| The Wabbit Who Came to Supper | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Directed by | I. Freleng |
| Story by | Michael Maltese |
| Produced by | Leon Schlesinger |
| Music by | Carl W. Stalling |
| Animation by | Richard Bickenbach |
| Color process | Technicolor |
| Distributed by | Warner Bros. Pictures The Vitaphone Corporation |
Release date |
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Running time | 8 minutes |
| Language | English |
The Wabbit Who Came to Supper is a 1942 Merrie Melodies cartoon featuring Bugs Bunny and Elmer Fudd. [1] It was released on March 28, 1942, and directed by Friz Freleng. [2]
Elmer Fudd, initially in pursuit of Bugs Bunny with his hunting dogs, finds himself entangled in a peculiar situation upon receiving a telegram informing him of a substantial inheritance from his uncle Louie. The telegram stipulates that Elmer must refrain from harming animals, particularly rabbits, to inherit the promised sum of $3 million.
This directive sets the stage for a series of comedic exchanges between Elmer and Bugs as they navigate the terms of the inheritance. Despite Elmer's initial attempts to capture Bugs, the reminder of his uncle's conditions prompts him to release the rabbit and return home. However, Bugs' irreverent behavior and mischievous antics soon disrupt Elmer's attempts at peace, leading to a comedic struggle for control within the household. Bugs' inventive schemes further complicate matters, including feigning illness to manipulate Elmer's sympathies and exploiting his fears of losing the inheritance. The dynamic between the two characters oscillates between moments of genuine concern and comedic absurdity, as Bugs continually outwits Elmer with his quick thinking and resourcefulness.
Later on, Elmer receives a letter from Uncle Louie's attorney that Uncle Louie has passed away and Elmer himself has inherited $3 million. However, he discovers that the inheritance has been depleted due to taxes and legal fees, leaving him owing $1.98 to Uncle Louie's attorney. Furious at having to put up with Bugs's shenanigans for nothing and with nothing left to lose, Elmer chases Bugs around the house. In a final twist, a postman delivers a giant Easter egg to Elmer, unleashing a horde of miniature Bugs Bunnys who wreak havoc on the scene.
This short is one of several pre-August 1948 [3] WB cartoon shorts that lapsed into the public domain due to United Artists failing to renew the copyright in time.
The title of the short is a reference to the 1942 Warner Brothers film version of the 1939 George S. Kaufman Broadway comedy The Man Who Came to Dinner , in which an overbearing house-guest threatens to take over the lives of a small-town family.
Being in the public domain, The Wabbit Who Came to Supper was featured on several low-budget VHS releases of public domain cartoons. (The use of "Angel in Disguise," which remains under copyright, has complicated the short's public domain status.)
On the 2005 Looney Tunes Golden Collection: Volume 3 DVD release, The Wabbit Who Came to Supper is presented in a restored unedited version with a commentary track provided by animation historian Jerry Beck and Warner Brothers' inker Martha Sigall, one of about 40 uncredited inkers and painters who labored on the Looney Tunes shorts.
Looney Tunes is an American media franchise produced and distributed by Warner Bros. The franchise began as a series of animated short films that originally ran from 1930 to 1969, alongside its spin-off series Merrie Melodies, during the golden age of American animation. Following a revival in the late 1970s, new shorts were released as recently as 2014. The two series introduced a large cast of characters, including Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, and Porky Pig. The term Looney Tunes has since been expanded to also refer to the characters themselves.
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Merrie Melodies is an American animated comedy short film series distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures. It was part of the Looney Tunes franchise and featured many of the same characters. It originally ran from August 2, 1931, to September 20, 1969, during the golden age of American animation, though it was revived in 1979, with new shorts sporadically released until June 13, 1997. Originally, Merrie Melodies placed emphasis on one-shot color films in comparison to the black-and-white Looney Tunes films. After Bugs Bunny became the breakout character of Merrie Melodies and Looney Tunes transitioned to color production in the early 1940s, the two series gradually lost their distinctions and shorts were assigned to each series randomly.
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Elmer J. Fudd is an animated cartoon character in the Warner Bros. Looney Tunes/Merrie Melodies series and the archenemy of Bugs Bunny. His aim is to hunt Bugs, but he usually ends up seriously injuring himself and other antagonizing characters. He lisps, replacing his Rs and Ls with Ws, so he often refers to Bugs Bunny as a "scwewy" (screwy) or "wascawwy (rascally) wabbit". Elmer's signature catchphrase is, "Shhh. Be vewy vewy quiet, I'm hunting wabbits", as well as his trademark laughter.
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