Polar Pals (1939)

Good concept, poorly executed.

Fanciful, disturbing, and wildly original, it announces the arrival of a fresh, bold voice in American cinema.

Blistering performances.

There are moments that feel comical, some horrific, and some downright inspiring but the tonal shifts hardly matter as the end results come to a film that's perfect for this time.

. . . which probably is due to the fact that Canadiyapper Eco-Terrorists clubbed them all to death back in the 1900s, despite this Warner Bros. warning, POLAR PALS. This Looney Tunes animated short features some cute songs, with lyrics such as, "Let's rub noses, like Eskimoses." However, when a coarse, uncouth, ugly brute enters the placid picture with an Evil chortle slightly more than three minutes into POLAR PALS (that is, around the halfway mark), this prophetic Warner warning gets serious. Porky Pig takes up arms against this indiscriminately machine-gunning goon, "I. Killem," who's drawn and behaving like a typical Canadiyapper. Porky immediately assesses the danger the Coming of Killem presents to polar bears, penguins, and seals alike. As would any True Blue American, Porky swiftly rises to the defense of the mostly defenseless critters, blasting away at Killem with his grease gun. Mr. Killem's ship is sunk, and he's forced out on the run. The baby seals are saved--in Warner's Best Case Scenario. Of course, in Real Life, where do you think they get all the Buttons of Baby Seal served in Trump Tower?

"Polar Pals" is a nice Porky Pig cartoon directed by the wacky Bob Clampett. At the North Pole, P-P-P-Porky is prompted to protect his "Polar Pals" from a sinister fur trapper.Highlights: A penguin doesn't get shot by the trapper but his shadow does, performing a hilarious death scene. The jazzy harmonized number about rubbing noses "like the Eskimoses" is so delightful you just have to hear it for yourselves. Porky sings "Singing in the Bathtub" with a bouncy walk and is hilarious when musically drying his fanny. Celebrating his victory against the trapper at the very end, Porky shouts "Whoopee!", then falls into thin ice.All of Porky's "Polar Pals" depend on him for p-p-protection, and that is p-p-p-precisely what he gives them. That fur trapper doesn't get too far before he gets his behind beaten very badly!

Throughout the late '30s, the Termite Terrace crowd mostly cast Porky Pig in pedestrian roles* trying to represent all walks of life (fireman, pilgrim, bullfighter). So "Polar Pals" is a real surprise. It features Porky living somewhere in the Arctic - according to a song, in a "nice land called Iceland" - and befriending the animals. He has a blanket made of live polar bears and takes what has to be the least pleasant shower ever (they even show Porky butt naked!).So anyway, the animals go about their daily business when a fur trapper named I. Killem arrives with the aim of turning all the fauna - possibly including Porky - into profits. I should admit that I guessed what the final gag was going to be, but everything preceding that made the whole cartoon worthwhile. Even in the direst of situations, Porky and friends know just how to entertain us.In conclusion, to play off of the title of another Porky Pig cartoon from 1939, I would call this "Cold Glory".*As any Looney Tunes fan probably knows, Daffy Duck got the really wacky roles.

How Porky Pig wound up living in an igloo at the North Pole it's not known, but we first find him snoring away in bed, buried under a ton of polar bear skins. It is so cold that his alarm clock has mittens on its hands, a coonskin cap on it's head and it blows on its hands before ringing!The "skins" wind up being actual Polar Bears and they jump off Porky when the alarm goes off, and head outside, except for a baby bear. Porky goes in to take a "b-b-b-b-b, ah, shower."Soon, the cartoon turns into a musical under the song "Let's Rub Noses Like the Eskimoses." Well, that's the 1930s for you with corny and funny lyrics and uplifting songs.Overall, this had a very innocent sweetness to it and a decent share of sight gags about what freezing weather can do and how you can make the best of it.....until a villain shows up: "I Killem, fur trapper." Then it gets violent.Overall, this is probably appealing more to kids but adults will get more than their share of laughs, too. The violence near the end was shocking in a few spots, and parents might have to explain a few things to their very young kids.