Simply A Masterpiece

Overrated

One of my all time favorites.

It’s not bad or unwatchable but despite the amplitude of the spectacle, the end result is underwhelming.

. . . to view every motion picture solely in the context of its predecessor movies. Therefore, they play connect-the-dots between a Warner Bros. live-action James Cagney feature titled THE FIGHTING 69th and this seven-minute Looney Tune, THE FIGHTING 69 1/2th. Somebody who's actually watched BOTH flicks all the way through might quibble that the Cagney piece is about Real Life World War One Trench Warfare, while the cartoon SEEMS to concern ants at a picnic. What could be more different? However, when a Warnologist versed in deciphering Looney Tune Prophesy studies this animated short, the focus shifts to the question of WHO would leave an entire chocolate cake, plus a cheesecake, watermelon, salad, sandwich fixings, and a jug of olives UNATTENDED in Central Park for seven minutes, and WHY? As the half-seen (her blouse is probably ripped off!) human female victim tries to salvage her picnic things at the end of this tale, it becomes clear that Warner is depicting the marital rape aftermath of the "reconciliation picnic" Mrs. Trump the Second had gone to such pains to spread out. Warner is proactively urging the 2016 American Voting Public to educate themselves on New York State's Statute of Limitations for rapists BEFORE casting a ballot for Donald J. Hump.

. . . breaks out between Black Ants and Red Ants in THE FIGHTING 69 1/2th. On the plus side, this "Merrie Melodies" entry is blissfully free of Sgt. Joyce Kilmer's doggerel verse (which is more than you can say about the Toon's apparent inspiration, a James Cagney feature titled THE FIGHTING 69th). On the other hand, this animated short is so lackluster that the print included on the "Warner Bros. Night at the Movies" DVD compilation is totally devoid of the usual credits (as if those involved wanted to disassociate themselves from the final product). The speech patterns of the Black Ants are clearly meant to Caricaturize a corresponding American ethnic group. While some may hear the Red Ant speech as pretty white bread, it would be a stretch to connect it to a particular continent or people. The Red Ants seem to make out the best here, utilizing the openings Swiss cheese affords as fox holes. This short implies that Limburger cheese has similar openings, which is news to me. But whichever\however you cut the cheese, THE FIGHTING 69 1/2th stinks.

One of the many one-shot cartoons released by Warner Bros. but not well remembered - it only recently got released as part of the Looney Tunes Golden Collection Volume 6 - "The Fighting 69 1/2th" portrays two groups of ants who go to war over a picnic blanket. Well, that's more justifiable than launching a war against a sovereign country just to gain control of its resources. The formic armies use pieces of food as weapons; that's better than nuclear weapons, right? The attempted negotiations don't go so well; not even Sergio Vieira de Mello could have helped these ants.Long story short, wars fought by cartoon characters look much more pleasant than wars turn out to be in real life. Friz Freleng's cartoon - stripped of its opening credits in the Blue Ribbon reissue - is pretty entertaining. Not a masterpiece, but worth seeing.

The most memorable part of this cartoon (in my estimation)is where the red ant and black ant generals are atop the picnic cake that has a big red cherry at its center. They use their swords to draw a line across the top of the cake dividing it in two, with the cherry carefully selected to be on their side. Arguments ensue, each general erasing the other's dividing line with his feet and using his sword to draw a new one with the cherry on his side. After several back-and-forth erasures WAR is declared and, among other things, Limburger cheese is shot from slingshots at the opposing sides in an all-out battle. In the trenches, Gas Masks are donned by both sides which then engage in fierce hand-to-hand combat.