Robin Hood Daffy
Encyclopedia
Robin Hood Daffy is a 1958 Warner Brothers theatrical cartoon
short, part of the Merrie Melodies
series, directed by Chuck Jones
and written by Michael Maltese
. It was the last Chuck Jones theatrical cartoon to star Porky Pig
.
in the role of legendary outlaw Robin Hood
, and opens to the strains of his playing a song on an instrument similar to an archlute
or bouzouki
. As he prances along singing, he trips and tumbles down a hill, off a bank and into a lake.
Watching is Porky Pig, as a Friar Tuck
figure, who laughs uproariously at Daffy's inglorious plunge. The annoyed Daffy tries to prove his skill with a quarterstaff
but manages to hit himself in the face with it, bending his bill in what becomes a recurring visual gag
throughout the film. Undeterred, Daffy tries again, but while he is spinning his quarterstaff, Porky stops it with a wooden dowel, resulting in Daffy himself spinning around and falling back into the lake.
Having given up trying to impress the friar, Daffy attempts to leave, but Porky follows and asks him if he knows the whereabouts of Robin Hood's hideout as he wants to join his band of jolly outlaw
s. Daffy proudly announces that he is Robin Hood, but Porky disbelieves him.
In order to prove that he is Robin Hood, Daffy informs Porky that he will attempt to rob a rich traveler on a bouncing mule and give his money "to some poor unworthy slob". Daffy pitifully fails in each and every attempt he makes to stop the traveler, usually injuring himself in the process, be it accidentally firing himself from his own bow, or slamming into a succession of trees while trying to swing on a rope (repeatedly crying "Yoiks! And awa-aaay!!!" with each launch), and after chopping the trees down to clear a path, his next attempt results in him slamming face-first into a rock.
Eventually the rich traveler, oblivious to Daffy's increasingly desperate attempts to rob him, reaches his castle unharmed. The frustrated Daffy finally gives up, and in the final scene walks on with a tonsure
d head and wearing a habit
, having decided to become a friar himself, he tells Porky; "Shake hands with Friar Duck!" As the film closes, Daffy's bill bends back up one more time.
Cartoon
A cartoon is a form of two-dimensional illustrated visual art. While the specific definition has changed over time, modern usage refers to a typically non-realistic or semi-realistic drawing or painting intended for satire, caricature, or humor, or to the artistic style of such works...
short, part of the Merrie Melodies
Merrie Melodies
Merrie Melodies is the name of a series of animated cartoons distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures between 1931 and 1969.Originally produced by Harman-Ising Pictures, Merrie Melodies were produced by Leon Schlesinger Productions from 1933 to 1944. Schlesinger sold his studio to Warner Bros. in 1944,...
series, directed by Chuck Jones
Chuck Jones
Charles Martin "Chuck" Jones was an American animator, cartoon artist, screenwriter, producer, and director of animated films, most memorably of Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies shorts for the Warner Bros. Cartoons studio...
and written by Michael Maltese
Michael Maltese
Michael "Mike" Maltese was a long-time storyboard artist and screenwriter for classic animated cartoon shorts.-Career:...
. It was the last Chuck Jones theatrical cartoon to star Porky Pig
Porky Pig
Porky Pig is an animated cartoon character in the Warner Bros. Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies series of cartoons. He was the first character created by the studio to draw audiences based on his star power, and the animators created many critically acclaimed shorts using the fat little pig...
.
Synopsis
The film features Daffy DuckDaffy 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...
in the role of legendary outlaw Robin Hood
Robin Hood
Robin Hood was a heroic outlaw in English folklore. A highly skilled archer and swordsman, he is known for "robbing from the rich and giving to the poor", assisted by a group of fellow outlaws known as his "Merry Men". Traditionally, Robin Hood and his men are depicted wearing Lincoln green clothes....
, and opens to the strains of his playing a song on an instrument similar to an archlute
Archlute
The archlute is a European plucked string instrument developed around 1600 as a compromise between the very large theorbo, the size and re-entrant tuning of which made for difficulties in the performance of solo music, and the Renaissance tenor lute, which lacked the bass range of the theorbo...
or bouzouki
Bouzouki
The bouzouki , is a musical instrument with Greek origin in the lute family. A mainstay of modern Greek music, the front of the body is flat and is usually heavily inlaid with mother-of-pearl. The instrument is played with a plectrum and has a sharp metallic sound, reminiscent of a mandolin but...
. As he prances along singing, he trips and tumbles down a hill, off a bank and into a lake.
Watching is Porky Pig, as a Friar Tuck
Friar Tuck
Friar Tuck is a companion to Robin Hood in the legends about that character. He is a common character in modern Robin Hood stories, which depict him as a jovial friar and one of Robin's Merry Men. The figure of Tuck was common in the May Games festivals of England and Scotland during the 15th...
figure, who laughs uproariously at Daffy's inglorious plunge. The annoyed Daffy tries to prove his skill with a quarterstaff
Quarterstaff
A quarterstaff , also short staff or simply staff is a traditional European pole weapon and a technique of stick fighting, especially as in use in England during the Early Modern period....
but manages to hit himself in the face with it, bending his bill in what becomes a recurring visual gag
Running gag
A running gag, or running joke, is a literary device that takes the form of an amusing joke or a comical reference and appears repeatedly throughout a work of literature or other form of storytelling....
throughout the film. Undeterred, Daffy tries again, but while he is spinning his quarterstaff, Porky stops it with a wooden dowel, resulting in Daffy himself spinning around and falling back into the lake.
Outlaw
In historical legal systems, an outlaw is declared as outside the protection of the law. In pre-modern societies, this takes the burden of active prosecution of a criminal from the authorities. Instead, the criminal is withdrawn all legal protection, so that anyone is legally empowered to persecute...
s. Daffy proudly announces that he is Robin Hood, but Porky disbelieves him.
In order to prove that he is Robin Hood, Daffy informs Porky that he will attempt to rob a rich traveler on a bouncing mule and give his money "to some poor unworthy slob". Daffy pitifully fails in each and every attempt he makes to stop the traveler, usually injuring himself in the process, be it accidentally firing himself from his own bow, or slamming into a succession of trees while trying to swing on a rope (repeatedly crying "Yoiks! And awa-aaay!!!" with each launch), and after chopping the trees down to clear a path, his next attempt results in him slamming face-first into a rock.
Eventually the rich traveler, oblivious to Daffy's increasingly desperate attempts to rob him, reaches his castle unharmed. The frustrated Daffy finally gives up, and in the final scene walks on with a tonsure
Tonsure
Tonsure is the traditional practice of Christian churches of cutting or shaving the hair from the scalp of clerics, monastics, and, in the Eastern Orthodox Church, all baptized members...
d head and wearing a habit
Religious habit
A religious habit is a distinctive set of garments worn by members of a religious order. Traditionally some plain garb recognisable as a religious habit has also been worn by those leading the religious eremitic and anachoritic life, although in their case without conformity to a particular uniform...
, having decided to become a friar himself, he tells Porky; "Shake hands with Friar Duck!" As the film closes, Daffy's bill bends back up one more time.
External links
- Robin Hood Daffy at Internet Movie DatabaseInternet Movie DatabaseInternet Movie Database is an online database of information related to movies, television shows, actors, production crew personnel, video games and fictional characters featured in visual entertainment media. It is one of the most popular online entertainment destinations, with over 100 million...