Movies - The Scarlet Pumpernickel

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	Movies - The Scarlet Pumpernickel

The Scarlet Pumpernickel is a Warner Bros. Looney Tunes theatrical cartoon short released in 1950, directed by Chuck Jones and written by Michael Maltese.

Although the title is an obvious pun on The Scarlet Pimpernel
, the Pumpernickel is given a portrayal closer to Robin Hood. (Indeed, after Daffy fails to perform a stunt, he mutters that "I'd better check with Errol")

Synopsis

Daffy Duck is fed up with comedy and wants to try some more serious roles, so offers a script to the WB executives, the Scarlet Pumpernickel. In this script, the Scarlet Pumpernickel (Daffy) must save the Princess Melissa, from being married to a man she does not love (Sylvester), under her father's (Porky Pig) orders.

Trivia

This is one of the few Looney Tunes shorts to feature almost all of the Looney Tunes main cast. This cartoon's cast includes Daffy Duck, Porky Pig, Elmer Fudd, Sylvester, Henery Hawk
and the Mother from The Three Bears. The only well-known characer to not star in this wonderful cartoon is Bugs Bunny. The only reason for that is that Bugs Bunny would not fit very well in the short, because Daffy Duck is trying to be like Errol Flynn
, hence forth the comedy out of what is supposed to be more dramatic in content. Bugs Bunny could be Errol Flynn, because he's too confident a character. Therefore, he does not appear in this film.

This is only one of two cartoons that Melissa Duck
stars in. She is Daffy's girlfriend in both. She has survived, however, and has become a regular on Baby Looney Tunes
, the series that tells about the childhood of the Looney Tunes
.

This short was one of the few times that Mel Blanc
voiced Elmer Fudd. Elmer is usually voicd by Arthur Q. Bryan. But since Elmer had only one line in this film, Mel Blanc was told to go ahead and imitate the voice of the character. Mel Blanc did not like imitating, however, believing it to be stealing form another actor.

This is one of the few cartoons that are set on the Warner Bros. lot in Burbank, California]. This is also one of the few cartoons that have numerous references to the Warner Bros. owner, Jack Warner
, who is called J.L. in this short.

There are several ethnic references in the cartoon. For example, the kreplach, featured at the end of the cartoon, is shown to have skyrocketed to a price of $1000.00.

This is probably the only time Daffy Duck's middle name is revealed. Daffy's full name is "Daffy Dumas Duck." However, Daffy's mispronunciation of the middle name may indicate it's a stage name he's using to sell his script. (It is a reference to Alexander Dumas, who wrote several swashbucking novels, although not The Scarlet Pimpernel).

The sequnce at the end is usually edited out when shown on TV. In that moment, Daffy says to Jack Warner, "There was nothing left for the Scarlet Pumpernickel to do but blow his brains out. Which he did!" With that, Daffy puts a pistol to his head (or more like the roof of his hat) and pulls the trigger. He did lifts his head off the floor and says, "It's getting so you have to kill yourelf to sell a story in this town!" This shows the adult humor in the original shorts.

[ Visit the complete Wikipedia entry for The Scarlet Pumpernickel ]

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