Rabbit Hood

Infobox Hollywood cartoon
cartoon_name = Rabbit Hood
series = Merrie Melodies


caption = Bugs & The Sheriff of Nottingham. in "“Rabbit Hood”"
director = Charles M. Jones
story_artist = Michael Maltese
animator = Ken Harris
Phil Monroe
Ben Washam
Lloyd Vaughan
voice_actor = Mel Blanc
musician = Carl W. Stalling
producer = Eddie Selzer
distributor = Warner Bros. Pictures
The Vitaphone Corporation
release_date = December 24, 1949 (USA premiere)
color_process = Technicolor
runtime = 8 min (one reel)
movie_language = English
imdb_id = 0041779

"Rabbit Hood" is a 1949 Bugs Bunny cartoon which parodies the Robin Hood story.

In the cartoon the Sheriff of Nottingham catches Bugs eating the King's carrots and is about to arrest him, when Little John shows up and tells them that Robin Hood is on his way.

The cartoon ends with the appearance of "the real" Robin Hood in the form of a clip from the classic 1938 movie, which starred Errol Flynn.

This cartoon is the origin of the infamous "knighting" exchange, where Bugs Bunny is dressed up like a king, and proceeds to brain the Sheriff with his sceptre while dispensing an oddball title with each strike:

:Sheriff: *bows*:Bugs: “Arise, Sir Loin of Beef!” *strikes Sheriff over the head with his sceptre*:“Arise, Earl (oil) of Cloves!” *strike*:“Arise, Duke of Brittingham!” *strike* :“Arise, Baron of Münchhausen!” *strike*:“Arise, Essence of Myrrh!” *strike*:“Milk of Magnesia” *strike* :“Quarter of Ten…” *strike*:Sheriff: (dazed, slurred) “You're too kind, your majesty.”:Bugs: (to audience) “Got lots of stamina!”

Animation

The film starts out with a lengthy sequence animated by Phil Monroe where Bugs tries to silence an alarmed carrot patch. Monroe did the scenes up to where the Sheriff is lying on the ground with little kings spinning around his head.

Ken Harris handles the next short bit where Bugs is standing examining a wall and musing how he might get out. He is interrupted by the Sheriff who chases him.

Ben Washam animates the entire section where Bugs and the Sheriff are in the Royal Rose garden and Bugs turns the whole situation around and acts like a real estate agent. Washam's scenes continue to the point where Bugs is climbing the same brick wall that we saw him musing over before. The sheriff, who we see in the distance brandishing a bow and arrow, shoots Bugs down by grazing him.

Bugs falls into Little John's arms (he was introduced ignominiously in the first part of the film) in a Ken Harris scene.

Phil Monroe animated the introduction sequence between Little John and the Sheriff.

Lloyd Vaughan handles the next sequence, a protracted one in which Bugs laboriously heralds the arrival of an unseen king. The Sheriff knows it's probably a trick but because Bugs is so insistent he almost challenges Bugs to prove his assertions.

Ken Harris animates Bugs Bunny emerging in royal garb, bedecked with a crown and holding a sceptre, much to the surprise of the Sheriff, who bows down to him, and the knighting speech above. Harris' animation continues as the Sheriff sings "London bridge is falling down" while he's staggering in a stupor.

Lloyd Vaughan does the cake baking sequence, then it's back to Ken Harris as Bugs positions the cake so the Sheriff's face will fall into it when he collapses. Harris continues with Bugs' head nod and a lovely acting scene where he makes fun of Little John continually talking about Robin Hood's arrival.

Ben Washam animates the close-up of Little John and Bugs' take when he sees the live-action Errol Flynn from "The Adventures of Robin Hood".

The cartoon finishes off with Ken Harris animating Bugs saying, "Nah, that's silly. It couldn't be him."

Censorship

*The ABC version of this cartoon cuts the part after The Sheriff of Nottingham is duped into building a house in the King's garden to remove the part where The Sheriff gnashes his teeth (with carpenter nails in them) and shouts, "Oooh! I hate myself!" then hits himself over the head with the hammer several times while yelling, "I do, I do, I do!"
*The infamous "knighting scene" (where Bugs bashes the Sheriff over the head several times with a scepter) was drastically cut short when it aired on ABC.

ee also

"Robin Hood Daffy" (1958), in which Daffy Duck played Robin Hood