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Hare Force is a 1944 Merrie Melodies short directed by Friz Freleng.
Title
Although the title is an obvious play on Air Force, the cartoon's plot has nothing to do with the military.
Plot
On a cold and snowy night, Bugs wangles his way into the good graces, and more importantly, the house, belonging to an old lady (voiced by Bea Benaderet). Sylvester, her dog (voiced by writer Tedd Pierce), takes an instant dislike to the Bunny, and most of the cartoon is spent with the two tricking each other into going outside the house and getting locked out. Finally they get into a schtick where they are each throwing the other out the front door in turn, in quick succession. The old lady, fed up with all the bickering by now, intervenes (out of frame) and tells them both to get out, when suddenly she is thrown out, startled and indignant. Bugs and the dog have made peace, and are lazing by the fire. Bugs turns to the audience and says, in typical fashion, "Gee, ain't I a stinker?"
Availability
- VHS - Cartoon Moviestars: Starring Bugs Bunny!
- Laserdisc - Cartoon Moviestars: Bugs Bunny Classics: Special Collector's Edition
- Laserdisc - The Golden Age of Looney Tunes, Vol. 3, Side 2: Bugs Bunny
- VHS - Bugs Bunny Collection: Bugs Bunny: Hollywood Legend
- VHS - Looney Tunes: The Collectors Edition Volume 10: Canine Corps (1995 Turner dubbed version)
- DVD - Looney Tunes Golden Collection: Volume 3, Disc One
Censorship
- The version of this cartoon that aired on TBS cut the part where, as Sylvester the Dog is sobbing over melting the snowman likeness of Bugs, believing he killed him, Bugs says, "You're really in a jam now, Doc. It's the hot seat for you, sure."[1]
Notes
- This is the first cartoon to have the WB shield change to a face of Bugs Bunny.
- This is also the first cartoon (besides those directed by Bob Clampett) to use the definite design of Bugs, though Freleng made a slight modification while this cartoon was in production.
- "As Time Goes By" is sung in this short by Sylvester and Bugs at different points.
- Sylvester the Dog here is not to be confused for Sylvester the Cat, who would debut the following year in "Life with Feathers". Sylvester the Dog here is actually Willoughby the Dog, albeit renamed. Willoughby, who had previously appeared in 6 cartoons before this ("Of Fox and Hounds", "The Crackpot Quail", "The Heckling Hare", "Nutty News", "The Hep Cat", "An Itch in Time") was also renamed differently in "The Hep Cat" (as Rosebud) and "An Itch in Time" (as Rover).
- The background music score used in the scene when Bugs and Sylvester throw each other out of the house is the exact same one as heard in a scene from Brother Brat during the part where Baby Butch chases Porky Pig around the house with a meat cleaver.
- The plot of this cartoon was later reworked four years later as "Kit for Cat" (1948).
Gallery
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External Links
- Hare Force at SuperCartoons.net
- Hare Force at B99.TV
- Hare Force at the Internet Movie Database
| Preceded by What's Cookin' Doc? | Bugs Bunny Cartoons 1944 | Succeeded by Bugs Bunny and the Three Bears |
