Vimacone One of the staples of the WB cartoon studio was lampooning Hollywood. The caricature cartoons are among their most fascinating period pieces, especially those that took place in the old Hollywood night clubs. Case in point, The Mocumbo. This short is strongly reminiscent of THE COO COO NUT GROVE (1936) and Hollywood STEPS OUT (1941), which had a nightclub setting with several caricatures. Humphrey Bogart threatens waiter Elmer to get him a rabbit for dinner "or else". Of course the rabbit Elmer goes after is Bugs. Both encounter (or impersonate) several celebrities during their pursuit. The highlight for me has always been Carmen Miranda's performance followed by Bugs' own samba performance.This was probably the last cartoon of that kind to come from WB. Truly the end of an era.

John T. Ryan NO SCHULTZ, IT ain't FANTASIA! It is rather one of those great old Cartoon Short Subjects that we all took for granted in years gone-by.STILL RELEGATED BY many as being strictly kids' stuff, the animated Cartoon short has slowly gained its proper place and commensurate dignity in the art of cinema. An objective viewing of any good, cross sampling of these 10 minute surrealist comedies would probably surprise many of their staunchest critics.TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION today's honored "guest", SLICK HARE (Warner Brothers Pictures, 1947). The madcap "plot" consists of a customer's desire to order Roast Rabbit and all of the complications that spring-up between customer and waiter. Then factor in that the principal characters involved in this mêlée are Customer(Humohrey Bogart), Waiter (Elmer Fudd) and the bone of contention, the Rabbit (Bugs Bunny).ADD IN SOME fine and genuinely funny gags; along with a whole company of Hollywood caricatures; a list of which would do Hirschfeld proud, and whatta ya have? You'd have a top flight comic romp, animated or live action. For all of its gag happenings, the film rolls along at an unbelievably brisk rate; with the ending coming along all too quickly.THE CRITICISMS WE hear about the short involve the inescapable fact that the Hollywood folks spoofed as well as the contemporary nature of the the then recent occurrences, leaves a modern audience in a bit of puzzlement.THIS WE CAN understand; having failed recognition of unknown Cowboy as Gary Cooper in the Bob Hope starring vehicle, ALIAS JESSE JAMES (Hope Enterprises/United Artists, 1959). Being about 12 years old at the time and an avid TV Watcher, quickly identifying Gail Davis (Annie Oakley), James Arness (Matt Dillon), Ward Bond (Major Adams of WAGON TRAIN), Hugh Obrian (Wyatt Earp), Fess Parker (Davy Croket) and Jay Silverheals (Tonto). (Roy Rogers & Trigger were super easy, playin themselves!) But I digress! Now back to SLICK HARE! THE CAST OF CHARACTERS being lampooned here are basically as well known today as they were in 1947. Furthermore, speaking for those among us who they call "Film Buffs", the Films and Stars of that Golden Age; as well as their Film Credits, are more familiar than an awful lot of current Hollywood. While we do enjoy a certain number of today's cinematic output, we do spend a lot of time on the Oldies; as we had viewed them; being on Turner Classic Movies, Fox Movie Channel and American Movie Classics (the old AMC, that is).

ccthemovieman-1 We are at the Hollywood exclusive nightclub, "The Mocrumbo," where dinners are $600 apiece (today that translates to thousands). The entertainment: "Leopold And His Chifafa Five." Leopold is Leopold Stokowski, the conductor who seems to be a favorite of the Looney Tunes crowd.Eating a steak is either Gary Cooper or Gregory Peck; At the bar is Ray Milland in a parody of "The Lost Weekend." Using a straw for a drink is the super-skinny Frank Sinatra; Elmer Fudd is a waiter and Humphrey Bogart asks for some "fried rabbit." Humphrey slaps him around and demands a rabbit dinner. Back in the kitchen, Elmer hears the obnoxious chewing of Bugs Bunny eating a carrot. Bugs gives him the famous line from "To Have And Have Not," telling Elmer to "tell Bogie if he wants me, all he has to do is whistle."I enjoyed seeing Bugs imitating Groucho Marx; hiding in Carmen Miranda's fruit-basket hat, and doing the conga dance. The ending was kind of lame, but it was "cute" to see Bugs serving himself on a platter to Bogie's girl, Lauren Bacall.I enjoyed the rich colors in this cartoon which was included in the Looney Tunes Golden Collection Volume Two.

Lee Eisenberg While most cartoons had Bugs Bunny doing his own stuff to irk Elmer Fudd - and sometimes Daffy Duck - here he has the unexpected help of Hollywood's top stars. When Humphrey Bogart (sorry, it's not really him doing the voice) attends a fancy restaurant and orders rabbit, Elmer has to serve him within twenty minutes, or else. Sure enough, the only rabbit in the vicinity is that carrot-chomping rascal who isn't going down so easy.All in all, "Slick Hare" makes one nostalgic for old Hollywood* in many ways: it's the era of Bogie, Ray Milland, etc., but also the era when the people behind the Looney Tunes cartoons were producing some of the greatest cartoons of all time. You just gotta see it. Because remember: what baby wants, baby gets.*I know, Hollywood is the emptiest place on Earth, but this cartoon still makes one nostalgic for it.