| Knights Must Fall | |
|---|---|
| Directed by | I. Freleng |
| Story by | Tedd Pierce |
| Produced by | Edward Selzer (uncredited) |
| Starring | Mel Blanc |
| Music by | Carl Stalling |
| Animation by | Ken Champin Gerry Chiniquy Manuel Perez Virgil Ross |
| Layouts by | Hawley Pratt |
| Backgrounds by | Paul Julian |
| Color process | Technicolor |
Production company | |
| Distributed by | Warner Bros. Pictures The Vitaphone Corporation |
Release date |
|
Running time | 6:58 |
| Language | English |
Knights Must Fall is a 1949Warner Bros.Merrie Melodies cartoon directed byFriz Freleng.[1] The short was released on July 16, 1949, and starsBugs Bunny.[2] A spoof of theKing Arthur mythology, the title is a pun on the 1937 filmNight Must Fall.
Bugs (as a knave) stands in line with several knights, chewing a carrot. As Bugs finishes eating, he disposes of the carrot in the suit of "Sir Pantsalot of Drop Seat Manor" (a pun onSir Lancelot), angering Pantsalot. After they exchange glove blows to each other (with Bugs using one of Pantsalot's gauntlets), the two agree to settle their feud with ajoust.[3] The joust begins with Pantsalot introduced to great fanfare, and Bugs being booed. Pantsalot beats Bugs back twice, and destroys Bugs' lance on his third attempt with his shield, earning Bugs the derision of the crowd ("Hey! That cast-iron palooka's making a chump outta me!").Half-time is signaled with the entertainment consisting of a band playing music (used prior inPorky in Wackyland).
The second half begins with Bugs and Pantsalot trading head blows until Bugs tickles Pantsalot using apneumatic drill on Pantsalot's armor. Pantsalot responds by attempting to swing a cast-iron ball at Bugs, who uses a spring to cause the ball to recoil and slam Pantsalot in the head. Bugs then says, "It is to laugh!", and laughs. Then, Bugs tricks Pantsalot into opening his helmet and peeking out so that he can punch Pantsalot's head back in. Pantsalot chases Bugs into a rabbit hole on the field. Bugs comes up from an adjacent hole while Pantsalot looks for him. Bugs hits Pantsalot on the head again, angering Pantsalot, who smashes what he thinks is Bugs in armor. He finds Bugs hiding inhis armor as Bugs evades yet another bat to the head (making Pantsalot strike his own head). Bugs applies a needle to Pantsalot 's posterior, causing him to jump and smash into an arch before smashing back into his armor. Bugs unscrews the helmet and remarks "Look at the newDick Tracy character,Accordion Head!". Bugs is then chased into a manhole, and before Pantsalot can dive in, Bugs puts the lid on, causing yet another head blow to Pantsalot.
Bugs, thinking he has won, prepares to leave ("I guess I'd better go phone Lady Windermere not to expect her spouse home for dinner"), but the knights, led by Pantsalot, reappear in formation to joust together against Bugs. Bugs calls atimeout and builds a glass and cast-iron steam case resembling atank and abomber in a nearbyblacksmith shop to house himself, his pony, and lance. After emerging, Bugs and the knights charge to each other and end up (off-screen) crashing into each other, rattling the crowd.
The cartoon ends with Bugs as "The Smiling Rabbit", selling all of the defeated knights' suits of armor and disposing of another carrot in what was Pantsalot's suit ("Ehh, So it shouldn't be a total loss.").
While a parody of theArthurian legend, the short avoids using familiar names. The ending, however, is clearly based on the final fight inA Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court (1889), where the knights of England attack the protagonist en masse and fall to him.[3] It is a battle between modern American technology and old English ways.[3] The narrative of the film never explains the arrival of Bugs in this time period. He is simply there. Yet his American ways have a calamitous effect, as did those of Hank Morgan in the original novel, giving this short a dark side.[4]
The film also evokes images of thepost-war era. For example, thepavilion of Bugs is amilitary surplustent with the markings of theUnited States Army.[3] There are references toErrol Flynn, popular films,Dick Tracy,speakeasies, andbombers.[3]
The jousting field is depicted as a typical sports field transferred to theMiddle Ages. There is an announcer, a vendor selling programs, a football field, and references to baseball, boxing, and pool.[3] There is also an appearance by akazoo-usingmarching band athalf-time.[3]
The first half of the joust consists of three passes each ending in defeat for Bugs. In the first two, he is sent flying into a wall. In the third and last, he shatters hislance. The second half of the joust is a free-for-all, making use of multiple weapons.[3] In an opening sequence, the two combatants smash each other with clubs to the tune ofI've Been Working on the Railroad.[3]
| Preceded by | Bugs Bunny Cartoons 1949 | Succeeded by |