starts preparing the stew. Bugs Bunny pulls a fast one by faking a telephone ring with a bell within reach. While Elmer repeatedly says "hewo?" into the telephone, Bugs Bunny escapes, but then decides he wants to go back and earn revenge on Elmer...

I highly recommend this cartoon to any Bugs Bunny fan and to people who enjoy Looney Tunes in general. If you prefer slapsticky Looney Tunes episodes I do not recommend this so highly. Enjoy "Hare Tonic"! :-)

HARE TONIC is one of the best Bugs Bunny vs. Elmer Fudd shorts out there. Bugs convinces Elmer Fudd that "rabbititus", an epidemic of doomsday proportions is sweeping through the nation. He creates this illusion in Mr. Fudd's eyes by painting the walls a sickly color and dressing up as the bearded, and very dangerous Dr. Killpatient. Viva Bugs!

Elmer Fudd buys Bugs Bunny from a meat market as he anticipates a nice rabbit stew. Bugs climbs out of his basket to tell him he's been robbed: the rabbit's gone! Incredibly, Elmer believes him. The dope eventually catches on when Bugs shoves him into the basket and then carries it himself. Somehow Elmer manages to get Bugs home, but the wily rabbit easily escapes. But wait! Why waste a great opportunity? Bugs returns to "heckle that character." He fools Elmer, through a faked radio program, into believing that there's an epidemic of something called "rabbititus" going about. Through Bugs's trickery he sees spots, a coat on Bugs's tongue and his own rabbity image reflected at him in a "mirror" that's really just Bugs after the glass has been removed. Dr. Killpatient arrives to help, but he has a suspiciously fuzzy tail. But it's we in the audience who may prove Bugs's ultimate dupes.

This is a very good short, remarkably so from Chuck Jones, who had not yet hit his stride in 1945 and was frequently bringing out interesting failures or tepid successes. Elmer Fudd has never been stupider; the hilarious business on the telephone is reason enough to see this.

This cartoon is available on the "Looney Tunes Golden Collection, Volume Three," Disc 1.