Rabbit of Seville
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Rabbit of Seville is a Warner Brothers Looney Tunes theatrical cartoon short released in 1950. It was directed by Chuck Jones and written by Michael Maltese (they appear as "Carlo Jonzi" and "Michele Maltese" at the very beginning.
The cartoon features Bugs Bunny being chased by Elmer Fudd into the Hollywood Bowl, whereupon Bugs tricks Elmer into participating in a break-neck operatic production of their chase punctuated with gags and accompanied by musical arrangements by Carl Stalling including movements from various operas (including The Barber of Seville and The Marriage of Figaro).
This cartoon is rated as number ten of the 50 greatest cartoons of all time by animation historian Jerry Beck.
Summary
- Bugs first poses as a barber and gives the hairless Elmer a shave, ending with several slashes of a razor (Bugs sings: "There, you're nice and clean...although your face looks-like-it-might-have-gone-through a ma-chine")
- Elmer recovers and searches for Bugs with his shotgun, but Bugs now poses as a seductive temptress, humiliating Elmer by snipping his suspenders and tying his gun barrels into a bow
- When Elmer discovers the "woman" is really Bugs, he tries to shoot but his gun backfires propelling him into a barber's chair again, stunning him
- Bugs (again as a barber) then prepares the bald Elmer for a haircut including such gags as a scalp massage with his hands and feet, shaving cream topped with a tossed salad, a mud mask made of quick-dry cement, trimming Elmer's new beard with a mini lawnmower and finally an application of "Figaro" fertilizer (which causes Elmer's head to sprout flowers)
- Elmer once again chases Bugs but this time Bugs poses as a snake charmer and causes an electric razor to chase Elmer, which Elmer finally "kills" with his shotgun
- Elmer and Bugs chase each other using telescoping barber chairs that shoot skywards, Bugs cuts loose a stage sandbag which lands on Elmer stunning him again
- An "arms race" chase ensues with Bugs and Elmer alternating bigger and bigger guns, culminating in an offer of flowers and chocolates to Elmer. As typically is the case, Elmer gets caught up in the excitement and accepts the gifts, Bugs returns wearing a tuxedo and offering an engagement ring, Elmer returns wearing a wedding dress and carrying a bouquet and the two are quickly married
- As the music crescendos in a grand finale, Bugs carries Elmer to the top of a series of stairs and drops Elmer over their threshold into a giant cake with "The Marriage of Figaro" written on it in icing
- Bugs turns to the camera, munching a carrot and calls out "Next"
- Iris out
Trivia
- The "Barber of Seville" poster that appears at the start of the film features three names: Eduardo Selzeri, Michele Maltese and Carlo Jonzi, which are Italianized versions of the names of the producer (Eddie Selzer), writer (Michael Maltese) and director (Chuck Jones) of the film.
- In one shot of the scene where Bugs massages Elmer's head in time to the piano melody, his hands are drawn with five digits instead of the usual four.
External links
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