Reviewing Looney Tunes: Ali Baba Bunny (1957)

Released: February 9th, 1957

Directed by: Chuck Jones

Of the many achievements Chuck Jones accomplished during his lengthy career, one of them was raising the pairing of Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck into a comedic art form that has yet to be truly matched in animation. Ali Baba Bunny is a famous example of this pairing and one of my many personal favorite cartoons.

Ali Baba Bunny (6)

In Ali Baba Bunny, Bugs and Daffy are en route to Pismo Beach (California) and somehow end up tunneling through the Arabian desert, where a wealthy sultan has just finished sealing his treasure inside a magic cave. Having set the burly Hassan to guard the treasure (“Or the jackal shall grow fat on thy carcass!”) the sultan departs, shortly before Bugs and Daffy unwittingly break into the cave by tunneling under the entrance. This cartoon features Daffy during his “greedy beyond all reason” phase and it is used to great comedic effect. For example, when the pair emerge from the burrow and realize this is NOT Pismo Beach, Daffy is almost instantly mesmerized by the giant pile of treasure in front of him, while Bugs is completely oblivious. This leads to one of my favorite Daffy Duck lines:

Daffy: It’s mine you understand? Mine, mine, ALL MINE! Get back in there! Down! Down! Down! Go! Go! Go! Mine! Mine! Mine! Mwahahahahahahaha!! *zooms off to the treasure*

Bugs (still oblivious): Ehhhhh, what’s up Duck?

Only Bugs would be oblivious to all THIS

Of course there is the small matter of Hassan who is quite angry that someone is trying to take his master’s treasure. Despite Bugs’ best efforts to keep Daffy out of trouble (which include masquerading as a genie who “gives” Hassan the treasure for HIS own), Daffy keeps getting on the guard’s bad side, especially when he makes a run for it with a giant diamond! This leads Bugs to finally corner Daffy and demand to know (“What is it with you anyway?” to which Daffy replies “I can’t help it, I’m a greedy slob, it’s my hobby.”) This is probably one of the most honest answers Daffy has ever given regarding his greed (a fit of honesty likely brought on by the fact that Hassan wants to chop him to pieces).

I also love this cartoon because it has one of the greatest twist endings ever seen in a cartoon: Daffy appears to have it made. Hassan is gone, the treasure is loaded up ready to go, when the greedy duck finds a mysterious lamp in the back of the cave. For some reason, when a genie appears (and even calls Daffy “Master”!!) The duck explodes with rage and accuses the genie of wanting his treasure. This is why I say Daffy is greedy beyond all reason, because wouldn’t you think the duck would be happy to have a magic genie at his disposal? I suppose not, and boy does the duck pay for it!

Daffy-Pearl

“I’m rich! I’m a happy miser!”

Ali Baba Bunny, as I’ve said before, is one of my favorite Chuck Jones cartoons, and I hope you’ve enjoyed reading about it. Let me know what you think about this cartoon in the comments below and have a great day!