Conflit de canard

While other people have said this is the weakest of the Chuck Jones "hunting trilogy," I actually think this one's the best. I always get a kick out of that "Would you like to shoot me now or wait till you get home?" gag. It's funny how no matter what, it's always Daffy that gets shot, not Bugs. Oh, and I liked Daffy's line at the beginning, "Awfully unthporting of me, I know, but hey I gotta have some fun!"

The "Hunting Trilogy" of Rabbit Fire (1951), Rabbit Seasoning (1952), and Duck! Rabbit! Duck! (1953) should be considered the comedic high water mark of the Chuck Jones-Michael Maltese collaboration. While they are seldom mentioned in lists of the "greatest" or "most important" cartoons in the history of animation, they are certainly THE FUNNIEST cartoons I've ever seen. Michael Maltese never got the credit that directors like Jones, Freleng or Avery got, but it's his dialogue and situations that make Warner Bros. cartoons, and these three in particular, some of the FUNNIEST ever made.

Like most Looney Tunes, I could watch "Rabbit Seasoning" over and over. It's my favorite one that doesn't include Marvin the Martian. The "wabbit season/duck season" argument between Bugs and Daffy is comparable to Abbott and Costello's "Who's on first" routine. Animation at its best.

Once again Elmer is faced with the dilemma of who to shoot. Bugs of Daffy. He's unsure of what season it is and Bunny and Duck arguing help matters not. Though Bugs proves he's the smartest once more by repeatedly using reverse psychology on Daffy in increasingly subtle ways. And when that runs out he does his trademark cross-dressing thingy. Daffy freaks out and demands the bunny be shot. Though Elmer is too stupid he is hopelessly in love with the girl bunny thing. Elmer really is to blame for all this. If he weren't so dumb he'd know it REALLY is duck season and just blast Daffy. But poor old Daff can't believe the utter preposterousness of the situation. His cruel plans of misdirection have been foiled by Elmer's dumbness. Daffy is so shocked that he even goes home with Elmer to be blasted in his living room.

Poor Daff. He rules!

The four signs on the road say "If You're Looking For Fun.....You Don't Need A Reason....All You Need Is A Gun....It's Rabbit Season!"

In the woods, we see hundreds of "Rabbit Season" signs posted on every tree. We see more and more signs pointing exactly to Bugs Bunny's hole. Who's putting up all these signs? Daffy Duck!

Daffy puts the last sign up, tiptoes away and says to us, the audience, "Awfully unsporting of me, I know. But, what the hey - I gotta have some fun! Besides, it's really duck season."

From that point, we now see Elmer Fudd, shotgun in hand.....and a war of semantics between Bugs and Daffy with Bugs winning every time. Only in cartoons, thankfully, can we see someone getting shotgun-blasted in the head five times and keep going!