To Duck or Not to Duck

From Loonipedia

To Duck (.....) or Not to Duck is a Warner Bros. cartoon in the Looney Tunes series, released in theatres in 1943, directed by Chuck Jones and featuring Daffy Duck and Elmer Fudd. The film initially is set by a lake, but concludes at a boxing match. Mel Blanc provides the voice of Daffy, while Arthur Q. Bryan, who is not credited in the title card, provides the voice of Elmer.

The cartoon has fallen into the public domain, as United Artists (successor-in-interest to Associated Artists Productions) failed to renew the copyright in time. It is found on many VHS tapes of public domain cartoons, with very badly faded colors (and the a.a.p. logo intact). It has been fully restored on the Looney Tunes Golden Collection: Volume 6.

It is the earliest-released color Looney Tune to have these each of these two distinctions: to fall into the public domain, and to have its original opening and closing titles survive (the two color Looney Tunes that preceded it, The Hep Cat and My Favorite Duck, remain under copyright, and were given Blue Ribbon reissues; both have been restored on DVD, but each still feature the Blue Ribbon titles).


Plot summary[edit | edit source]

Elmer Fudd is hunting ducks with his dog Laramore. He shoots Daffy Duck from the sky and apologizes saying that he is "a great sportsman." Daffy says he wouldn't be so tough without his hunting equipment and challenges Elmer to a "fair" fight.

Elmer is unaware that he is led to a boxing ring surrounded by many duck spectators. The referee of the fight is also a duck. The odds are clearly against Elmer since the referee laughs while announcing his name followed by boos from the crowd, with only Laramore cheering from a separate stand, for which he is knocked down by brickbats thrown at him by the duck spectators. The referee starts complimenting Daffy, like Daffy "Good to His Mother"

File:Laramore.jpg
Laramore, a character who only appears in this cartoon.

Duck.

Before the match starts, the referee exhorts the two opponents to "fight clean", winking to the audience, who collectively shout, "Oh, brother!", and calls for "no rough stuff -- none of THIS! Or THIS! Or like SO!", each time demonstrating an illegal move on Elmer and knocking him silly. Daffy, in turn, picks up where the referee left off, asking, "You mean none of THIS? Or THIS?", manhandling (or duckhandling) Elmer similarly every time. Daffy clobbers Elmer with a hammer as the bell is rung. Elmer falls to the mat and the referee provides a quick ten-count. He declares Daffy the winner and new champion. Perplexed, Elmer protests, "I'm not the one to compwain, Mr. Wefewee, but I thought you said no wough stuff! none of THIS! Or THIS! Or wike SO!", giving it back to both the referee and Daffy in extreme exasperation.

Video[edit | edit source]


Elmer Fudd Cartoons
1940 Elmer's Candid CameraConfederate HoneyThe Hardship of Miles StandishA Wild HareGood Night Elmer
1941 Elmer's Pet RabbitWabbit Twouble
1942 The Wabbit Who Came to SupperAny Bonds Today?The Wacky WabbitNutty NewsFresh HareThe Hare-Brained Hypnotist
1943 To Duck or Not to DuckA Corny ConcertoAn Itch in Time
1944 The Old Grey HareThe Stupid CupidStage Door Cartoon
1945 The Unruly HareHare Tonic
1946 Hare RemoverThe Big Snooze
1947 Easter YeggsA Pest in the HouseSlick Hare
1948 What Makes Daffy Duck?Back Alley Op-RoarKit For Cat
1949 Wise QuackersHare DoEach Dawn I Crow
1950 What's Up Doc?Rabbit of Seville
1951 Rabbit Fire
1952 Rabbit Seasoning
1953 Up-Swept HareAnt PastedDuck! Rabbit! Duck!Robot Rabbit
1954 Design for LeavingQuack Shot
1955 Pests for GuestsBeanstalk BunnyHare BrushRabbit RampageThis Is A Life?Heir-Conditioned
1956 Bugs' BonnetsA Star is BoredYankee Dood ItWideo Wabbit
1957 What's Opera, Doc?Rabbit Romeo
1958 Don't Axe MePre-Hysterical Hare
1959 A Mutt in a Rut
1960 Person To BunnyDog Gone People
1961 What's My Lion?
1962 Crow's Feat
1990 Box Office Bunny
1991 Blooper Bunny
1992 Invasion Of The Bunny Snatchers
2012 Daffy's Rhapsody