Jack-Wabbit and the Beanstalk
| Jack-Wabbit and the Beanstalk | |
|---|---|
| Production company | Leon Schlesinger Productions |
| Distributor | Warner Bros. Pictures The Vitaphone Corporation |
| Release date | June 12, 1943 |
| Starring | Mel Blanc |
| Narrated by | Mel Blanc |
| Producer(s) | Leon Schlesinger |
| Music composed by | Carl W. Stalling |
| Story by | Michael Maltese |
| Animation | Jack Bradbury |
| Director(s) | I. Freleng |
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Jack-Wabbit and the Beanstalk is the two hundred and twenty-third Merrie Melodies theatrical short. It was distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures and The Vitaphone Corporation on June 12, 1943. It was written by Michael Maltese, produced by Leon Schlesinger, and directed by Friz Freleng.
While chopping away in a giant's victory garden, Bugs must elude and escape from a foolish giant himself.
Detailed summary
Memorable quotes
Bugs: Eh, what's up, Doc?
Giant: Uhh, caught ya choppin' up muh victory garden, huh? Well, don't try nothin' funny, 'cause I got ya covered!
Bugs: So long, joiky! Send me a postcard from Alburqoique!
Giant: Hey, wait a minute. They're tryin' to pull a fast one on me, eh? Duh, well, he can't outsmart me because I'm a moron!
Giant: Duh, look out for dat foist step. It's a loo-loo!
Characters
In order of appearance: | ||||||||||
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Locations
- Earth
- Giantland
- United States (indirectly mentioned)
- New Mexico (indirectly mentioned)
- Albuquerque (mentioned)
- New Mexico (indirectly mentioned)
Objects
- Giant carrots
- Glass cutter
Production
Development
Filming
Music
The music was composed by Carl W. Stalling.
Release
Dates are in order of release:
- United States: June 12, 1943
Behind the scenes
- The title and plot are a spoof of the "Jack and the Beanstalk" fairy tale; the words, "jack-rabbit," are written in the title like how Elmer Fudd pronounces it.
- During the opening credit sequence, a staked sign identifies the garden vegetable as: "Marvel Brand (Inc.) Early Climber Beans, Julian & Co. Packers. Julian." This is a reference to background artist Paul Julian.
- The short contains several allusions to World War II:[1]
- Part of the plot, involving Bugs interrogating the giant's garden, is a topical reference to victory gardens that were made to support the war effort.
- The giant in this short is an allegory to Nazi Germany and the Axis Powers, due to his arrogant demeanor, whereas Bugs Bunny embodies a "Scientia potentia est" aphorism.
- This is one of the first instance in which Bugs takes off his gloves, although he only does so with one hand. This is also the first time he appears without gloves (not counting his prototype appearances in Porky's Hare Hunt and Prest-O Change-O).
- It is the first cartoon in which Bugs mentions Albuquerque.
- According to the Oxford Dictionary, the word "duh" originates from this short and was used in context as an exclamation for the giant's stupidity.[2][3]
Errors
- The giant is mostly drawn with four fingers, but during the part where he catches Bugs in his palm, he suddenly has five fingers.
- In the scene where Bugs and the giant ride an elevator, the giant is suddenly much smaller.
Legacy
- Bugs mentions Albuquerque again in the 1945 short Herr Meets Hare, in which he states that he should've taken "that left turn" upon entering the Black Forest.
- Chuck Jones would later do another Bugs Bunny-themed Jack and the Beanstalk parody with the 1955 Merrie Melodies short, Beanstalk Bunny.
Critical reception
In other languages
| Language | Name | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
Home availability
- In the United States:
- December 1, 2020: Warner Bros. Home Entertainment releases Bugs Bunny 80th Anniversary Collection on Blu-ray.
References
- ↑ Hartley, Stephen (July 16, 2016). "405. Jack-Wabbit and the Beanstalk (1943)". Likely Looney, Mostly Merrie.
- ↑ "duh; interjection." Oxford Dictionary. Retrieved November 9, 2024.
- ↑ "6@6: The origin of ‘duh’". WGN9. Retrieved November 9, 2024.
