Porky's Spring Planting

Until the rise of Daffy Duck and Bugs Bunny at the very end of the 1930s, Porky Pig was Termite Terrace's biggest star, but he was largely a straight man. In this one he is a farmer doing his spring planting, beset by a lazy watch dog ("I must be a watch dog -- I'm full of ticks") and raiding chickens. Part of my lack of enjoyment may be due to the poor coloring imposed on the print I saw.

Tashlin tries his best, using some of his interesting compositions. In the beginning scenes, while Porky is harrowing the ground before planting, he is shown in a tight shot from a very low angle -- almost a worm's-eye view. Tash would go from directing cartoons with very live-action compositions to live-action movies with very cartoonish set-ups. but this is not, alas, one of his better efforts.

In this black & white cartoon, Porky is planting a new garden with his dog, Streamline...and it's a very magical one. This is because right after plowing and irrigating, the garden is filled with fully grown veggies and flowers! Unfortunately, the nearby chickens discover this and help themselves to Porky's produce. Is there any prayer for Porky to keep the chickens off his veggies?

This is a fair cartoon...well animated but also not particularly funny or clever. Not a bad cartoon but one that could have easily been funnier and more enjoyable.

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.

'Porky's Spring Planting' is not one of Porky's very finest and not quite in the better half of his late 30s cartoons. Frank Tashlin does a nice job directing, with some nice visual characterisation and engagement with the material. The whole of 'Porky's Spring Planting' is very well made and never less than amusing, though not all of the gags have the freshness they should.

Porky himself is likeable, but in terms of personality and material he plays second fiddle to the chickens and especially Streamline, who has all the best lines.

Mel Blanc is outstanding as always. He always was the infinitely more preferable voice for Porky, Joe Dougherty never clicked with me, and he proves it in 'Porky's Building'. Blanc shows an unequalled versatility and ability to bring an individual personality to every one of his multiple characters in a vast majority of his work, there is no wonder why he was in such high demand as a voice actor.

The animation is very good. It's fluid in movement, crisp in shading and very meticulous in detail. The story may be predictable but it's nicely paced.

Carl Stalling's music is typically outstanding. It is as always lushly orchestrated, full of lively energy and characterful in rhythm, not only adding to the action but also enhancing it.

Overall, good but not great. 7/10 Bethany Cox