Cracked Ice

Frank Tashlin's 'Cracked Ice' is an oddly dull one-shot cartoon which stars a W.C. Fields pig who attempts to obtain alcohol from the St, Bernard rescue dog. The first thing I noticed about 'Cracked Ice' is how ugly the character designs are. The pig and St. Bernard aren't too bad but the opening sequences in which we see various animals skating on a frozen pond feature some of the worst drawings I've seen in a Warner cartoon. The main plot of 'Cracked Ice', when it arrives, is rather feeble and the two main characters are so cumbersome that the action is inevitably plodding. The jokes centring around the magnet are the highlight of the cartoon but that same setup has been used to better effect in many cartoons. There's also a good bit where W.C. Squeals (as he is called here) talks directly to an cinema audience member (who sounds like ventriloquist Charlie McCarthy, referencing a long forgotten "feud" between the two celebrities) but this, too, has been better executed in several other shorts. With both look and script severely lacking, 'Cracked Ice' emerges as a clumsy film which, for the most part, bores me rigid.

Fans of Looney Tunes/Merrie Melodies cartoons should know about how the creators often incorporated pop culture references into the cartoons, and understand that these references probably will fly over our heads in the 21st century. One such example is Frank Tashlin's "Cracked Ice". This one starts off with several characters ice skating to the tune of "The Blue Danube", all the while pulling various gags.

That's when a bird falls into a water hole. Overstuffed pig W.C. Squeals summons a St. Bernard, but gets thirsty at the sight of the dog giving the bird brandy. While at first he pretends to drown, the dog sees through his game. But when he uses a magnet...well, let's just say that I couldn't have predicted the subsequent events in a million years! They must have had fun creating this cartoon! So, it goes to show that while Tashlin may not have been the most famous Warner Bros. animation director, he left his mark. And it was a funny one. You're sure to like this cartoon.

I don't see Cracked Ice as one of my absolute favourites, the plot is minimal and the ice skating gags are not that much new, in fact they are on the generic side (though they still manage to generate some amusement). However, the animation is great with bright colours and some interesting camera angles. The character designs are not bad either. The music is just as wonderful, I love the luscious orchestration and its energy. The highlight is the Blue Danube sequence at the start, love the music itself and the harmonies were very clever. The gags manage to be very funny, especially the ones with the magnet and the radio feud. The ice skating gags are not that much new but still manage to generate some amusement, which to me is what matters more. The characters are memorable, especially the caricature of WC Fields. The voice work from the ever dependable Mel Blanc is faultless.

All in all, a lot of fun but not what I call an exceptional cartoon. 8/10 Bethany Cox