Racketeer Rabbit

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Racketeer Rabbit
Racketeer Rabbit.jpg
Directed by I. Freleng
Story by Michael Maltese
Starring Mel Blanc
Music by Carl Stalling
Animation by Gerry Chiniquy
Manuel Perez
Virgil Ross
Ken Champin
Layouts by Hawley Pratt
Backgrounds by Paul Julian
Color process Technicolor
Production
company
Distributed by Warner Bros.
The Vitaphone Corporation
Release date
  • September 14, 1946 (1946-09-14)
Running time
8 minutes
LanguageEnglish

Racketeer Rabbit is a 1946 Warner Bros. Looney Tunes cartoon directed by Friz Freleng. [1] The short was released on September 14, 1946, and features Bugs Bunny. [2] [3] [4]

Contents

Plot

Bugs Bunny seeks shelter for the night and unwittingly ends up in an abandoned gothic farmhouse, which serves as the hideout for two gangsters, Rocky and Hugo. A chaotic series of events unfolds when Rocky and Hugo return, pursued by rival gangsters, leading to a frenzied gunfight inside the farmhouse. Despite the chaos, Bugs nonchalantly interrupts the mayhem to attend to his basic needs before returning to bed.

During a division of the loot from a recent heist, Bugs cleverly tricks Rocky into relinquishing all the money by assuming various disguises. However, Rocky catches on and demands the money back, leading to a confrontation. Bugs outwits Rocky again by posing as different characters, ultimately causing Rocky's humiliation.

In a final showdown, Bugs assumes the role of a gangster and engages in a comedic altercation with Rocky, culminating in Bugs orchestrating a mock police raid. Using his wit and ingenuity, Bugs ultimately triumphs over Rocky, leaving the gangster defeated and fleeing the scene in a panic. Bugs, with a sigh, reflects on the inability of some individuals to handle humorous situations before returning to his carefree demeanor.

Reception

When entering the house, Bugs remarks "Huh? Sounds like Inner Sanctum!", a reference to the popular mystery radio program that aired from January 7, 1941, to October 5, 1952. Bugs impersonates Bugsy Siegel and flips a coin like George Raft in Scarface (1932). His Brooklynite accent serves to complete the image of a tough crook. [3]

See also

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References

  1. ↑ Beck, Jerry; Friedwald, Will (1989). Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies: A Complete Illustrated Guide to the Warner Bros. Cartoons. Henry Holt and Co. p. 171. ISBN   0-8050-0894-2.
  2. ↑ Lenburg, Jeff (1999). The Encyclopedia of Animated Cartoons. Checkmark Books. pp. 58–62. ISBN   0-8160-3831-7 . Retrieved 6 June 2020.
  3. 1 2 Rubin, Rachel (2000). "A Gang of Little Yids". Jewish Gangsters of Modern Literature. University of Illinois Press. p. 104. ISBN   9780252025396.
  4. ↑ Youngkin, Stephen D. (2005). "Being Slapped and Liking It". The Lost One: A Life of Peter Lorre. University Press of Kentucky. p. 214. ISBN   9780813137001.
Preceded by Bugs Bunny Cartoons
1946		Succeeded by
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