Captain Hareblower

Another cartoon where Sam is out to get Bugs Bunny but Sam is constantly outwitted by the too-clever rabbit. Sam is once again portrayed as a pirate who tries with all his might to take over a passing ship. The entire crew abandons ship, except Bugs Bunny who stays on board to defend the ship against Sam.

This has many scenes that are basically re-creations of "Bunker Hill Bunny" and "Buccaneer Bunny", which also feature Sam and Bugs at war with each other. I would have given "Captain Hareblower" a higher rating if it had all original story lines instead of copied scenes from past cartoons. Nevertheless, it's one of many WB shorts that is full of mayhem and good fun.

Popular Bugs Bunny lampoon of Warners’ own CAPTAIN HORATIO HORNBLOWER (1951) – though already released on one of their various “Looney Tunes” sets, it makes for an ideal extra on the live-action epic’s DVD edition.

The film is virtually a 7-minute battle of wits between Bugs and his frequent sparring partner, the diminutive but pompous Yosemite Sam – here dubbed “Pirate Sam”. Typically, the former is a stowaway on a ship which is attacked by the latter – singlehandedly! The crew of its targeted vessel abandons ship, and the laidback but wily rabbit is then pushed into assuming command by Sam’s obstinate provocation…at which, naturally, he’s instantly adept (much to the pirate’s chagrin)! Of course, the amount of physical violence – predictably, endured mostly by Sam (being constantly surprised by Bugs’ cannonballs fired virtually at point-blank range) – wouldn’t pass muster in a ‘normal’ film from this era. Incidentally, while the cartoon retains the 19th century setting of the real Hornblower adventures, the script-writers couldn’t help inserting gags involving modern commodities – such as an electric fan (even when put under pressure, Bugs’ resourcefulness never seems to fail him) and an underwater costume (complete with flippers and goggles) for the characteristically underhanded Sam.

The finale, then, sees the two nonchalantly lighting a match – which they throw in the powder room of their respective opponent’s ship, daring one another to pick it up before the inevitable explosion. Of course, Sam’s vessel is blown to “smithereenies” first but, when Bugs’ turn comes, he doesn’t budge – the pirate loses his nerve and jumps overboard, a reaction which baffles the rabbit…given that his “powder” is of an entirely different sort i.e. the make-up variety (which is a classically absurdist “Looney Tunes” twist).

Yosemite Sam and Bugs Bunny are the main stars of this short, Yosemite Sam is Pirate Sam and Bugs Bunny is the only surviving crew member when he confronts him (as all the other crew members and captain have drowned themselves). Pirate Sam battles with Bugs to try and win the ship - but Bugs is not going to make it easy for him..!

This short contains a great deal of slapstick, especially for the time (around 1954 most of the directors/writers were quite sensible in their amounts of slapstick). There are also some very good lines and the animation is good. Bugs Bunny and Yosemite Sam are both good characters, it seems they work as a team, even though they are battling against each other.

This cartoon is based on "Bucaneer Bunny" made a few years before. "Bucaneer Bunny" is slightly better, with more jokes, but because I had watched this first, the jokes in "Bucaneer Bunny" were more predictable.

Hope you like this episode! I recommend this short to people who like old fashioned ships, Looney Tunes and amusing slapstick. Enjoy "Captain Hareblower"! :-)

Short and wonderfully sweet. Every gag is timed and animated to perfection and there is even a good punchline (usually a cartoon short's most obvious problem). This is essentially a re-animated version of 1947's Buccaneer Bunny but the gags are timed even better.

I first saw "Captain Hareblower" in the compilation film "Daffy Duck's Movie: Fantastic Island". After all these years, I've finally seen the cartoon on its own. I almost never stopped laughing, as pirate Yosemite Sam (in full aggressive form) scares the crew off of a ship and then tries to get Bugs Bunny to surrender but Bugs always has a trick up his sleeve. With perfectly timed gags, I might add.

It's always so great to contrast the calm but acerbic Bugs with the violent but incompetent Sam. As I once read, Friz Freleng wanted a character who could take on Bugs. For Friz, it wasn't Elmer Fudd, a total sap. So, Friz came up with the smallest person imaginable and gave him the biggest voice imaginable. As a result, the roughest, toughest, he-man stuffest hombre as ever crossed the Rio Grande - and he ain't no namby-pamby - has always been a hoot, including in this cartoon.