Scrap Happy Daffy
Encyclopedia
Scrap Happy Daffy is a Warner Bros.
World War II
short featuring Daffy Duck
, directed by Frank Tashlin
and released in 1943. Daffy is the guard of a scrap yard, doing his part to help America win the war against the Nazis, but the Nazis decide to destroy his scrap pile by sending a billy goat out to eat everything in sight.
The short was also the final appearance of Daffy Duck in black and white
.
, who reads about Daffy's scrap pile helping to beat Benito Mussolini
and ordering his men to "Destroy that scrap pile!".
With the word out, a Nazi submarine sends a torpedo to the scrap pile - which has a billy goat inside, who immediately starts eating everything in sight. Daffy, hearing the noise, tries to find out what's making the noise. After temporarily pointing a rifle at a reflection of himself (thinking that he cornered someone else), Daffy finds the goat hiccuping with the garbage inside him and amiably offers him a bicarbonate
. However, when Daffy sees the swastika
that the goat (whom he derides as a "tin termite") is wearing, he starts messing with the goat. Temporarily getting the better of the goat, Daffy is almost undone when he tries to whack the goat with a mallet - but the mallet gets stuck in the goat's horns and the goat knocks Daffy around.
Daffy is ready to call it quits (saying "What I'd give for a can of spinach now", a direct reference to Popeye
, whose theatrical cartoons are now owned by WB), but is encouraged by the ghosts of his 'ancestors' - ducks who landed on Plymouth Rock
, who sailed with George Washington
and who stood in for Abraham Lincoln
. His spirits back up (since "Americans don't give up, and I'm an American... duck!"), Daffy turns into 'Super American'. Daffy flies after the goat, knocking him around. The goat makes a run for the submarine, but Daffy repels all bullets shot at him and starts yanking on the periscope. Just then, the scene changes to Daffy yanking on a fire hose and getting hosed down. Daffy wakes up, thinking it was all just a dream - until he looks up at the Nazi submarine sitting on top of the scrap pile, where the Nazis tell Daffy, "Next time you dream, include us out!"
, and is featured independently on the Looney Tunes Golden Collection: Volume 5
(shown in its original black and white format). The original black and white cartoon is also available as a special feature for the DVD release of the Warner Bros. 1943 movie Air Force
. This cartoon has now fallen into the public domain because the copyright was not renewed after 1971.
Warner Bros.
Warner Bros. Entertainment, Inc., also known as Warner Bros. Pictures or simply Warner Bros. , is an American producer of film and television entertainment.One of the major film studios, it is a subsidiary of Time Warner, with its headquarters in Burbank,...
World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
short featuring Daffy Duck
Daffy Duck
Daffy Duck is an animated cartoon character in the Warner Bros. Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies series of cartoons, often running the gamut between being the best friend and sometimes arch-rival of Bugs Bunny...
, directed by Frank Tashlin
Frank Tashlin
Frank Tashlin, born Francis Fredrick von Taschlein, also known as Tish Tash or Frank Tash was an American animator, screenwriter, and film director.-Animator:...
and released in 1943. Daffy is the guard of a scrap yard, doing his part to help America win the war against the Nazis, but the Nazis decide to destroy his scrap pile by sending a billy goat out to eat everything in sight.
The short was also the final appearance of Daffy Duck in black and white
Black-and-white
Black-and-white, often abbreviated B/W or B&W, is a term referring to a number of monochrome forms in visual arts.Black-and-white as a description is also something of a misnomer, for in addition to black and white, most of these media included varying shades of gray...
.
Synopsis
Daffy is a guard at a scrap pile, encouraging Americans to "Get the tin out", "Get the iron out" and especially "Get the lead out". Singing We're in to Win, Daffy goes over the various things Americans can send to help with the war effort. However, this doesn't go down well with Adolf HitlerAdolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler was an Austrian-born German politician and the leader of the National Socialist German Workers Party , commonly referred to as the Nazi Party). He was Chancellor of Germany from 1933 to 1945, and head of state from 1934 to 1945...
, who reads about Daffy's scrap pile helping to beat Benito Mussolini
Benito Mussolini
Benito Amilcare Andrea Mussolini was an Italian politician who led the National Fascist Party and is credited with being one of the key figures in the creation of Fascism....
and ordering his men to "Destroy that scrap pile!".
With the word out, a Nazi submarine sends a torpedo to the scrap pile - which has a billy goat inside, who immediately starts eating everything in sight. Daffy, hearing the noise, tries to find out what's making the noise. After temporarily pointing a rifle at a reflection of himself (thinking that he cornered someone else), Daffy finds the goat hiccuping with the garbage inside him and amiably offers him a bicarbonate
Bicarbonate
In inorganic chemistry, bicarbonate is an intermediate form in the deprotonation of carbonic acid...
. However, when Daffy sees the swastika
Swastika
The swastika is an equilateral cross with its arms bent at right angles, in either right-facing form in counter clock motion or its mirrored left-facing form in clock motion. Earliest archaeological evidence of swastika-shaped ornaments dates back to the Indus Valley Civilization of Ancient...
that the goat (whom he derides as a "tin termite") is wearing, he starts messing with the goat. Temporarily getting the better of the goat, Daffy is almost undone when he tries to whack the goat with a mallet - but the mallet gets stuck in the goat's horns and the goat knocks Daffy around.
Daffy is ready to call it quits (saying "What I'd give for a can of spinach now", a direct reference to Popeye
Popeye
Popeye the Sailor is a cartoon fictional character created by Elzie Crisler Segar, who has appeared in comic strips and animated cartoons in the cinema as well as on television. He first appeared in the daily King Features comic strip Thimble Theatre on January 17, 1929...
, whose theatrical cartoons are now owned by WB), but is encouraged by the ghosts of his 'ancestors' - ducks who landed on Plymouth Rock
Plymouth Rock
Plymouth Rock is the traditional site of disembarkation of William Bradford and the Mayflower Pilgrims who founded Plymouth Colony in 1620. It is an important symbol in American history...
, who sailed with George Washington
George Washington
George Washington was the dominant military and political leader of the new United States of America from 1775 to 1799. He led the American victory over Great Britain in the American Revolutionary War as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army from 1775 to 1783, and presided over the writing of...
and who stood in for Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln was the 16th President of the United States, serving from March 1861 until his assassination in April 1865. He successfully led his country through a great constitutional, military and moral crisis – the American Civil War – preserving the Union, while ending slavery, and...
. His spirits back up (since "Americans don't give up, and I'm an American... duck!"), Daffy turns into 'Super American'. Daffy flies after the goat, knocking him around. The goat makes a run for the submarine, but Daffy repels all bullets shot at him and starts yanking on the periscope. Just then, the scene changes to Daffy yanking on a fire hose and getting hosed down. Daffy wakes up, thinking it was all just a dream - until he looks up at the Nazi submarine sitting on top of the scrap pile, where the Nazis tell Daffy, "Next time you dream, include us out!"
Availability
This cartoon was colorized in 1995, with a computer adding color to a new print of the original black and white cartoon. This preserved the quality of the original animation. However, this new colorized version was never broadcast on American television (due to its subject matter). A clip of this cartoon (which, oddly, was featured colorized and restored) was shown on a documentary about World War II-era cartoons and on a documentary on Frank Tashlin on the third volume of the Looney Tunes Golden CollectionLooney Tunes Golden Collection: Volume 3
Looney Tunes Golden Collection: Volume 3 is a DVD box set from Warner Home Video that was released on October 25, 2005. It contains 60 Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies theatrical short subject cartoons, 9 documentaries, 32 commentary tracks from animators and historians, 11 "vintage treasures from...
, and is featured independently on the Looney Tunes Golden Collection: Volume 5
Looney Tunes Golden Collection: Volume 5
Looney Tunes Golden Collection Volume 5 is a Looney Tunes collection on DVD. Following the pattern of one release each year of the previous volumes, it was released on October 30, 2007....
(shown in its original black and white format). The original black and white cartoon is also available as a special feature for the DVD release of the Warner Bros. 1943 movie Air Force
Air force
An air force, also known in some countries as an air army, is in the broadest sense, the national military organization that primarily conducts aerial warfare. More specifically, it is the branch of a nation's armed services that is responsible for aerial warfare as distinct from an army, navy or...
. This cartoon has now fallen into the public domain because the copyright was not renewed after 1971.
See also
- Daffy - The CommandoDaffy - The CommandoDaffy - The Commando is a 1943 Looney Tunes cartoon directed by Friz Freleng. Daffy Duck is a commando, dropped behind enemy lines, and causes havoc to the German commander, Von Vulture, who tries to capture him...
- a similar cartoon released later in 1943. - List of cartoons featuring Daffy Duck
- List of World War II short films
- List of films in the public domain