| Hiawatha's Rabbit Hunt | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Directed by | I. Freleng |
| Story by | Michael Maltese |
| Produced by | Leon Schlesinger |
| Starring | Mel Blanc |
| Music by | Carl W. Stalling |
| Animation by | Gil Turner |
| Color process | Technicolor |
Production company | |
| Distributed by | Warner Bros. Pictures |
Release date |
|
Running time | 7:30 |
| Language | English |
Hiawatha's Rabbit Hunt is a 1941Merrie Melodies cartoondirected byFriz Freleng.[1]Mel Blanc voiced all characters. This film was nominated for theAcademy Award for Best Short Subject (cartoons), but lost toWalt Disney'sLend a Paw (a plot point which would figure intoWhat's Cookin' Doc?). This was the firstBugs Bunny cartoon directed by Friz Freleng.[2] The short makes several direct references toThe Song of Hiawatha, an epic poem byHenry Wadsworth Longfellow.
Bugs is readingThe Song of Hiawatha out loud to himself and the saga turns real as a pint-sized,Elmer Fudd-like Hiawatha (minus the speech impediment) turns up, paddling his canoe. Hiawatha is looking for a rabbit for his dinner. Hiawatha manages to trick Bugs into thinking he is preparing a hot bath for him. It is actually a cooking pot, which Bugs quickly vacates once Hiawatha casually mentions that he is having rabbit stew for supper.
The Film Daily called the short a "very funny cartoon", saying, "the result is a howl from start to finish. The serious-minded Indian's efforts to catch the screwball rabbit for stewing purposes makes a lively and comical race. Bugs Bunny gets better and funnier with every screen appearance."[3]
Hiawatha's Rabbit Hunt was one of the 12 Bugs Bunny cartoons that were pulled out ofCartoon Network's June Bugs 2001 marathon by order ofAOL Time Warner due to having anegative caricature of a Native American.[5]
| Preceded by | Bugs Bunny Cartoons 1941 | Succeeded by |
 | ThisMerrie Melodies–related article is astub. You can help Wikipedia byexpanding it. |