Hare Conditioned (1945) User Reviews

9 to 5 bunny

[movieman_kev · 8/10 · 30 October 2005]

A great Bugs Bunny cartoon from the earlier years has Bugs as a performer in an window display at a local department store. After he's done for the day the manager comes in to tell him that he'll be transferring soon. Bugs is happy to oblige into he figures out that the new job is in taxidermy...and that taxidermy has to do with stuffing animals. Animals like say, a certain rabbit. This causes a battle of wits between the rascally rabbit and his now former employer. I found this short to be delightful and definitely one of the better ones of the early 1940's. It still remains as funny nearly 60+ years later. This animated short can be seen on Disc 1 of the Looney Tunes Golden Collection Volume 2.

My Grade: A-

Chase Through Store Saves The Story

[ccthemovieman-1 · 6/10 · 19 April 2007]

Not being familiar with the subject of this parody - "The Great Gildersleeve," from the hit radio program "Fibber McGee and Molly," I guess I couldn't appreciate the humor in here. This guy - the store manager - wasn't funny to me.

Bugs is working in a department store and things are going fine until he's transferred to the taxidermy room where he's going to be the next animal stuffed. To no surprise, Bugs is not thrilled with that prospect and does what he can to outwit "Gildersleeve."

When the two start chasing each other all around the huge department store is when this cartoon gets funny....and very clever with the changing-clothes bits. That made up for slow first half.

Students of Warnology (or the study of . . .

[oscaralbert · 7/10 · 28 May 2016]

. . . Warner Bros.' Nostradamus-like warnings to America of Coming Cataclysmic Catastrophes, often 50 to 75 years before the fact, through both its live-action features and its animated shorts) often ask, "Why didn't Warner warn us of the Most Terrible Tragedy of All, America's 9-11 Terrorist Attacks?" Of course, such a query only pops up during Warnology 101 Classes, since Warner warned America Early and Often about September 11. (Scandalously, some of these films have been "lost," others were heavily redacted during alleged "restorations," and some may have been buried among the Forbidden Eleven Looney Tunes, which Warner has permanently barred you and me from seeing). However, viewers will note an absence of substance in HARE CONDITIONED. It simply seems notable as the only Looney Tune in which Bugs is falling to his death from a high-rise rooftop as it concludes. That Bugs' fatal plunge is preceded by the Death Dive of the Middle Eastern Taxidermist who's trying to shoot and stuff America's favorite rabbit may have been lost upon the contemporary viewers of 1945, still reeling from Japan's infamous Sneak Attack against Pearl Harbor. But the caricatured sheikh's suicide charge--which takes down Bugs, as well--portends great harm to a nation which insists upon being asleep at the wheel.

One of the best Bugs cartoons ever

[paulo20 · 10/10 · 25 February 2004]

This, along with "Hare Tonic," ranks as one of the best Bugs cartoons, indeed one of the best Bugs, ever. There are some comments about how Bugs in these cartoons is "basic," meaning, I guess, that he is as yet not fully developed. I actually prefer this "basic" version from the mid-40s (Chuck Jones' was the best version) who is actually more rabbit-sized and far more amusing than the eventual long-legged version who towered over Yosemite Sam and Daffy Duck. The latter-day Bugs came to be too suave and sophisticated for my liking. Also check out "Hair Raising Hare" (1946) and "Rabbit Punch" (1948) for great examples of classic Bugs and classic Chuck Jones.

One of the great chase cartoons

[phantom_tollbooth · 9/10 · 1 October 2008]

Chuck Jones's 'Hare Conditioned' is a fast paced, often hilarious cartoon. Pitting Bugs Bunny against a strange, yellow-skinned apartment store manager who wants to have him stuffed, 'Hare Conditioned' takes full advantage of its multi-purpose setting. The chase takes Bugs and his pursuer through a variety of departments, leading to an inspired gag in which they quickly emerge from various departments wearing whatever clothes are associated with that part of the store. This great gag is trumped, however, by a truly inspired sequence involving elevators in which Bugs, disguised as an elevator boy, tricks the store manager into relentlessly getting on or off elevators at the wrong time. It's a brilliant climactic set piece which unfortunately gives way to a not very funny final gag. By that time, however, 'Hare Conditioned' has made its mark as one of the great chase films, bursting with wild energy. As Bugs was becoming more refined in some of the other cartoons from this period, 'Hare Conditioned' showed that he could still be just as appealing as a more anarchic character.

Working-Class Bugs....

[Mister-6 · 10/10 · 25 May 2002]

Is it a good idea to use live animals for department store window displays?

No, and here's why....

In "Hare Conditioned" the sale that Bugs is helping promote is over and the store manager (Nelson) is transferring him to a new department: taxidermy. Naturally, Bugs objects and the fun begins.

using nearly every department in the store (children's wear, sports, shoes, costumes, women's nightgowns - don't ask.), Bugs comes out on top at every turn, even referring to the manager as "The Great GilderSNEEZE". Even when trapped in the confines of an elevator, Bugs makes the best of the situation.

Director Jones is on top of his pictorial game as always, as are Blanc (as Bugs, natch) and Nelson (the manager - who DOES sound like radio mainstay Gildersleeves - go ask your grand-parents).

And a sage word of advice: when confronted by a fuzzy-looking woman wanting to try on bathroom slippers, always check her ears.

Ten stars for "Hare Conditioner", the best argument yet for animal labor laws.

Hare-raisingly wacky.. just hugely enjoyable as a result

[TheLittleSongbird · 10/10 · 26 May 2010]

Hare Conditioned isn't an absolute classic for me, but it is enormously entertaining and definitely worth watching more than once. The story is a well-constructed one, not the most effective one there is, but it works very well. But there were many other elements that made Hare Conditioned so enjoyable. The animation is wonderful, with lively backgrounds and imaginative colouring, and the music is fun and jaunty. The dialogue has a constant sense of fun, and the visual gags are very clever. The antagonist here is a strong(and big) one, while Bugs is still witty, intelligent and somewhat arrogant here as well, both are brilliantly voiced by Mel Blanc. Overall, if you love Bugs Bunny, I think you'll love this. 10/10 Bethany Cox

Frantic but Totally Enthralling

[Hitchcoc · 10/10 · 8 September 2019]

Bugs does rabbit demonstrations at a department store. Unfortunately, the taxidermy department needs a rabbit, and the manager decides to have Bugs stuffed and put on display. This leads to a mano a mano (mano a rabbito) chase where each gets in his licks. This is very clever and its non stop action nevers rests.

What a great villain!

[slymusic · 29 May 2009]

Directed by Chuck Jones, "Hare Conditioned" is a very entertaining Bugs Bunny cartoon. Bugs works in a department store, where the big, burly, sinisterly smiling floorwalker plans to have him stuffed. Stuffed?! Yep.

My two favorite scenes from "Hare Conditioned" are greatly enhanced by the music score of Carl W. Stalling. First, in the opening scene, Bugs hops out of his hole, around in a circle, and back in the hole. And second, the floorwalker chases Bugs into different store departments, and they emerge wearing ridiculous clothing appropriate for each department.

"Hare Conditioned" is a terrific cartoon that can be found on Disc 1 of the Looney Tunes Golden Collection Volume 2. "Heh heh heh heh heh heh heh heh! Kind of outsmarted you, eh, little chum?"

Nobody skins Bugs and gets away with it.

[lee_eisenberg · 10/10 · 2 April 2007]

In another one of Bugs Bunny's hare-raisingly wacky shorts, the famous leporid* works in a department store display case, when owner Gildersleeve decides to stuff him. Of course, this proves nearly impossible, as Bugs apparently knows the store better than Gildersleeve (and knows when to cross-dress). As always, they keep everything coming at top speed, and so you have to wonder how hilarious this cartoon must have seemed when it first debuted! Among other things, "Hare Conditioned" is a fine example of how the Looney Tunes looked in the '40s before the Termite Terrace crowd polished them. But don't get me wrong, the cartoons were still really good after the refined forms arrived.

Anyway, this is a great one.

*Leporids are rabbits and hares.

A new story for Bugs, and he works a miracle with it.

[rapt0r_claw-1 · 21 December 2003]

This is an above-average pre-1948 Bugs Bunny cartoon, one of my earlier favorites.

The story is better than the majority, plus it's completely new. Bugs is the innocent victim here. Often, he antagonizes the predator as well. But here he chooses evasive action.

The animation is great, I like the way they drew the manager. Bugs Bunny is basic, he still has to evolve quite a bit. The store is done in great detail. Kudos to the team.

The ending is great, and the jokes are good throughout: Bugs dresses not only as a woman, but both hunter and quarry run through different departments, wearing appropriate clothing when they reappear. That sequence was great.

Bugs manages to outwit his foe, but there's a nice twist in the tail at the end, with great penultimate and closing jokes.

The manager's character is huge, about fifteen times the size of Bugs, and the perfect foil. But he's not nearly as dim-witted as he seems. Bugs has reason to be genuinely insecure about his safety.

Hare Conditioned (1945) is a great cartoon, and I certainly recommend it.

Funny stuff for Bugs lovers

[bob the moo · 15 October 2003]

Working as part of a `camping life' display in a shop window, Bugs is having a good time until his boss informs him he'll be changing the display. He plans to keep Bugs but put him in another display within the shop – the taxidermy display. Once he realises what this means, Bugs flees and uses his skills to evade the shop manager.

Opening with Bugs from the very first scene mean that this is a stronger example of his films and humour. In terms of action it's all business as usual although here it is a department store manager who Bugs has to outwit and evade to avoid the stuffing process. The gags come fast and will be liked by anyone who likes his other cartoons.

The character of the store manager is larger than life and works well as a foil for bugs to bounce off. He even has enough presence that Bugs takes a bit of punishment too! The two work well together on screen and there isn't really a moment that sags or is a disappointment in the whole thing.

Overall this is a good example of a strong Bugs cartoon. It shows that all he really ever needed was a strong foil or straight man to work with and his usual material and tricks are enough to keep you laughing.

Lesser Bugs

[Michael_Elliott · 2 May 2009]

Hare Conditioned (1945)

** 1/2 (out of 4)

Looney Tunes short has Bugs Bunny working in a department store as part of an outdoor display. His mean boss then wants to use him in a taxidermy display, which Bugs isn't too fond of. This has never been one of my favorites even though I know it has a rather large following amongst other animation fans. For me I've never been too thrilled with any of the action because it simply doesn't make me laugh. I think Bugs is up to his usual good standards and I think the yellow-skinned owner is also quite good. The two work well together but that didn't really matter because it still didn't make me laugh. Heck, even the animation is good but this one just isn't for me.