Duck! Rabbit! Duck!

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Duck! Rabbit, Duck!

Merrie Melodies (Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck) series

Daffy writes Elmer Fudd a license to shoot a "fricasseeing rabbit" in this scene from Duck! Rabbit, Duck!. "Hey, Bugs, how do you spell 'fricasseeing?'" "F-R-I-C-A-S-S-E-E-I-N-G... D-U-C-K!"
Directed by Charles M. Jones
Produced by Eddie Selzer
Story by Michael Maltese
Voices by Mel Blanc
Arthur Q. Bryan
Animation by Ken Harris
Abe Levitow
Richard Thompson
Lloyd Vaughan
Ben Washam
Studio Warner Bros. Cartoons
The Vitaphone Corporation
Distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures
Release date(s) October 3, 1953 (USA)
Color process Technicolor
Running time 7 min (one reel)
Preceded by Rabbit Seasoning (1952)
IMDb profile

Duck! Rabbit, Duck! is a 1953 Merrie Melodies cartoon, directed by Chuck Jones, and starring Bugs Bunny. It is the sequel to Rabbit Seasoning, and the third (along with Rabbit Fire) and final entry in Jones' "hunting trilogy" (the only major difference in format between this film and the others is that it takes place during the middle of winter). Produced by Eddie Selzer for Warner Bros. Cartoons, Inc., the short was released to theaters on October 3, 1953 by Warner Bros. Pictures and is widely considered among Jones' best and most important films. This is the only film in the trilogy where Bugs does not crossdress.

Contents

[edit] Overview

[edit] Synopsis

The cartoon, set in winter, finds Daffy Duck removing and burning every "Duck Season Open" sign he finds ("I am a duck bent on self preservationumum", he tells the audience). He then attempts to convince Elmer Fudd that it is actually Rabbit Season, prompting Bugs Bunny to use his wits to keep Elmer from shooting him. After each shot, irritated Daffy is forced to put his beak back in place. In the end, Bugs (dressed as the Game Warden) successfully convinces a thoroughly loopy and confused Elmer that it is, in fact, Baseball Season. As Elmer goes off, shooting a baseball, Daffy finally admits that it's really Duck Season... and is promptly shot up by a dozen hunters lying in wait.

[edit] "Dirty Skunk Season"

One extended routine in this short has Bugs holding up various "animal season" signs to correspond with every figurative expression involving an animal that Daffy makes. This begins when Bugs tricks Daffy into making a hunting license that allows Elmer to shoot him (See above picture).

Daffy: Well, I guess I'm the goat.
[Bugs holds up a sign that reads "Goat Season Open" and Elmer points his gun at Daffy....].
Daffy: What?
[Elmer shoots Daffy].
Daffy: You're a dirty dog.
Bugs: And YOU are a dirty skunk!
Daffy: I'm a dirty skunk? I'M a dirty skunk?!
[Bugs holds up a sign that reads "Dirty Skunk Season" and Elmer shoots Daffy].
Daffy: Brother! Am I a pigeon!
[Bugs holds up a sign that reads "Pigeon Season" and Elmer shoots Daffy].
[Later on in the cartoon, after Bugs appears to Elmer as an angel...]
Daffy: Why, if he's dead, then I'm a mongoose!
[Bugs holds up a sign that reads "Mongoose Season" and Elmer shoots Daffy].

Each presentation of the sign was accompanied by a brass fanfare of a fox hunting call, and of course, followed up by a gunshot. Bugs then puts on a duck disguise. Daffy sees him, but forgets himself and shouts "Shoot the duck!" to which Elmer obliges by shooting the nearest duck—Daffy. Daffy finally goes completely insane, demanding Elmer keep shooting him, bounding around on all fours like an elk, and scuttling around sideways like a crab:

'Daffy: Shoot me again! I enjoy it! I love the smell of burnt feathers, and gunpowder, and cordite. I'm an elk!! Shoot me, go on!! It's elk season!! I'm a fiddler crab!!! Why don't you shoot me??? It's fiddler crab season!!!

The antics become truly confusing at the end when Elmer Fudd encounters Bugs disguised as a game warden:

Elmer: Oh, Mister Game Warden, I hope you can help me. I've been told I can shoot wabbits and goats and pigeons and mongooses and dirty skunks and ducks. Could you tell me what season it weawwy is?
Bugs (whipping out a baseball): Why certainly, my boy...it's Baseball Season!

Elmer then completely loses his sanity and starts shooting at a baseball as he runs off into the distance. While he's gone, Bugs asks Daffy what hunting season is it really. Daffy casually answers that it's duck season and ends up getting blasted by many hunters hiding behind rocks. Daffy crawls back, seething and smoldering from being shot, and tells Bugs "You're desthpicable!"

[edit] Censorship

[edit] DVD release

[edit] External links

Preceded by
Bully for Bugs		 Bugs Bunny Cartoons
1953		 Succeeded by
Robot Rabbit