| Old Glory | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Directed by | Charles Jones |
| Produced by | Leon Schlesinger |
| Music by | Carl W. Stalling |
| Animation by | Robert McKimson |
| Color process | Technicolor |
Production company | |
| Distributed by | Warner Bros. Pictures |
Release dates |
|
Running time | 9:03 |
| Language | English |
Old Glory is a 1939Warner Bros.Merrie Melodiesanimated cartoon directed byChuck Jones.[1] The short was released on July 1, 1939, and starsPorky Pig.[2] The cartoon was commissioned by Warner Bros. as a counterpart for a series of live-action films aboutAmerican patriotism.[3]
The short is adocumentary film concerningAmerican history, depictingUncle Sam teaching Porky Pig about the past of their country. The narrative includes brief depictions ofColonial America, theAmerican Revolutionary War, and theAmerican Old West, and an allusion to thePresidency of Abraham Lincoln. The human figures are depicted in a realistic style, with scenesrotoscoped from the live-action filmsGive Me Liberty (1936) andDeclaration of Independence (1938).
The film marks the first appearance of Porky in a short film directed by Jones. It was also the secondcolor film in theMerrie Melodies series to feature Porky, following the character's debut inI Haven't Got a Hat (1935). For the first time, Porky appears inthree-strip Technicolor.
Porky Pig (voiced byMel Blanc) attempts to learn thePledge of Allegiance but becomes bored and falls asleep. In his dream,Uncle Sam (voiced by John Deering) comes to life and teaches Porky about history fromColonial America through themidnight ride ofPaul Revere (voiced byTedd Pierce) and theAmerican Revolutionary War to the expansion of theAmerican Old West, briefly alluding toAbraham Lincoln. Upon awakening, Porky snaps into a salute and recites the pledge as theFlag of the United States waves overhead.
The animation inOld Glory is realistic and heavilyrotoscoped, different from the usual Warner Bros. style. Director Chuck Jones was known for hisDisney-like style during this period, and Schlesinger assigned him to make this cartoon for that reason. The scene withPatrick Henry (voiced byJohn Litel) saying his "Give Me Liberty" speech was rotoscoped from the Warner Bros. color two-reel historical shortGive Me Liberty. That short won theAcademy Award for Best Short Subject - Color of 1936. Also rotoscoped were scenes from the live-action shortDeclaration of Independence (1938).[4]
There were many different tones of colored inks used on the film. Uncle Sam has different tones on his hat, beard, face, and clothes. All the other characters were treated in a similar manner. There were many cels depicting theFlag of the United States in its stars and stripes.[4]
The film was produced during a heat wave in Los Angeles. On account of the lack of air conditioning at the studio, the production staff initially relied on two large fans to keep cool. They had to be pointed at the ceiling so that they did not blow cels and drawings across the room. Eventually production moved to night time, since the temperature dropped at night.[4]
Old Glory is Jones's first short to feature Porky Pig. It is also Porky's first appearance in a colorMerrie Melodies entry since his debut inI Haven't Got a Hat (1935), and his first short inthree-strip Technicolor.[5]
MostLeon Schlesinger animated shorts were first screened at the Warner Bros. Theater at theHollywood Boulevard. This film was instead screened at the more prestigiousCarthay Circle Theatre. All animation studio employees were invited to attend.[4] The film was screened alongside the live-actionDark Victory.[4]
The original ending was cut when the cartoon was reissued as aBlue RibbonMerrie Melodies short, in 1945 and 1953. In 2004, the short was restored for theLooney Tunes Golden Collection: Volume 2 DVD release. While this version retains the Blue Ribbon opening titles, it restores the original ending flagshot scene with the Leon Schlesinger titles. This restored version is also featured onLooney Tunes Platinum Collection: Volume 1 andPorky Pig 101.
During the late 1960s,Old Glory was regularly screened betweenrock acts atThe Fillmore inSan Francisco. Many of the Fillmore's patrons drew great amusement from a pig saluting the American flag, as "pig" in 1960s slang was, and remains, a derogatory term for a police officer and his saluting the flag was a symbol of the kind of America some were against at the time.[5]