Slick Hare

While most cartoons had Bugs Bunny doing his own stuff to irk Elmer Fudd - and sometimes Daffy Duck - here he has the unexpected help of Hollywood's top stars. When Humphrey Bogart (sorry, it's not really him doing the voice) attends a fancy restaurant and orders rabbit, Elmer has to serve him within twenty minutes, or else. Sure enough, the only rabbit in the vicinity is that carrot-chomping rascal who isn't going down so easy.

All in all, "Slick Hare" makes one nostalgic for old Hollywood* in many ways: it's the era of Bogie, Ray Milland, etc., but also the era when the people behind the Looney Tunes cartoons were producing some of the greatest cartoons of all time. You just gotta see it. Because remember: what baby wants, baby gets.

*I know, Hollywood is the emptiest place on Earth, but this cartoon still makes one nostalgic for it.

Humphrey Bogart is in the Mocrumbo restaurant (a spoof of the legendary Mucombo in LA), where Elmer Fudd is working as a chef. Bogart wants fried rabbit, so Elmer chases Bugs around in hopes of making him dinner. Half the fun is the chase and all the shenanigans that entails. The other half is spotting all the personality parodies. There's Bogert, Grocho Marx, and Lauren Bacall, of course. But there's also Leopold Stokowski, Gregory Peck, Ray Milland, Frank Sinatra, Sydney Greenstreet, and Carmen Miranda. This animated short can be seen on Disc 1 of the Looney Tunes Golden Collection Volume 2. It also features an optional commentary by Micheal Barrier.

My Grade: A-

Slick Hare (1947)

**** (out of 4)

Elmer Fudd plays a waiter at the Mocrumbo, a restaurant with Hollywood's A-list stars. Humphrey Bogart orders rabbit but when Elmer tells him they're out the legendary tough guy demands he get one. Back in the kitchen lies Bugs Bunny but will Elmer be able to serve him up? This is a great cartoon from start to finish because of all the celebs we get to see. Not only do we have a great impression of Bogart but we also see the Marx Brothers, Frank Sinatra and a funny bit of Ray Milland in his THE LOST WEEKEND role. Bugs and Elmer are also at the top of their game as the action between the two is great as are all the jokes. One of the highlights deal with pies being thrown and Bogart taking one in the face.

This is absolutely hilarious!!... It is my favorite BB cartoon. Bogie,Groucho, Ray Milland....its fabulous. Then hiding in Carmen Miranda's hat followed by the dance. Priceless. The fact that a cartoon character can provide laughs like this is living proof of the talent the creators had. If you want to see the essential "wise-guy" that was in essence the character itself, this is the one to see. This, along with the cartoon in which he is offered the "oscar", shows that this was one that played in the big-leagues. It also provides a little bit of a history lesson for the younger generations. It shows the "star power" that was in place at that time...and a mixture of comedians, dramatic actors and musical entertainers.

The Hollywood stars are out in a fancy restaurant. Humphrey Bogart orders fried rabbit from waiter Elmer Fudd and gives him only twenty minutes. He is besides himself until he spots Bugs Bunny in the kitchen. He struggles to cook up the rabbit and fears the repercussion from the gangster movie star.

This one does require the audience to know these iconic Hollywood stars from the past. Their stardoms may have faded and cinema newbies may not know who these people are. That is the main problem here. It just wouldn't hit right if the audience doesn't know to fear Bogie's standard gangster character.