The Ducktators
The Ducktators is a 1942 Warner Bros. Looney Tunes directed by Norman McCabe.[1] The short was released on August 1, 1942, and satirizes events of World War II.[2] The title is a pun on dictator.
| The Ducktators | |
|---|---|
| Directed by | Supervision: Norman McCabe |
| Produced by | Leon Schlesinger |
| Story by | Melvin Millar |
| Starring | Mel Blanc Michael Maltese (both uncredited) |
| Narrated by | John McLeish (uncredited) |
| Music by | Musical Direction: Carl W. Stalling Orchestra: Milt Franklyn (uncredited) |
| Animation by | John Carey Uncredited Animation: Cal Dalton Vive Risto I. Ellis |
| Layouts by | David Hilberman (uncredited) |
| Backgrounds by | Richard H. Thomas (uncredited) |
| Color process | Black & White |
Production company | |
| Distributed by | Warner Bros. Pictures |
Release date |
|
Running time | 7 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
Plot
A pair of farm ducks anticipate the hatching of their duckling from an unusually black-colored egg. A white duckling with a toothbrush moustache, Adolf Hitler, emerges from the egg and immediately shouts "Sieg Heil!" while giving the Nazi salute. Hitler's adulthood is spent giving aggressive speeches toward the other ducks and geese. His only ally is a large black Neapolitan-accented goose, Benito Mussolini, who promotes his own warmongering rhetoric to a solitary chick who is forced to attend and applaud.
Hitler's stormtroopers surround the farm while a Dove of Peace, observing from above, weeps in response to the upcoming violence. A peace conference is held between the ducks and geese, but the troubled Hitler puts the peace treaty through a paper shredder and instigates a furious brawl. Meanwhile, an odd Japanese duck, Hideki Tojo, travels to the farm to support Hitler and Mussolini and "to make a silly Axis of himself". During his voyage across the sea, he absentmindedly plants a sign reading "Japanese Mandate Island" onto a turtle's shell. When the turtle emerges and attacks Tojo, he vainly attempts to pass himself off as Chinese.
Hitler, Mussolini and Tojo set off with their troops toward the conquest of the farm. The Dove attempts to reason with them, but they ignore and trample him. The Dove violently retaliates and defeats the Axis Powers with the aid of other animals and a Minuteman that emerges from a poster that says "For Victory, Buy United States Victory Bonds". The Dove concludes the tale to his two children, Peace and Quiet, while proudly displaying the battered heads of his enemies as trophies mounted above his fireplace. A final message invites the audience to express their patriotism by buying state bonds.
Political references
The first duckling to hatch from the egg had a mustache and a Nazi emblem throughout the cartoon, indicating that the duck symbolized Adolf Hitler. The goose who helped the duck had an open Italian accent, and the chick at the end of one of his speeches could be heard yelling "Duce!" multiple times, indicating that this goose is Benito Mussolini. The other duck was using the flag of the Empire of Japan, and openly singing "The Japanese Sandman". He is presumably intended to be Hideki Tojo, judging by the military hat he is wearing.[3] The black duck may be a reference to Rommel as he was also from South Germany and spoke with an accent, but can also relate to how African Americans were a huge demographic in the Southern United States at the time.
Changes in Sunset Productions version
The ending where the dove is sitting with his kids and points out that his enemies have been defeated (and are now moose-heads above the fireplace), followed by a notice to buy war bonds, has been rarely seen since the short was sold to Sunset Productions in the 1950s and syndicated through them (as Guild Films). As the cartoon is in the public domain, this edited version has frequently been found on VHS and DVD home video collections. However, on the Looney Tunes Golden Collection: Volume 6 DVD set and the World War II cartoons special on the Cartoon Network show ToonHeads, the full ending is shown uncut and uncensored.[4]
Reception
The Film Daily called the short "Acceptable", saying, "Hitler, Mussolini and Hirohito are taken for a ride — a one-way ride — in this animated cartoon, which produces many laughs at their expense."[5]
Home media
Due to the short's World War II stereotypes, it has rarely been shown on American television, except for Cartoon Network as part of its anthology television show, ToonHeads. The Ducktators is available uncut on Looney Tunes Golden Collection: Volume 6, Disc 2.
References
- Beck, Jerry; Friedwald, Will (1989). Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies: A Complete Illustrated Guide to the Warner Bros. Cartoons. Henry Holt and Co. p. 131. ISBN 0-8050-0894-2.
- Lenburg, Jeff (1999). The Encyclopedia of Animated Cartoons. Checkmark Books. pp. XXX. ISBN 0-8160-3831-7. Retrieved 6 June 2020.
- Schneider, Steve (1988). That's All, Folks! : The Art of Warner Bros. Animation. Henry Holt and Co. p. 86. ISBN 0-8050-0889-6.
- "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2016-05-05. Retrieved 2016-09-12.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
- "Reviews of Short Subjects". The Film Daily. 82 (56): 6. September 17, 1942. Retrieved 7 November 2020.