What Price Porky (1938)

A lot of fun.

In truth, there is barely enough story here to make a film.

It's a feast for the eyes. But what really makes this dramedy work is the acting.

Although I seem to have had higher expectations than I thought, the movie is super entertaining.

"What Price Porky" is an American 7-minute cartoon from 1938, so this one will already have its 80th anniversary next year. With Porky being in the center of it all as the title suggests, this is of course a Schlesinger production. If you knew that Porky's glory days in the center of the action were in black and white, then you are really good. Maybe this is also a main reason why he did not turn into a star like Bags and Daffy. That said, you will see an early Daffy version in here. The voice acting star is obviously once more Mel Blanc, but (prolific) director Bob Clampett got a small part too. So yes story-wise from this film you can really see that tumultuous times were ahead and that the political climate on the planet was about to explode and with all the gunfire and military references here, you won't be surprised that this is from one year before the beginning of World War II. But sadly this political context is also the only area where I would say from that perspective it is interesting to check out today so many decades later. It's not particularly funny or witty and like I said the lack of color is not helping either. But even with color, it would have been nowhere near the most defining war cartoons either. Then again, if we are very precise it is not even a war cartoon yet. It's wild, loud and all over the place, but it is never convincing or entertaining. I give it a thumbs-down. Not recommended.

. . . commanded by "Gen. Quacko Ductator" reflect America's admiration for Fascist leaders such as Adolph Hitler and Benito Mussolini in the mid-1930s. TIME MAGAZINE had honored Hitler as its "Man of the Year," and most of Hollywood was in lock-step with the rest of the American One Per Cent such as Henry Ford and Charles Lindbergh in befriending the Fascists as much as possible. Already most notable for their virulent anti-Semitism, is it any wonder that the Nazi leaders felt that they had the "greenlight" from Hollywood and the Europeon Elite to liquidate the world's Jews, then numbering 16 million souls? Under the thumb of the Non-Kosher farmer Porky Pig, the chickens in WHAT PRICE PORKY? clearly represent the Jews. The title of this animated short asks, "How many pieces of silver will it take to unite all nations in the pursuit of Jewish extermination?" Since the Nazi ducks defeat the Pig-led chickens at every turn here, the implication is that Jewish Defeat is inevitable. "Why prolong the agony?" challenges WHAT PRICE PORKY?

I am a fan of Looney Tunes and have been from an early age. Porky Pig I do like, though he is not one of my favourites. What Price Porky is very good, though perhaps not outstanding. I thought the backgrounds were crisp and flowed nicely, but the character designs, with both Porky and Daffy having been designed better since, are somewhat primitive. However, the music is rousing and wonderfully patriotic, and the dialogue and gags as you'd expect from Bob Clampett are hilarious in an often riotous sense. The story while perhaps not the most surprising of all stories is amusing and well paced, while the characters especially the ducks are enormous fun with Porky, playing to his strengths, on great form. Mel Blanc and Clampett himself provide the voices flawlessly. In conclusion, very funny and well worth watching, though I do think as overall cartoons that Porky have done better. 8/10 Bethany Cox

If you watch enough of the classic-era cartoons, especially the ones from the 1930s to the mid-'40s, you'll read a lot of incredibly-corny signs, letters and other things filled with plays-on-word and puns of all type. This cartoon offers a great example.Porky is trying to get the ducks from eating his hens' feed. He pleads with them and then mildly threatens them. Their response is this letter:"Fowl Ones - Let's talk TURKEY. You're too COCKY. We think you EGGS are CHICKEN. Why don't you quit CACKLING and fight - you dumb CLUCKS! Signed - Gen. QUACKO, DUCKtator."You get the idea.The hens see the note and are now inspired to fight back. The mobilize an army, and the war is on between the hens and the ducks, complete aerial bombers, naval artillery and ships, you name it; even a "no man's land" in the middle renamed "No Hen's Land" with WWI-style trench warfare on each side. Actually, a number of the sight gags are very inventive. The Ducks, by far, are the funnier of the two sides. Daffy joins the fray, armed to the teeth and asks, "Which way to the front?" After he's told, he speeds off in the opposite direction!This cartoon is part of the Looney Tunes Golden Collection Volume Five and is the last one in the set, making the package end with a real winner!