Movies - Birds Anonymous

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	Movies - Birds Anonymous

Birds Anonymous is a 1957 Merrie Melodies
animated short, directed by Friz Freleng and written by Warren Foster, starring Tweety and Sylvester. The voices were performed by Mel Blanc.

The film is a lighthearted satire of Alcoholics Anonymous, as well as the many melodramas regarding substance abuse of the day, I'll Cry Tomorrow
being a notable example. Birds Anonymous won the Academy Award for best Animated Short Subject in 1957.

Summary

The short opens with Sylvester once again attempting to catch Tweety, this time succeeding and closing the blinds to hide the evidence. Before he can eat Tweety, however, he is interrupted by an erudite, milquetoast cat (named "Clarence" or "Sam" in some sources but unnamed in the short itself), who tells him that his constant cravings for Tweety are a sign of profound personal weakness, and that the only way for him to overcome this weakness is to kick the habit for good. Realizing that he does need help, Sylvester proudly joins "Birds Anonymous", a group of cats who have banded together to overcome their addictions to birds.

However, Sylvester's resolve breaks down after a short time, for the fact that he still lives in the same house as Tweety makes the temptation almost too much to bear. Sylvester valiantly makes many attempts to control his baser urges, even physically chaining himself to the wall at one point, but eventually gives in and makes a grab for Tweety, only to be stopped by his cat friend again. Ashamed of his weakness, Sylvester collapses into sobs, but the cat consoles him, telling him severe withdrawal is all part of the process, and that if he stays with Birds Anonymous' program, he will eventually succeed and come to love birds, as he does.

However, when the cat kisses Tweety to prove his point, years of denial take their toll and the B.A. cat begins laughing maniacally and attempts to devour Tweety himself, this time with Sylvester restraining him and telling him to control himself!

Tweety sums up the whole affair with a shrug: "Once a bad ol' puddy tat, always a bad ol' puddy tat!"

[ Visit the complete Wikipedia entry for Birds Anonymous ]

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