Hawks and Doves (1968)
Rattfink's country, Hawkland, and Roland's country, Doveland, go to war.
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As Good As It Gets
Absolutely brilliant
Good films always raise compelling questions, whether the format is fiction or documentary fact.
The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.
"Hawks and Doves" was the first Roland and Rattfink short released by David H. DePattie and Friz Freleng, though it was most likely the second one produced. The concept of Roland, a goodie two-shoes that is too nice for his own good, and Rattfink, a low-down dirty scoundrel whose greed always backfired on him, squaring off in various settings, usually circa 1901, is a great idea. Sometimes, though, the execution wasn't always as good, which I believe has led to the duo being one of the most obscure of the Pink Panther offshoots. This short has Doveland resident and pacifist Roland being forced into war with Hawkland's war mongering Rattfink, with the two doing battle in their biplanes.This is a good introduction to the two characters, though it sadly does not do them enough justice. I think if there hadn't been so much time devoted to the set-up of the two going making and going off to war, there would have been more time for the amusing scenes up in the skies. The pacing is certainly good when those sky scenes are happening, and the ending is very funny, concerning the taxman taking the spoils of war from the victor and using it as rehabilitation aid for the loser, which was no doubt a criticism over real-life war situations which certainly make little sense to the layperson on side of the victor. The duo would get better, but they would also get worse. Zantara's score: 7 out of 10.