Hare Splitter

Infobox Hollywood cartoon
cartoon_name = Hare Splitter
series = Merrie Melodies


caption =
director = Isadore Freleng
story_artist = Tedd Pierce
animator = Ken Champin
Gerry Chiniquy
Manuel Perez
Virgil Ross
voice_actor = Mel Blanc
musician = Carl Stalling
producer = Edward Selzer
distributor = Warner Bros. Pictures
release_date = September 25, 1948
color_process = Technicolor
runtime = 7 minutes and 3 seconds (one reel)
movie_language = English
imdb_id = 0040421

"Hare Splitter" is a Warner Bros. "Merrie Melodies" animated short directed by Isadore Freleng. It was originally released on September 25, 1948.

The title is a play on "hair splitting", or focusing too much on fine details, reflecting how Bugs (a "hare") tries to "split up" Casbah and Daisy so that Bugs can date her himself.

Plot Summary

This cartoon features both Casbah and Daisy Rabbit. Casbah and Bugs Bunny fight over the affection of Daisy. The cartoon begins with Bugs and Casbah getting dressed up to go visit Daisy.

The fighting for Daisy begins as soon as they exit their rabbit holes. Bugs and Casbah both leave their holes with flowers for Daisy. Seeing each others gifts, they try to outdo each other with bigger and better gifts. Bugs finally throws a weight on Casbah’s head to get rid of him.

When Bugs arrives at Daisy’s home, he finds a note on her door saying she will be back shortly (The fact that Daisy lives in a house instead of a rabbit hole like Bugs or Casbah is an oddity that goes unremarked upon.). Bugs sees Casbah coming and dresses up as Daisy. He lures Casbah over to the porch swing and starts flirting with him. When Casbah isn’t looking, Bugs hits him over the head, puts a mouse trap down, and gives him an explosive carrot.

In addition to tricking Casbah on the swing, Bugs pretends to kiss Casbah by using a plunger and hitting him on the head. He continues tricking Casbah by painting a bomb to look like Daisy.

Casbah is so excited by explosion of the bomb, he runs into the house. Once again, Bugs tries to trick Casbah by pretending to be Mr. Cupid and shooting him with an arrow. Casbah figures out it's Bugs ("You're that screwy rabbit!" he shouts, clearly not realizing this description applies just as well to himself) and begins chasing him.

Fortunately for Bugs, he sees Daisy and runs around the side of the house. Casbah sees Daisy coming up the porch and thinks it is again Bugs dressed up as her. When Daisy enters the house, Casbah hits her upside the head with a vase. Daisy proceeds to beat up Casbah and kick him out of her home.

The cartoon ends with Bugs showering Daisy with compliments and kissing Daisy after she has eaten an explosive carrot. Both Bugs and Daisy think the explosive effect the carrot lends to the kiss is due to the other's romantic capabilities ("What a man!"/ "What a woman"), and they enthusiastically kiss again.

Trivia

*The character of Casbah is referenced from the movie "Casbah", which was released in April 1948. [ [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0040214/ "Hare Splitter" at the Internet Movie Database.] ]
*A clip where Bugs is getting into his disguise as "Daisy" was used for a "Bugs Bunny & Tweety Show" promo for ABC during the 1992 "It Must Be ABC" campaign.

Censorship

*On the ABC airing, the part where Casbah (the big brown rabbit) punches Bugs in the face after Bugs asks him, "You wouldn't hit a man with glasses on?" was cut. [http://looney.goldenagecartoons.com/ltcuts/ltcutsh.html]
*When Cartoon Network aired this cartoon as part of the infamous 2001 June Bugs special that banned 12 cartoons for having racial and ethnic stereotypes in them, a rather innocuous part (possibly for time reasons) where, after the novelty-carrot-induced explosive kiss between Bugs and Daisy Lou, Daisy Lou responds with "What a man!" while Bugs responds with "What a woman!" was edited out and immediatedly went to the scene of them happily jumping around the room before the iris-out. On installment shows, such as "The Looney Tunes Show" and "Bugs and Daffy", the "What a man!"/"What a woman!" scene was left intact. However, there were some instances where the installment shows would air the edited version instead of the uncut version (whether this is intentional or not is unknown). [http://looney.goldenagecartoons.com/ltcuts/ltcutsh.html]

References