Deduce, You Say (1956)

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

This is one of the best movies I’ve seen in a very long time. You have to go and see this on the big screen.

It's a good bad... and worth a popcorn matinée. While it's easy to lament what could have been...

The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.

" . . . but I am small!" Daffy Duck (as Dorlock Homes) challenges Scotland Yard's Public Enemy Number One, the hulking Shropshire Slasher. More than ably assisted by his pipe-smoking sidekick Dr. Watkins (played in DEDUCE, YOU SAY by Porky Pig), Dorlock shares a wealth of Bon Mots here. "I'm brown as a nut, and fit as a lath" (perhaps meaning to say "fit as a lathe") Daffy reveals midway through this Looney Tune. "You Ruddy Coastermongers," Dorlock addresses the denizens of Henry the Eighth's Fifths Pub (featuring "Selzer Water," most likely in honor of this animated short's producer, Edward S.). As Dr. Watkins observes, he and Dorlock are "in for a rum go" before this episode concludes. And well they should be, masquerading as indigenous English types after venturing thousands of miles away from America's friendly confines. If this pair were trying to apprehend a Wreaker of Havoc on U.S. soil who'd subsequently fled to Britain (such as Sweeney Todd, Edward Scissorhands, Captain Jack Sparrow, or the Mad Hatter), their dogged pursuit of a suspect might be hailed as patriotic if foolhardy. However, Daffy's bravado seems totally misplaced here, no matter how elementary his schooling.

This is another Daffy Duck-Porky Pig cartoon short directed by Chuck Jones in which the two leads portray legendary folk heroes. In this one the duck is Dorlock Holmes and the pig is Watkins. They're on the search for the Shropshire Slasher. Daffy, as usual, has trouble taking him in while Porky manages to convince him to turn himself over especially after Daffy insults the Slasher's mother. Not hilarious but has many very amusing bits like the times when Daffy loses his beak after tripping on the stairs or some of the clues he takes. Notice in the credits the director actually is credited as "Chuck Jones" and not his previous "Charles M. Jones". This was on disc 2 of The Looney Tunes Golden Collection, Vol. 1.

Usually, Daffy Duck and Porky Pig are enemies, but here, they're partners. Daffy plays Dorlock Holmes and Porky is Watson. The two are investigating crimes committed by someone known as "The Shropshire Slasher". When they finally meet the Shropshire Slasher, Daffy tries to overpower him, but always gets overpowered. Porky, on the other hand, knows exactly what to do every time. When the Shropshire Slasher's mother arrives, Daffy accuses her of selling flowers illegally, and...well, let's just say that was biggest mistake of his life.I don't know how the Looney Tunes creative team was able to come up with something every time, but they did it again. Let's face it, those men were geniuses.

This is a pretty amusing cartoon with Daffy Duck as a detective named Dorlock Holmes and is little helper is Porky Pig as Watkins, both with the voice of Mel Blanc. Of course set in London they investigate a case that involves the Shropshire Slasher. Although Daffy thinks he is the smart detective he makes mistakes over and over again. Porky seems the more suitable man for the job.This Looney Tunes take on Sherlock Holmes and Watkins is a pretty funny one, although it not very memorable. It has some nice moments, especially Porky Pig made me laugh quite some times. 'Deduce, You Say' is worth watching but not much more than that.