Bugs and Thugs (1954) User Reviews

Clever and well worth seeing to see how Bugs outwits the thugs

[TheLittleSongbird · 8/10 · 7 February 2010]

The cartoon does start off slowly, and the secondary characters are a little clichéd, especially the Irish cop. But it is very clever and funny, with Bugs excellent as usual and the gangster a nice little addition. Coupled with beautiful artwork, a good script, some funny gags-especially the oven gag- and nice music this really is worth seeing especially to see how Bugs outwits the thugs. By the way, the title of the short is a very effective touch, and Mel Blanc is stellar yet again.

Overall, while a little slow and clichéd, this is clever and funny and compensated by the usual ingredients that make these cartoons so enjoyable. 8/10 Bethany Cox

bugging the thugs

[lee_eisenberg · 9/10 · 14 January 2007]

Even if you're not totally familiar with gangster movies from the '40s and '50s, "Bugs and Thugs" still comes out quite funny. When Bugs Bunny accidentally enters a gangster car while crook Rocky is robbing a bank, Rocky decides that Bugs knows too much (e.g., 2+2=4, Carson City is the capital of Nevada, George Washington was our first president), so they take him hostage. As always, Bugs is ahead of everyone. But it's not until the end, during a trick involving the cops - Irish, natch - that Bugs shows his true, normal colors. I probably would have done what Rocky and Mugsy did.

It's just always great how the Looney Tunes cartoons played off of the popular culture of their era. Rocky was probably a parody of James Cagney, and Mugsy just seems to be a big excuse to be dimwitted. Anyway, it's a really funny cartoon, even if we have to wait a little while until Bugs does his usual stuff.

When Bugs Deals With The Thugs It's Got Nothing To Do With Kisses And Hugs

[StrictlyConfidential · 7/10 · 16 May 2020]

(*Rocky quote*) - "Shaddap!!"

Hey! Wouldn't you know it!..... After doing his business at the bank, Bugs Bunny decides to hail a cab. And, as it turns out, he ends up taking a thrill-ride with the likes of little Mister Big-Ego, Rocky, and his pea-brained chauffeur/sidekick, Mugsy.

Well - Right in character, Bugs certainly knows just how to handle the likes of these 2 felonious thugs. Yep. He sure does.

And, after all is said and done - It's Bugs who ends up being the one who, literally, takes these 2-bit crooks for a royal ride that comes to a hilarious finale (that's a real heated gasser). Indeed.

Enjoyably entertaining - 1954's "Bugs And Thugs" was skillfully directed by popular Warner Bros.' animator, Friz Freleng.

Bugs and Thugs was one of my favorites as a kid

[tavm · 10/10 · 8 January 2008]

Bugs goes to the bank to get a carrot among many in his deposit box. At the same time, Rocky has robbed it and is about to get in his car with Mugsy as the driver when Bugs comes in first mistaking it for a taxi. When Rocky comes in with his bags of money, the rabbit at first thinks it's laundry. He wises up and attempts to call the police at a nearby gas station but is caught by Mugsy before he can complete it. It all results in one of the funniest police captures in cartoon history! This was one of my favorites as a little kid and seeing it today on The Looney Tunes Golden Collection, Vol. 1 brought back great memories of watching this on "Bugs Bunny and Friends" which aired every afternoon at 3:30 pm central time on WRBT-TV, Baton Rouge, La. (It's now WVLA). Kudos once again to Friz Freling.

Classic Bugs

[Michael_Elliott · 19 April 2009]

Bugs and Thugs (1954)

*** 1/2 (out of 4)

Bugs Bunny jumps into what he thinks is a cab but it turns out to be the car of gangsters Rocky and Mugsy. The two think Bugs knows too much so they drive him to a cabin where they plan on shooting him but we all know the rabbit is a lot smarter. This is yet another winning short for Bugs who manages to get involved in some really nice action as well as some great gags. The gag involving him checking to see if a train is coming is certainly predictable but the laugh is still there. Another great gag has to do with a gas stove. Rocky and Mugsy are great characters as well and you can't help but laugh at them.

My favourite Bugs Bunny episode.

[Mightyzebra · 9/10 · 12 June 2008]

I slightly disagree with other viewers. I very much enjoyed this episode - even though I've never watched any gangster films! :-) I thought the jokes were very good, Bugs Bunny is just absolutely fabulous, the episode was exciting (more so than many Looney Tunes episodes) and the quotes were very good. The animation is subtly good, it is not something to rant on about though. **SLIGHT SPOILERS** The end part with the policeman is absolutely classic, probably my second favourite Looney Tunes moment EVER (my first favourite was the "The End" scene from "Duck Amuck"). **SLIGHT SPOILERS OVER**.

In this short, Bugs Bunny lives in a city and just when he has dropped by the bank to take out some carrots, he goes into a car belonging to two gangsters, thinking it is a taxi. He finds himself in quite a lot of danger with these guys, but Bugs always somehow has Plans (often ranging from A- Z) up his sleeve...

This episode is partly based on "Racketeer Rabbit" a Bugs Bunny cartoon made a few years before this. Even though some of the gags are very similar, I prefer this one.

I recommend this to anyone who likes Bugs Bunny (even if you do not like it you might as well give it a go), to people who like the idea of a Looney Tunes gangster episode and to people who like clever jokes with just that pinch of slapstick and farce in them. Enjoy "Bugs and Thugs"! :-)

"I must be dreamin'. It couldn't be this easy."

[utgard14 · 8/10 · 8 September 2015]

I always loved it when Looney Tunes parodied the old Warner Bros. gangster pictures. In this short, Bugs Bunny gets mixed up with a pair of bank robbers, diminutive Rocky and his dimwitted sidekick Mugsy. This short is similar in many ways (including a lifted gag involving an oven) to the classic Racketeer Rabbit. This one has a lot going for it on its own, though. The music is energetic, the colors are lovely, and the animation is creative and fun. The peerless Mel Blanc handles all of the voices so you know what kind of quality you'll get there. The pace is fast and the jokes are very funny. Bugs is as likable as ever and the two thugs are goofy caricatures you can't help but enjoy.

Shut up shutting up

[movieman_kev · 8/10 · 2 November 2005]

Gangsters Rocky and Mugsy are first introduced in the short that has Bugs Bunny getting into the getaway car of the duo by accident when he mistakes it for a cab. The short is pretty funny, yet Bugs isn't really in the top of his form here. Still it's worth watching and contains a highly quotable line or two. The ending is a tad on the weak side however. It's still the best of the Rocky and Mugsy shorts (they were in two others I believe, but don't quote me on that). This animated short can be found on disc 4 of the Looney Tunes Golden Collection Volume 1.

My Grade: B-

A very funny but lesser reworking of 'Racketeer Rabbit'

[phantom_tollbooth · 7/10 · 18 August 2008]

Having already kidnapped Daffy Duck and Tweety in previous cartoons, gangsters Rocky and Mugsy get out of their depth when they try and take on Bugs Bunny. Friz Freleng's 'Bugs and Thugs' is an often hilarious cartoon which nevertheless pales in comparison to Freleng's earlier take on a similar scenario, 'Racketeer Rabbit'. 'Bugs and Thugs' climactic routine, which involves Bugs faking a conversation with the law while the gangsters are hidden in an oven, is taken directly from 'Racketeer Rabbit' but performed in a slightly more hurried fashion as if Freleng is already bored with the gag. 'Bugs and Thugs' is still a sufficiently funny and entertaining cartoon but it isn't nearly as handsome or well timed as its predecessor.

"The capital of Nevada is . . . "

[oscaralbert · 8/10 · 30 January 2016]

" . . . Carson City," Bugs Bunny blabs to a couple Conservative-looking bank professionals near the beginning of the Warner Bros. animated short, BUGS AND THUGS. "He knows too much," concludes the lead Acquisitions Banker. It's already been shown by this point that Bugs is a sharp enough banking services consumer to keep his assets in a safe deposit box, rather than risking exorbitant banking penalties and fees, tellers' errors, identity theft, Russian hackers, and worse by maintaining a "bank account." When the bank's money managers realize that Bugs' financial savvy is paired with a detailed knowledge of the Seats of Government Power, they conclude that Bugs is the sort of person who can upset their applecart. The remainder of this cartoon consists of a virtual fight-to-the-death between Bugs and the financiers who've kidnapped him. Though Bugs is able to twice maneuver them into a gas chamber (where the worst Public Enemies were Euthanized during the 1900s), the Big Money pair get off on technicalities both times. However, even today BUGS AND THUGS constitutes a valuable Personal Finance Primer for Young Americans.

Very Bunny

[CuriosityKilledShawn · 7/10 · 3 December 2004]

I was never too interested in the character of Rocky, he always seemed too one-dimensional and monotone. Of course this is intentional but I could never excited when a Rocky and Bugs cartoon came on. He was however great in Daffy's Golden Yeggs.

This time around Bugs is taking it easy in the city as Rabbit Season (DUCK SEASON!) is kicking off in the country. He hails a taxi to go for a cruise but ends up in the backseat of Rocky's getaway car.

Seconds later, Rocky has robbed a bank and is using Bugs as a hostage. Bugs a hostage? Puh-lease! He's got more wits and cunning in his baby finger than both Rocky and Mugsy together.

Very clever hijinks follow with a very funny ending.

First and best of the Rocky and Mugsy Cartoons.

[emasterslake · 9/10 · 17 October 2005]

This is one of the best Rocky and Mugsy Cartoons. The first of the 3 known Looney Tunes.

This is Mugsy's first Debut. While Rocky appeared in 2 earlier Looney Tunes before this one.

First was one with Daffy and a Golden Egg.

And the other involves Tweety and Slyvester.

They all have Bugs Bunny in them.

This Looney Tune is very memorable. Has a lot of gags.

And the best part is one involving a Stove.

This is recommended to all the Bugs Bunny fans.

Like one of the top 20 Looney Tunes that exist.

Not Bad, But Too Many Clichés

[ccthemovieman-1 · 5/10 · 6 February 2007]

Bugs inadvertently hitches a ride with bank robbers. They have all the loot in bags which Bugs, at first, thinks is just laundry. However, he quickly discovers the little guy in the backseat is a crook and the big oaf in front is the driver.

They escape, despite being hit head-on by a train, to this little hideaway perched literally on the edge of the cliff. The house is cool-looking as was the bright red '52 car, by the way. However most of the gags are so-so, interesting to watch but nothing here to evoke any laugh-out-loud moments. There were too many clichés, especially the big, dumb second- banana hood and the Irish cop.

Hilarious!

[Op_Prime · 10 December 1999]

This Bugs Bunny cartoon is a personal favorite of mine and for good reason. Besides the very well done animation and superb voice talents from Mel Blanc, the jokes and gags were very funny and pulled off in nice fashion. Granted, not the best Bugs Bunny cartoon ever made, but a definite classic.

Bugs Bunny made his film debut on July 27th, 1940

[PCC0921 · 9/10 · 4 July 2022]

By this point in film history, Warner Brothers was in full swing with its animated division. Bugs Bunny had become a household name, since he made his debut 14 years before. This film is a textbook example of what a great Bugs Bunny cartoon was all about. This film is a semi-remake of another cartoon with Bugs, that was done eight years before. As you can tell from the title, Bugs takes on some thugs, or more accurately, two criminals resembling gangsters. The best way to describe them is a caricature of Edward G. Robinson and Peter Lorre. The two thugs match their real-world counterparts much better in the 1946 short, but in this one, they are modified more for the 1950s audience, however the comparison still works.

The first 75 years of the film industry had a different definition for theatrical films. Many cartoons from the golden age, such as Popeye, Mickey Mouse, Woody Woodpecker, The Pink Panther and many others, made their debuts in the movie theaters during those pre-television years of cinema. The shorts would be anywhere between six to twelve minutes long, but still are considered theatrical films. They would accompany feature films and be shown right before the main feature. It was a practice that kept going on into the 1970s. Eventually the paradigms would shift and cartoon shorts would eventually become a staple on television. Most younger audience members in the 21st century probably think cartoons were just a TV thing, but that is not true. Another thing about these shorts, was the fact that they were not made for kids completely. These films had plenty of underlying inside-jokes for the adults as well.

This film short has everything that made Bugs Bunny great. The comedy in this one still works well for adults today too. The animation and background paintings are beautifully stylized. You can always tell when you are watching a Warner Brothers cartoon. The art style has those hard lines and cut corners. They contain rich colors and flow nicely. There's always a sign post or a marquee with a funny statement on it. It contains pure satire of the real world. The king of voice-overs, Mel Blanc, who did all the characters in WB's canon, is on-point for this one. Mel Blanc was a legend in Hollywood and this animated short proves it. Bugs and Thugs (1954), is one of director, Friz Freleng's best efforts. The animated shorts of the golden age of Hollywood are a huge part of film history.

Bugs and Organized Crime

[Hitchcoc · 8/10 · 5 July 2019]

Bugs Bunny finds himself stumbling into the realm of the mob. He is in a getaway car with a stereotypical hoodlum and his henchmen. Bugs, of course, is totally in control as the guys try to pull their threatening behavior on him. This is a kind of homage to the Capone types of this time period. It's pretty good.

Nice gangster spoof with good Bugs stuff

[bob the moo · 7 March 2004]

Bugs is just wondering out loud how lucky he is to live in the city away from all the rabbit hunters in the country side. Distracted, he gets into a getaway car thinking it is a taxi and finds himself caught by gangsters who feel he knows too much.

Although this is not really a great Bugs Bunny film, it is still a pretty funny cartoon and should be funny to anyone who has seen a single Jimmy Cagney gangster film in their life. The usual Bugs stuff doesn't come till near the end where Bugs finally gets to play them for the upper hand, but all of it is funny simply because it works as a nice little Bugs film-come-gangster spoof.

The main gangster is a great little cliché and works very well indeed. He is milked for more laughs by having his sidekick be a big dumb gangster not unlike baby bear in Bugs Bunny and the Three Bears. They play off each other well. Bugs is good throughout no matter what he does and he is as good as always.

Overall, this may not be the usual formula for Bugs Bunny cartoons but it still works as it has that as it's basic foundation but adds a clever little gangster spoof to the mix that will be funny to those familiar enough with that genre to laugh at the little stereotype involved.

Bust 'em, Bugs!

[slymusic · 28 May 2009]

Directed by Friz Freleng, "Bugs and Thugs" pits Bugs Bunny against mob leader Rocky and his bigger, dumber accomplice Mugsy. Bugs gets the better of them, of course.

Highlights: Rocky tells Bugs to get out of the car and check the railroad tracks for any oncoming trains; after Bugs imitates Mugsy in replying "OK, boss," he signals for the crooks to drive through, but they of course get run over by a locomotive. When the police (phony and real) arrive at the gangsters' hideout, Bugs convinces Rocky and Mugsy to hide in the stove; to further prove that the crooks are not in the stove, Bugs turns on the gas and throws in a lighted match! While at a gas station, Bugs calls the police and tells them he's been kidnapped by the two bank robbers; they drive off with Bugs while he's still on the line, and the policeman on the other end gets pulled through and dragged behind the gangsters' car.

"Bugs and Thugs" can be found on the Looney Tunes Golden Collection Volume 1 Disc 4.