Southbound Duckling

Infobox Hollywood cartoon
cartoon_name = Southbound Duckling
series = Tom and Jerry


caption = The title card of "Southbound Duckling"
director = William Hanna
Joseph Barbera
story_artist = William Hanna
Joseph Barbera
animator = Kenneth Muse
Ed Barge
Irven Spence
background_artist = Vera Ohman
layout_artist = Richard Bickenbach
voice_actor = Red Coffee as Quacker
musician = Scott Bradley
producer = Fred Quimby
distributor = Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
release_date = March 12, 1955
color_process = Technicolor, CinemaScope
runtime = 6 minutes 15 seconds
movie_language = English
imdb_id = 0048647
preceded_by = "Touché, Pussy Cat!"
followed_by = "Pup on a Picnic"

"Southbound Duckling" is the 90th one reel animated "Tom and Jerry" short, created in 1954 directed by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera and produced by Fred Quimby with music by Scott Bradley. The cartoon was animated by Kenneth Muse, Ed Barge and Irven Spence with backgrounds by Vera Ohman and layouts by Richard Bickenbach.. It was released on March 12, 1955 by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer.

Plot

Quacker, the stubborn duckling, is convinced that all ducks fly South for the winter. He packs his suitcase and knocks on Jerry's mouse hole to tell him about his winter holiday plans and tries to leave, but is stopped by Jerry. Jerry shows him a book that says "wild ducks are migratory birds and fly South every winter," but "domestic ducks (ie: Quacker) are primarily farm fowl and do not fly South for the winter." Quacker is unconvinced and sets off on his travels, even though he cannot fly. After about a quarter-mile of hard running, Quacker is out of breath. Jerry again shows Quacker the book, but Quacker refuses to give up. He catapults himself straight into Tom's mouth as Tom is eating, giving Tom a taste for roast duck. Quacker flees and Tom looks at a book labeled "How to cook DUCK". Jerry pulls Quacker into a tree as he passes by.

Quacker builds up his resolve again when he spots the ducks in the air. He has prepared a seesaw that, when he pulls an anvil onto one end, will launch him into the air. Quacker reaches the height of all the other ducks but cannot stay up and falls into a frying pan Tom sticks out of the window. Tom covers Quacker with egg and flour, which blinds the duck temporarily. He soon spots what Tom is cooking: "SOUTHERN FRIED DUCK".

Quacker: "Southern Fried Duck? AAY...are you gonna eat me?"

Tom nods, but Jerry has scooped up Quacker with a spatula and gone back to his hole. However, Quacker is still out of the hole. Tom grabs the duck, but gets his hand squashed and loses Quacker.

Quacker is now on a flaming rocket that says "FLORIDA OR BUST". He waves goodbye, but it's not goodbye for long as Tom swallows the rocket. However, he does not swallow Quacker, and for his daring, he is blasted back 1,000 feet into a pool.

Quacker is on his knees, pleading for help from Jerry. Jerry obliges after much complaint and pumps up a balloon attached to a basket. Quacker waves goodbye, but Tom shoots the balloon from a hidden bunker and brings out a net to catch the duck. Jerry cuts the net open and takes Quacker.

Jerry runs into the international airport and flies with him, by aeroplane, to Miami, Florida. Tom chases after the two, onto the runway, but is too late to board the plane. He does arrive with Jerry and Quacker though, as a stowaway, clinging to the wheel. On a Miami beach, Quacker and Jerry are sunbathing, glad to be rid of Tom, but he is actually right behind them and traps them under a bucket.

Trivia

* This is one of the rare cartoons in which Tom triumphs. See also Mouse for Sale and Timid Tabby.