Tartaruga Vence o Coelho

Of all the early appearances by Bugs Bunny, "Tortoise Beats Hare" might just be the best. The story is so good that it was reworked in the studio's later cartoons.

The cartoon features a great character, Cecil the Turtle. In some ways, his slow delivery sounds like MGM's Droopy...but unlike Droopy, he's a bit of a jerk!

The story begins with Bugs walking across the screen and seeing the credits. When he sees that the tortoise beats the hare, he's incensed and demands a rematch. The tortoise, with a lot of help and cheating, manages to once again upstage the rabbit.

The way the characters break the fourth wall is very funny...and very typical of many of the Tex Avery directed cartoons. It's well animated, fun and among the studio's best.

Right away, we some innovation in this early Bugs Bunny cartoon as Bugs reads - with his mouth full - the opening credits, mispronouncing the names! That was very funny. He gets angry when he sees the title of this 'toon, so he rips off the credits and the scenery is behind it, beginning the story.

Bugs goes looking for "the stupe," meaning Cecil Turtle. (Bugs went on to race Cecil two other times in future cartoons.) Although it's longtime voice man Mel Blanc, Bugs' voice sounds a bit lower and with slightly more of a Brooklyn accent. He also is taller, has bigger ears and a more oblong-shaped head.

Bugs bets Cecil ten bucks he can beat him in a race, and we go from there with the normal cocky Bugs sarcastically calling him opponent "Seabiscuit" and the normal ending. How they got there, though, was fun to watch as Cecil gets his buddies to play mind games on Bugs.

Once again, kudos to the restoration team on these Looney Tunes Golden Collection discs that made this cartoon, which 66 years old, look fantastic. The scenery and the colors are amazing.

Tortoise Beats Hare (1941)

*** 1/2 (out of 4)

Bugs challenges Cecil Turtle to a race and you just know who is going to win. This classic film from Tex Avery contains plenty of nice action and some great jokes, although in a way I find it rather hard to cheer for anyone from either side since both are cheating throughout the film. Perhaps that's just my brain over thinking things but this is still a very entertaining and very funny film. There are many great gags but the best are Bugs when he starts to go mad wondering how Cecil keeps passing him up. The final gag is also a winner. As good as this short is I think its sequel TORTOISE WINS BY A HARE is even better.

All of the Bugs vs. Cecil cartoons are extremely good, while Rabbit Transit was the one that introduced me to that lovable turtle Cecil(despite the fact this is the actual cartoon that introduces him), Tortoise Wins by a Hare is my personal favourite. From the title, you may already know how Tortoise Beats Hare ends, but the cartoon begins brilliantly and originally while the final gag is actually amusing. The story is well done, the animation is excellent(even if Bugs looks a little different having longer ears for example), the music is rousing and bouncy, the dialogue is witty and sharp and the sight gags are a real joy. Not to mention Bugs and Cecil having a great time together and individually, and Mel Blanc's vocals are superb. Overall, delightful. 9/10 Bethany Cox

Bugs Bunny is incensed after seeing the name of the cartoon. There's no was a small slow turtle can beat his wiry fast rabbit legs and he aims to prove it. Enter Cecil Turtle, in the first of three races he'd have with Bugs. The short is funny and it's nice seeing Bugs being the fall guy once in a while. I found it very humorous, yet I still maintain that "Tortoise Wins by a Hare" has the edge over this cartoon, as slight as that edge may be. This animated short can be seen on Disc 1 of the Looney Tunes Golden Collection Volume 2. It also features an optional commentary by Chuck Jones via old interviews. If that's not enough it also features a SECOND commentary by Micheal Barrier.

My Grade: A