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The Wabbit Who Came to Supper is a 1942 Merrie Melodies short directed by Friz Freleng.
Title
The title is a reference to the 1942 Warner Brothers film version of the 1939 George S. Kaufman Broadway comedy The Man Who Came to Dinner, in which an overbearing house-guest threatens to take over the lives of a small-town family.
Plot
While out on the hunt for rabbits, Elmer receives a telegram from "Eastern Union" saying his Uncle Louie will leave him $3 million in his will, as long as he doesn't harm any animals—especially rabbits. "We're in the Money" plays in the underscore. Elmer, with his rounded-L's-and-R's speech impediment, of course cannot pronounce "Uncle Louie" correctly; which sounds more like "Uncoh Wooie". Bugs, with characteristic élan, takes full advantage of the situation by moving in with Elmer.
As he showers and shaves, Bugs sings "Angel in Disguise". Elmer tries to coax Bugs into leaving, gently patting him on the head, which Bugs claims is terribly hurting him. When Elmer does get Bugs out the door, Bugs fakes a sickness, forcing Elmer to take him *back* in, fearing that any chance of him receiving the three-million-dollar inheritance may have gone down the drain.
After fulfilling the stipulations of the will, and suffering all manner of hijinks from Bugs, Elmer gets a special delivery letter from his uncle's lawyers showing that, after taxes and fees, he has no money left to spend and keep for himself; in fact, he owes them $1.98 on the inheritance ("pwease wemit"). Realizing that even if he fulfills the will's conditions he will not receive any spending money anyway, Elmer is then free to vent his anger on Bugs, and a chase ensues. Bugs escapes, but Elmer is given a large, garish Easter egg containing several baby Bugses who simultaneously ask 'Eh, what's up Doc?' and start leaping around the house.
Availability
- (1988) VHS - Cartoon Moviestars: Elmer!
- (1988) LaserDisc - Cartoon Moviestars: Bugs! and Elmer!
- (2005) DVD - Looney Tunes Golden Collection: Volume 3, Disc One
- (2008) DVD - Larceny Inc. (1995 Turner Dubbed Version)
Goofs
- Elmer Fudd misreads the postscript to the telegram, as he reads "harm" instead of "hurt." This error is very noticeable to even the most naive viewer.
- Telegrams do not have postscripts.
- The numbers on the inheritance letter do not add up correctly, as Elmer ends up owing $1.98; however, by right the final balance Elmer would be receiving including the tax deductions should be $902,932.04, as a mere 1.7% Defense Tax seems very low for the times when President Dwight D. Eisenhower meant with 100% tax rates back in the day.
Notes
- The song "Angel in Disguise" is from the 1940 Warner Brothers film It All Came True which, like The Man Who Came to Dinner, starred Ann Sheridan.
- Bugs references a running gag from the radio show Fibber McGee and Molly when he threatens to call Uncle Louie: "Operator, give me Walnut three three fifty… Ohhh, that you, Myrt? How's every little thing?" (Arthur Q. Bryan, the voice of Elmer Fudd, also played "Doc Gamble" on the Fibber McGee show.)
- This short is one of several pre-August 1948 WB cartoon shorts that lapsed into the public domain due to United Artists failing to renew the copyright in time.
- This is the first cartoon where Bugs cross-dresses; at one scene Bugs disguises as a woman in lingerie, when entering one of the rooms in Elmer's house, and Bugs (in drag) screams when Elmer opens, causing Elmer to close the door, only to realize that he has been tricked (This gag would later be re-used in "Hare Trigger" (1945)).
- Bugs fakes catching pneumonia when getting thrown out of the house in one scene, which he remarks that scene will win him the Academy Award. Despite this comment made by Bugs, this cartoon was neither nominated for nor did it win an Academy Award. Bugs would repeat this gag again in "Hare Force" (1944) when Sylvester the Dog throws him out from the house and into the cold.
- This is the only cartoon where Elmer doesn't hunt Bugs in his usual hunting clothes.
- A line from Bugs' phone conversation, "Is that you, Myrt? How's every little thing?", is lifted from a running gag on the popular radio show Fibber McGee and Molly.
- A Tom and Jerry cartoon short entitled "The Million Dollar Cat" (1944) from rival studio MGM shares a similar premise as this short.
- The USA Dubbed Print replaces 1941-55 with 1938-41 MWRA
- The EU Dubbed Print retain 1941-55
Gallery
Add a photo to this galleryExternal Links
- "The Wabbit Who Came to Supper" at SuperCartoons.net
- "The Wabbit Who Came to Supper" at B99.TV
