“What’s on your mind? Besides your hat?”
Directed by Robert McKimson; Story by Tedd Pierce; Animation by Herman Cohen, Rod Scribner, Phil DeLara, and Charles Mckinson; Layouts by Robert Givens; Backgrounds by Richard H. Thomas; Voice Characterization by Mel Blanc; Musical Direction by Carl W. Stalling. Released in 1952
In this short, Daffy is Duck Drake. (Which is like if my name was human man.) He’s a private eye, ear, nose, and throat. And he could really use a new case. His old one is full of empty bottles. (I hope you enjoy puns. There’s a lot of them here.) Good luck for him! A phone call informs him that there has been a murder at the J. Cleaver Axehandle Estate. And they are willing to give up plenty of cash. (Which they prove they have by sending it through the phone. Even bus fare.) Daffy (literally) hops out of the building and heads off. Upon arriving he starts interrogating the butler, before stopping to admit it’s never the butler and follows him inside. (Doing the classic “walk this way” gag) He demands to see the body, and boy does he get it. The woman claiming to be the body is a combination of Melissa from “The Scarlet Pumpernickel,” and Jessica Rabbit. She has the hots for Daffy (who doesn’t let hormones get in the way of business. I’m impressed.) and she claims to be innocent. Daffy can’t believe it, she has guilt written all over her face. (Nothing a little make-up can’t cover) He begins his accusations of her shooting her husband with her playing her part. Could she have grabbed a handgun from her handbag and shot him? (The demonstration leaves Daffy’s bill full of holes.) Or maybe she took the rifle off the wall and killed him that way? (Possibly. She has quite the aim as she proves in her Daffy themed shooting gallery.) Perhaps it was the ole’ dropping a piano on his head? (Has anyone ever been offed this way?) Or the extremely over complicated rerouting the train tracks to the front door scenario? (A classic.) Nope and nope. As she stated, there was no murder her. Daffy has gotten the wrong location. But she is guilty. Guilty of being head over heels for Daffy. Seeing her pupils have turned into ball n’ chains, Daffy bolts. Melessica takes off after him, their silhouettes they make crashing through the door forming a couple walking down the aisle. Isn’t it romantic?
Personal Rating: 3