Napoleon Bunny-Part
Napoleon Bunny-Part is a 1956 Warner Bros. Merrie Melodies cartoon, directed by Friz Freleng.[1] The short was released on June 16, 1956, and stars Bugs Bunny.[2]
| Napoleon Bunny-Part | |
|---|---|
| Directed by | Friz Freleng |
| Story by | Warren Foster |
| Starring | Mel Blanc |
| Music by | Carl Stalling |
| Animation by | Gerry Chiniquy Virgil Ross Art Davis |
| Layouts by | Hawley Pratt |
| Backgrounds by | Irv Wyner |
| Color process | Technicolor |
| Distributed by | Warner Bros. Pictures |
Release date |
|
Running time | 7:08 |
| Language | English |
Plot
Bugs Bunny is traveling underground, and winds up in France at the headquarters of Napoleon Bonaparte, called Headquartiers du Napoleon. Napoleon is shown planning a military offensive and gets into an argument with Bugs over where the artillery should be placed. When Bugs agrees with his original idea, Napoleon angrily places it where Bugs said that it should go and takes snuff. Bugs takes some as well, but sneezes on the plans, knocking the models over. Napoleon thinks Bugs is a spy, and sends a guard after him. Bugs easily outwits the incompetent guard (who is actually "Mugsy", previously seen in Bugs and Thugs) and causes him to hit Napoleon with a bayonet, causing him to scream in pain. Mugsy then gets the "point" of the bayonet from Napoleon offscreen and goes howling into the air. Bugs then disguises himself as Josephine and asks Napoleon to dance. Napoleon sees Bugs' tail through the disguise and chases Bugs, who slides down a staircase. The guard sees Bugs and points his bayonet, intending to stab Bugs as he slides down. Bugs hops off of the staircase and Napoleon is stabbed instead offscreen-he comes back up the staircase screaming in pain again. Mugsy then gets the "point" again.
Napoleon ends up catching Bugs by holding him at gunpoint and orders him into a guillotine. Bugs runs off with Napoleon in pursuit, running down the guillotine platform and then back up and through the guillotine which is still raised. Napoleon follows Bugs, but as he runs through the guillotine, the blade falls and slices the back of his uniform along with the hair from the back of his head. Napoleon demands an explanation from the hooded executioner, who is revealed to be Bugs himself. Bugs then tries to elude Napoleon by hiding in a cannon, but is found when Mugsy is ordered to sound the alarm and fires the cannon.
Napoleon resumes his chase of Bugs, but two men in white coats show up and one says to the other: "Look Pierre, another Napoleon", and Pierre replies: "that's the twelfth one today." "But I am Napoleon!", the little Commander screams as he is dragged away by them to the nearest insane asylum or "maison d'idiot" ("Sur-r-r-e, you are", one of the men nods sarcastically). Napoleon screams and threatens the men in white coats with death: "I will have you executed for this!!!"
Bugs then looks at the camera and says: "Imagine that guy thinking he's Napoleon...[quickly donning a Napoleon hat] when I really am!". He pulls out a flute, playing "La Marseillaise", which becomes "Yankee Doodle" as he marches into the distance.
Availability
Napoleon Bunny-Part is available, uncensored and uncut, on the Looney Tunes Superstars DVD. However, it was cropped to widescreen. It is also available on The Best of Bugs Bunny DVD, also cropped to widescreen.
References
- Beck, Jerry; Friedwald, Will (1989). Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies: A Complete Illustrated Guide to the Warner Bros. Cartoons. Henry Holt and Co. p. 287. ISBN 0-8050-0894-2.
- Lenburg, Jeff (1999). The Encyclopedia of Animated Cartoons. Checkmark Books. pp. 60–62. ISBN 0-8160-3831-7. Retrieved 6 June 2020.
| Preceded by Rabbitson Crusoe |
Bugs Bunny Cartoons 1956 |
Succeeded by Barbary Coast Bunny |