Feather Finger is a 1966 Merrie Melodies short directed by Robert McKimson.
Title[]
The title is based on the 1958 Ian Fleming novel Goldfinger staring spy James Bond; as well as the 1963 film adaptation.
Plot[]
In a town called Hangtree, Texas, as shown on a sign (HANGTREE, TEXAS: A REAL SWINGIN' TOWN POP. 22; 21 after a noise is heard), Daffy Duck is poor and begging for charity when he sees a notice that Mayor Katt is hiring gunslingers for $15 per week. After speaking to the mayor, Daffy agrees to catch Speedy Gonzales, "the fastest mouse in all Mexico."
While waiting by the United States/Mexican border for Speedy, Daffy decides to practice his gunslinging, and accidentally shoots himself. Speedy comes across him, and he shoots at him; Speedy disappears, prompting him to comment, "I must have blown him to smithereens"; he did so, as Speedy held onto the bullet all the way to the city limits of Smithereens. Speedy returns and shoves the bullet back up the gun, causing it to explode.
Daffy decides to try a less direct approach by disguising himself as a Mexican; Speedy is not fooled, however, and this fails. Next, he offers Speedy a drink of nitroglycerin, but the mouse lets it slide down the counter and explode. He then lures Speedy with a giant cheese on a mousetrap; the mouse sees this and takes it to Mexico. Daffy, not wanting to go with him, sneaks out and falls down a gorge. His next attempt involves shooting a cannon at Speedy, which also fails, as he is smashed into a canyon wall. When Speedy offers assistance, Daffy finally captures him.
He returns him to the Mayor, who gives him only fifty-six and a quarter cents, as he only worked an hour and a half. Daffy, enraged at having no tip, promptly releases Speedy. The Mayor, enraged about Daffy releasing Speedy and for calling him a cheapskate, beats the stuffing out of Daffy. Kicked back into the street and covered in bandages, Daffy is reduced to begging again.
Notes[]
- The gag of Daffy shooting himself in the face was reused from "Daffy's Inn Trouble" (1961).
- This is the third and final of the three times Daffy defeated Speedy, with the other two being "Chili Corn Corny" and "Mucho Locos". Though unlike the others, this cartoon's ending turns the tables when Daffy promptly releases Speedy when Daffy is enraged at having no tip leading to Daffy getting pummeled by Mayor Katt, hence making it seem that Daffy lost to Speedy in the end, just like many of the Daffy/Speedy shorts.
- MeTV aired this short 4 June 2022 on Saturday Morning Cartoons; however, this airing appears unrestored.
Gallery[]
Speedy Gonzales Cartoons | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
1953 | Cat-Tails for Two | |||
1955 | Speedy Gonzales | |||
1957 | Tabasco Road • Gonzales' Tamales | |||
1958 | Tortilla Flaps | |||
1959 | Mexicali Shmoes • Here Today, Gone Tamale | |||
1960 | West of the Pesos | |||
1961 | Cannery Woe • The Pied Piper of Guadalupe | |||
1962 | Mexican Boarders | |||
1963 | Mexican Cat Dance • Chili Weather | |||
1964 | A Message to Gracias • Nuts and Volts • Pancho's Hideaway • Road to Andalay | |||
1965 | It's Nice to Have a Mouse Around the House • Cats and Bruises • The Wild Chase • Moby Duck • Assault and Peppered • Well Worn Daffy • Chili Corn Corny • Go Go Amigo | |||
1966 | The Astroduck • Mucho Locos • Mexican Mousepiece • Daffy Rents • A-Haunting We Will Go • Snow Excuse • A Squeak in the Deep • Feather Finger • Swing Ding Amigo • A Taste of Catnip | |||
1967 | Daffy's Diner • Quacker Tracker • The Music Mice-Tro • The Spy Swatter • Speedy Ghost to Town • Rodent to Stardom • Go Away Stowaway • Fiesta Fiasco | |||
1968 | Skyscraper Caper • See Ya Later Gladiator | |||
1979 | Fright Before Christmas | |||
1980 | The Chocolate Chase |