Tuesday 16 May 2023

A Nutzi Kiss

Nazi spy Hatta Mari gives off an electric shock kiss to “woman hater” Daffy Duck in Plane Daffy (1944). Four colours.



The old "melt" gag.



Let’s try the gag again.



Director Frank Tashlin and writer Warren Foster throw a switch.



Daffy channels Jerry Colonna. “Ah! Something new has been added!”



An old-style, Clampett-esque Daffy “Woo-hoo!” exit.



Now, an inside joke.



My best guesses at the studio personnel referred to here: Fred Abrams, Warren Foster, Tubby Millar, Dick Thomas, Curt Perkins, Leon Schlesinger, Ray Patin (or maybe Ray Katz), Ace Gamer and Cal Dalton.

Being the best kind of war cartoon, Hitler is embarrassed by the “secret” message and Himmler and Goering Goebbels commit suicide. In real life, Hitler followed. As Daffy tells us, “They lose more darn Nutzis that way.”

6 comments:

  1. There has been a lot of speculation in animation fan circles about why there's no "Art Pigeon" (named after Art Davis) on the list!

    Incidentally, what was Curt Perkins' role at the studio?

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  2. I'm pretty sure the the third, gaunt-faced Nazi is supposed to be Joseph Goebbels, not Himmler.

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    1. Eric O. Costello16 May 2023 at 17:00

      You're correct. Contemporary caricatures would clearly show that's Goebbels. Himmler was quite a bit taller, and among other things had a thin mustache and wore glasses; he also habitually wore his black SS uniform.

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  3. Eric O. Costello16 May 2023 at 17:03

    Walter Pidgeon was a well-known actor of the day. Among other things, he got an Oscar nomination for his role in 1942's "Mrs. Miniver." I suspect that's who is being reference above "Homer" Pigeon.

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    1. Speaking of Homer Pigeon, having gotten to know the bird by that name from Walter Lantz's Dell comic book New Funnies, that's who popped into my head the first time I caught that chalkboard gag, and always wondered if it was a reference to the character rather than just a pun on homing pigeon. I see the Lantz character hit both the screen and comics in 1942.

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  4. Eric O. Costello16 May 2023 at 17:04

    For that matter, Hitler, Goebbels and Goering all committed suicide, Goebbels a few days after Hitler (after killing his children), and Goering on the eve of his execution.

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