“Carrots is the root of all evil.”
Directed by Robert McKimson; Story by Cal Howard; Animation by Ted Bonnicksen, LaVerne Harding, Jim Davis, and Ed Solomon; Layouts by Bob Givens; Backgrounds by Bob Abrams; Film Editor: Hal Geer; Voice Characterization by Mel Blanc and Pat Woodell; Musical Direction by William Lava. A Merrie Melody released on January 25, 1969.
Aw man! I really wanted to discuss this short’s prequel first! But fate chose this one, and autism made it stick. Let’s go.
The last recurring minor characters to come from the W.B.’s theatrical shorts. They’re named after two of possibly the world’s most famous criminals: Carmen Sandiego and The Hamburglar. (Do I really need to spell it out for anyone?) As rabbits, they rob carrot patches. They wear clothes and drive a car, so the rules of this world are as weird as cartoon ought to be.
Their design isn’t my favorite. Bunny has comically sized cheeks that make her look like she’s perpetually sucking a warhead candy after brushing her teeth, and her blonde hair doesn’t match her gray fur. And there’s no proof it’s a wig. Claude is a bit cleaner, but his wide-eyed smile makes him look totally clueless. On the plus side, we get to hear Mel one last time through him. I think I’ve backstoried enough. Let’s get a move on.
After the theme song. Yep, these guys got their own tune! With sung lyrics and animation pulled from their previous short! You know, I get the feeling W.B. was trying as hard as they could to make these guys last! It didn’t really work. The only mention I’ve ever seen of either of these two was a photo of Claude in “Tiny Toons Looniversity” suggesting that to Buster and Babs Bunny, he’s a relation.
Now we can really get started. The duo (who might not be married like their namesakes, s’not clear,) want to get on board the 515 train. The ticket master says that isn’t allowed, seeing as its a cargo train. Claude lightly shakes him, and he changes his tune. I’d do the same. Those teeth look plenty powerful. I thought they’d be well known, but the ticket master doesn’t recognize them until Bunny gives their names. Who else do you think would want to ride a carrot express? Bugs?
They duck into their car of choice and proceed to do whatever they choose to do when the camera isn’t on them, while the ticket master phones the third character of their stories, a sheriff referred to as Sheriff. He’s on his way! This is the perfect chance! If they’re holed in a car, all he has to do if figure out which one, and keep them inside until they pass the nearest prison. It’s not the fastest train, so he can catch up with his car.
After an amusing drive, (I do love him being crazy/blind enough to drive right in front of another moving train.) he gets on top of a car. It’s his lucky day, as he is standing on the right car, and Claude has just emerged to uncouple the car. He gives chase, but really now? A man catching a rabbit on foot? He can’t even jump the gaps in the car, and has to run in between them. He climbs back up just as Claude aims to pop back to safety. That’s when the train enters a tunnel. If that look painful enough, imagine the cramp he’s getting ducking down in there.
Claude thinks there home free, but Bunny sees Sheriff is entering now. They hide in some barrels before they are seen. Sheriff isn’t great at catching them, but he’s not a maroon. Since this is the carrot stronghold, he knows they’ll be here eventually. He’ll hide in the third barrel. The crooks decide to show the audience that they aren’t afraid to commit murder if need be. They nail him inside, stick some lit dynamite in, and kick him off the train. He survives, but only because the cartoon isn’t over yet.
Sheriff handcarts after them, just as Claude finally gets around to uncoupling that car he keeps saying he’ll get to. Sheriff gets a real workout trying to outspeed it, and only barely makes it onto some sidetrack. He crashes once he hits the end of that line. They’re going to get away unless he find some new transportation! He buys a farmer’s plow horse to get a ride. I love- you know what? No. I’ve said that so many times, it’s losing all meaning. Let me try something new.
I’m attracted to the farmer just looking totally lost at the wad of bills he now possesses. … I’ll stick to saying “I love-” from now on. He gets to the rabbandits before they flee, (and how did their car know where to meet them?) and the two worriedly clutch each other. (Claude’s cheek is a coward, and tries to blend into the background. It works, but the principle remains.) He reads them their rights, unaware that his new partner happens to share their love of sweet root vegetables.
Horse chows down. That doesn’t sound like the crunch a carrot should make. If W.B. didn’t already prove they knew that for the past 2.5 decades, I wouldn’t bring it up. I guess since Mel was no longer under contract, he was finally able to refuse biting into the things. I wouldn’t. Not only do I like raw carrots, but I’d be thrilled to be in a ‘Tune or ‘Melody as the carrot crunch. Oh yeah, I need to be finishing up here.
That horse eats more carrots than is healthy, and Sheriff gets angry at the lack of evidence. Give it about a day, and come back with some strong stomached forensics officers. In the meantime, the crooks see their opportunity and take what they can. The sheriff chasing them on his fat horse. They’re probably still chasing to this day.
Favorite Part: The look the thieves share when the ticket master changes his mind about letting them ride, and in a panic, starts listing all the people who can ride as well as thanking them for excitement and offering some of his lunch. They’re all “What’s with this guy? We just want to do something illegal. No need to get excited.”
Personal Rating: 3. It’s better than their first short. And maybe they could have been even better than this if the studio hadn’t closed by the end of the year. It’s cool to have antagonistic protagonists, but then, being based on existing people does date things a little. Maybe things happened perfectly.