Cook the goose, and then imitate Barbarella
Once again, a dimwit unsuccessfully tries to do away with Daffy Duck. In this case, soft-spoken Mr. Meek has to cook a duck for dinner or his wife will cook his goose (heh, heh). Some of the gags here have appeared in so many cartoons that I easily predicted them (namely the one about lumps). But the highlight here is Daffy's striptease; it reminded me of what Jane Fonda did at the beginning of "Barbarella". If we in the 21st century find that scene wacky, just imagine how it must have looked to moviegoers in 1943! Anyway, this is a true display of Daffy's talent back when his first name actually described his personality (it was after WWII when he became a sociopath under Chuck Jones's direction). OK, so we could also be cynical and say that Bob Clampett gave Daffy a too vulnerable rival, and so Daffy didn't have to do all that he could. Well, I still say that "The Wise Quacking Duck" is a really funny cartoon. And I don't think that any live-action actor would have dared do that striptease.
- lee_eisenberg
- Dec 19, 2007