Big Top Bunny (1951)
Directed by Robert McKimson
Story by Tedd Pierce
Animation by Charles McKimson, Rod Scribner, Phil DeLara, Bob Wickersham
Music by Carl Stalling
The reigning animal star of Col. Korny’s Circus is Bruno the Slobokian Acrobatic Bear – the ursine star is a burly biped with a tan body, a chalk white face and a green and red derby, as well as a heavy accent that sounds like it comes from any country behind the Iron Curtain. Bruno’s spotlight reign is threatened when he is given a new performing partner with Bugs Bunny. Bruno is furious at this arrangement and tries to sabotage Bugs during their premiere engagement. Bugs quickly realizes Bruno’s intentions and deftly turns the tables on the arrogant acrobat, ultimately resulting in a big top ejection via a cannon.
“Big Top Bunny” marked Bugs’ return to a circus setting for the first time since “Acrobatty Bunny” in 1946 – and while it wasn’t as consistently funny as the previous three-ring romp, this 1951 offering has some inventive gags. One of the best moments when Bruno allows Bugs to fall from their trapeze act – the resourceful rabbit pulls out a large pocket watch, dismantles it and takes two large springs that he attaches to his feet. Bugs hits the ground and the springs enable him to bounce back to the trapeze stand where Bruno is gloating over what he imagines as Bugs’ demise.
An interesting aspect of this short is Bugs’ wardrobe – for most of his circus stunts he is wearing shorts and baggy stockings, a very rare occasion where his lower body is clothed. This also marked the first time that Bugs is being targeted for reasons related to professional jealousy – this would be plumbed at greater depth later in the decade in some of the show business-focused frenemy shorts featuring Daffy Duck.
One minor problem with “Big Top Bunny” is the level of verbosity in the short. Both Bugs and Bruno break the fourth wall to confide their inner thoughts with the viewer and there feels to be a bit more talk in this cartoon compared the earlier 1951 releases.
Bruno was a one-shot character in the classic short films, but he received an unlikely reprise when “Big Top Bunny” was re-released in a 3D disc edition of the GAF View-Master stereoscopic line that was popular in the early 1970s.