One of the most famous of all routines from the days of network radio was Fibber McGee’s closet. As soon as he opened it, the sound effects man unleashed a cascade of noise of falling stuff that ended with the tinkling of a bell. Audiences loved it.
If that’s the case, they should love it when Barney Bear does the same thing. And he did in The Uninvited Pest (1943). The pest happens to be a squirrel, who wants to eat the nuts Barney is munching on in bed. Barney eventually fires his rifle at the critter, blowing a hole in the closet door (conveniently labelled “closet”). Barney decides to go in after him.
Cue the Barney multiples to quicken the action.
The Film Daily called the film "amusing." Maybe I just don't find frustration humour funny. Barney Bear doesn't do a thing for me.
This was Rudy Ising's last directorial effort at MGM before going off to war at Camp Roach. George Gordon took over and made a few more Barney cartoons before he left to work for Hugh Harman.
I can kind of see why Quimby didn't have much of an issue with Ising's cartoons compared to Harman. Barney may have not been a gut-buster, but his cartoons under Ising's unit were basically more gentle Donald Ducks. Film Daily's review has always been my default feeling when watching them.
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