O Grande Jogo

OK, so the Termite Terrace crowd liked to portray baseball in their cartoons and totally play with it (as seen in "Porky's Baseball Broadcast", "Baseball Bugs" and "Gone Batty"). "Boulevardier from the Bronx" features another twist on the game. This time, suave rooster pitcher Dizzy Dan from New York - he's apparently based on a St. Louis player - arrives in a small town called Hicksville, instantly making the women swoon with his song about being a high society type (this of course makes a local rooster quite angry). The game itself is basically a series of gags; if you've seen any of Warner Bros.'s other baseball-themed cartoons, you'll know what sorts of things to expect.

If nothing else, this cartoon is a look into Warner Bros. animation's early years; at this time, Porky Pig was their top star and Mel Blanc wasn't yet providing the voices. Worth seeing, if only once.

It helps to know a little baseball history as this cartoon takes off on St. Louis Cardinals' ace of the day: Dizzy Dean. Here, it's a rooster named Dizzy Dan.

Dan is the star pitcher for the Giants who are in this whistle stop of a town called "Hickville" for an exhibition game. The town welcomes Dan with a band at the railroad station and Dan treats them with a long poem explaining how great he is!

The game features the normal stuff I've seen in other animated shorts, whether they feature "Goofy" or "Daffy" or "Bugs." Most of it's funny and revolves around the arrogant pitcher Dan and how he looks great until the bottom of the ninth when he gets a dish of humble pie.

Overall, a decent cartoon, nothing super, but the excellent artwork should be noted, too.

Love animation, it was a big part of my life as a child, particularly Disney, Looney Tunes and Tom and Jerry, and still love it whether it's film, television or cartoons. Actually appreciate it even more through young adults eyes, due to having more knowledge of it, various animation styles, studios, directors and how it all works.

'Boulevardier from the Bronx' is not one of Friz Freleng's, a director who did many great cartoons and a director held in high admiration by me, best, not being one of his funniest, wittiest or freshest. For relatively early Freleng, 'Boulevardier from the Bronx' is good though he would do much better later. It is never what one would call properly hilarious (but is never unfunny), Freleng's later efforts show more evenness and confidence in directing and the story.

It is quite thin in terms of story and the structure is predictable (not an awful lot different from other baseball themed cartoons and basically an excuse to string the gags along. The gags in the first half lacked a bit in wit and did lack invention and sometimes energy even.

However, the characters are fun as is the conflict. Dizzy Dan is a fun lead character.

The cartoon has a lot of very amusing moments in particularly the second half, some variety and there is a good deal of liveliness. The fun and danger of baseball is very well captured.

Animation is very good, it's fluid in movement, crisp in shading, vibrant and very meticulous in detail. The music is outstanding, it is lovely on the ears, lushly orchestrated, full of lively energy and characterful in rhythm, not only adding to the action but also enhancing it. The title song is a highlight.

Overall, nice cartoon. 7/10 Bethany Cox

"Boulevardier from the Bronx" is a very heavy-handed cartoon from Looney Tunes. While the cartoon is exceptionally well animated, the story itself is anything but subtle!

When the story begins, the Giants are traveling the country playing exhibition games. Now they are in Hicktown playing the local team. But the Giants don't take them seriously, and their cocky pitcher, Dizzy Dan (a take-off on the real life Dizzy Dean of the St. Louis Cardinals), is especially cocky. Once the game begins he blows away the competition....until the final inning.

The story looks great but the whole thing feels like a complete unsubtle attempt to brainwash the kids in the audience with the message that without humility, you're bound to fail...making the conclusion a foregone conclusion. Easy to skip.