This is a short which I haven't seen in ages, as it was declared off-limits by Ted Turner when Turner acquired the rights to the shorts. While I can understand his trepidation, I'm grateful to finally see the short again, because it has one of the funniest scenes I remember from watching these close to 40 years ago. As I want to talk about the short in a bit of detail, this is a spoiler warning:
The short starts with a scene which likely helped pull it from circulation for years-blacks working in the cotton fields, one of whom grabs Bugs's "cotton" tail and tosses him in the sack. We then watch Bugs make his way from field-sack to cotton bale bound for the Southern Star, a paddle-wheel on the Mississippi, bound for all sorts of ports, including "Cu-cka-mong-a" (an old inside joke Mel Blanc has fun with in quite a few shorts).
Bugs happens to observe what happens to stowaways on board and so "borrows" a gentleman's suit (and presumably his ticket as well). This scene is hilarious. Bugs then winds up in a card game with Colonel Shuffle (think Yosemite Sam with a Southern accent). Bugs puts up $100, which buys one half of a white chip, Col. Shuffle deals and the scene fades out. The fade in shows Bugs with a mountain of chips and Shuffle with half a white chip. Bugs wins the hand, with both players cheating. Shuffle contrives to be insulted and challenges Bugs to a duel. A few very funny bits later, Shuffle winds up in the Mississippi River to start a running gag and the chase is on.
In a short with some very funny bits, my personal favorite comes after Col. Shuffle has set his pants on fire in the ship's furnace. He races to a water dispenser which takes only pennies and turns to Bugs, asking in very courtly speech if he might have change for a "tenspot", adding that "I would prefer a profusion of pennies!". Bugs slowly checks the bill over (he bites it at one point) and slowly begins counting change. When he reaches $1.21, Shuffle grabs the change, thanks him, tells him he can keep the rest and buys a cup of water and finally puts himself out.
Bugs disguises himself as a Southern belle and begins whacking Shuffle with an umbrella, with Shuffle apologizing abjectly (and futilely) until he discovers it's Bugs. Bugs as a belle persuades a Southern gentleman to kick Shuffle off into the river again. When the gentleman realizes the "belle" is a bunny, he exits jerkily, stage right, into the river himself. The closing line is perfect.
This short is available on the Looney Tunes Golden Collection, Volume 4 and is well worth seeing. Recommended.
The short starts with a scene which likely helped pull it from circulation for years-blacks working in the cotton fields, one of whom grabs Bugs's "cotton" tail and tosses him in the sack. We then watch Bugs make his way from field-sack to cotton bale bound for the Southern Star, a paddle-wheel on the Mississippi, bound for all sorts of ports, including "Cu-cka-mong-a" (an old inside joke Mel Blanc has fun with in quite a few shorts).
Bugs happens to observe what happens to stowaways on board and so "borrows" a gentleman's suit (and presumably his ticket as well). This scene is hilarious. Bugs then winds up in a card game with Colonel Shuffle (think Yosemite Sam with a Southern accent). Bugs puts up $100, which buys one half of a white chip, Col. Shuffle deals and the scene fades out. The fade in shows Bugs with a mountain of chips and Shuffle with half a white chip. Bugs wins the hand, with both players cheating. Shuffle contrives to be insulted and challenges Bugs to a duel. A few very funny bits later, Shuffle winds up in the Mississippi River to start a running gag and the chase is on.
In a short with some very funny bits, my personal favorite comes after Col. Shuffle has set his pants on fire in the ship's furnace. He races to a water dispenser which takes only pennies and turns to Bugs, asking in very courtly speech if he might have change for a "tenspot", adding that "I would prefer a profusion of pennies!". Bugs slowly checks the bill over (he bites it at one point) and slowly begins counting change. When he reaches $1.21, Shuffle grabs the change, thanks him, tells him he can keep the rest and buys a cup of water and finally puts himself out.
Bugs disguises himself as a Southern belle and begins whacking Shuffle with an umbrella, with Shuffle apologizing abjectly (and futilely) until he discovers it's Bugs. Bugs as a belle persuades a Southern gentleman to kick Shuffle off into the river again. When the gentleman realizes the "belle" is a bunny, he exits jerkily, stage right, into the river himself. The closing line is perfect.
This short is available on the Looney Tunes Golden Collection, Volume 4 and is well worth seeing. Recommended.
