Duck! Rabbit! Duck! (1953)
Directed by Charles M. Jones
Story by Michael Maltese
Animation by Ken Harris, Abe Levitow, Richard Thompson, Lloyd Vaughan, Ben Washam
Music by Carl Stalling and Milt Franklyn
The final entry in the “Hunting Trilogy” that pits Bugs Bunny against Daffy Duck against Elmer Fudd, “Duck! Rabbit! Duck!” is the weakest of the three films due to joke repetition and an uneven balance among the characters.
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Lumber Jack-Rabbit (1953)
Directed by Charles M. Jones
Story by Michael Maltese
Animation by Abe Levitow, Ken Harris, Richard Thompson, Lloyd Vaughan, Ben Washam
Music by Carl Stalling
Notable as the only Bugs Bunny cartoon shot in the 3D process, “Lumber Jack-Rabbit” gets off to an amusing start when a wandering Bugs sings “Jimmy Crack Corn” while journeying into Paul Bunyan’s garden. Unaware that he is in a giant’s domain – he mistakes the asparagus for “funny looking trees” – he becomes ecstatic at discovering gigantic carrots. Bugs sets up mining equipment to cull his harvest, but is interrupted by Paul Bunyan’s equally massive Smidgen.
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Bully for Bugs (1953)
Directed by Charles M. Jones
Story by Michael Maltese
Animation by Ben Washam, Lloyd Vaughan, Ken Harris
Music by Carl Stalling
According to Chuck Jones, “Bully for Bugs” came about because of an unexpected declaration made by producer Edward Selzer didn’t want any films related to bullfighting because he felt that bullfights aren’t funny. If Selzer was commenting on comedy films with a bullfighting theme, he was most correct – those films relied heavily on stock footage, trick editing, the obvious use of stunt doubles and connect-the-dots comedy with the funnymen supposedly being chased around a bullring.
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Hare Trimmed (1953)
Directed by Friz Freleng
Story by Warren Foster
Animation by Manuel Perez, Ken Champin, Virgil Ross, Arthur Davis
Music by Carl Stalling
“Hare Trimmed” is notable as being the only Bugs Bunny cartoon where Granny plays a prominent role in the story. It is a shame that she wasn’t a more frequent presence, since she was an endearing and lively character – Granny turned up briefly two years later in “This is a Life?”, but that was more of a gag appearance.
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Southern Fried Rabbit (1953)
Directed by I. Freleng
Story by Warren Foster
Animation by Ken Champin, Arthur Davis, Manuel Perez, Virgil Ross
Music by Carl W. Stalling
“Southern Fried Rabbit” might have the most preposterous plot of any Bugs Bunny cartoon. When Bugs’ carrot field in an unnamed Northern state is withered into nothingness by a drought, he finds a newspaper declaring Alabama is enjoying a record carrot crop harvest. Bugs walks to the South, but is stopped at the Mason-Dixon line by Confederate soldier Yosemite Sam, who declares that he’s under orders from General Robert E. Lee to repel Yankees from setting foot on Southern soil. Bugs notes that the War Between the States ended some 90 years earlier, but Sam angrily responds “I ain’t no clock watcher” and tries to keep Bugs out of Dixie.
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Upswept Hare (1953)
Directed by Robert McKimson
Story by Tedd Pierce
Animation by Charles McKimson, Herman Cohen, Rod Scribner, Phil DeLara
Music by Carl Stalling
Wealthy amateur botanist Elmer Fudd discovers a rare flower during a drive through the desert and decides to add it to his floral collection at his penthouse apartment. Elmer digs around the flower to ensure it remains in its native soil, but he inadvertently digs up Bugs Bunny who is sleeping in his hole just under the flower’s roots and transplants him with the flower in a large planter. Bugs awakens the next morning and is initially baffled at being in a swanky penthouse, but he quickly makes himself at home – much to Elmer’s consternation. Elmer’s effort to evict his unwanted guest results in him being tricked by Bugs to jump off the penthouse, where he plummets into a sidewalk popcorn vending machine.
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Forward March Hare (1953)
Directed by Charles M. Jones
Story by Michael Maltese
Animation by Ken Harris, Lloyd Vaughan, Ben Washam
Music by Carl Stalling
A draft notice meant for Bertram Bonny – the envelope is addressed to “B. Bonny” – accidentally winds up down Bugs Bunny’s hole. Bugs opens the envelope and mistakenly believes he’s being drafted into the Army. He arrives at the induction processing center, creating confusion by his presence – but no one has the temerity to question why a rabbit is being inducted. But Bugs creates endless trouble for his drill sergeant, who is repeatedly demoted by the army base’s colonel after Bugs’ incompetence results in embarrassing assaults on the commanding officer’s authority.
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