Yankee Doodle Daffy (1943)

Don't listen to the negative reviews

An Exercise In Nonsense

This story has more twists and turns than a second-rate soap opera.

There are moments in this movie where the great movie it could've been peek out... They're fleeting, here, but they're worth savoring, and they happen often enough to make it worth your while.

Despite the the title, this has nothing to do with the 1942 film biopic of George M. Cohan or the song. The plot has pushy talent agent Daffy trying to persuade producer Porky to give Daffy's client a job. The client in question is an adorable little duck with a lollipop named Sleepy Lagoon. It's not until the end of the short that we find out if Sleepy has talent or not as most of the time is spent on Daffy himself performing. This is a funny short with early Daffy, meaning more zany and silly than the later smart-mouthed foil for Bugs. Daffy's most of the show here but Sleepy is good, too, and Porky is fine as the ever-suffering straight man. The vocal talents of Mel Blanc are, as always, wonderful. The colors, animation, and music are all great. Not one of the best Daffy & Porky shorts but a good one.

Smeller Productions shuts it's doors early when Porky Pig stops auditions for the day in order to go and get his plane for a business appointment. However, his office is stormed by Daffy Duck - Actor's Agent, who is keen to push his young act in front of Porky.I love Daffy Duck, but I greatly prefer him when he is crazy, in his early days - not only do I prefer his character but also the cartoons seemed to have more value placed upon them. Here I wasn't sure what to expect as the cartoon had a structure that I didn't think would lend itself to a crazy duck - how wrong was I! The plot actually allows Daffy to be crazy (or screwball as his young client points out) in a very funny way. The various acts he puts on are all very funny and work well because he is such a good character. The cartoon dips a little bit when it leaves the office but it is still worth seeing.Daffy is brilliant. The material may not be the strongest he has ever had but it is he who uses it really well and carries the film. Porky is only really any good when he is reacting to the work of others and, for that reason, he is good here. The little act in question is a small black duck that sits silently for the majority. He is hilarious as he pulls out pictorial signs to comment on the relative sanity of his manager - it is not his fault that he is the focus of a punchline that serves as an anticlimax after such madness!Overall this is a fantastic little short that allows Daffy to demonstrate why I always prefer him in full `crazy' mode as opposed to his later incarnations. He may be a ham, a corn and a screwball, but Daffy makes this cartoon what it is - great fun!

This is definitely one of Daffy Duck's best. However, I wonder why the term "Yankee Doodle" was used in the title. The cartoon was released during WWII, and Yankee Doodle was used in the title of a number of cartoons at that time, e.g., Tom and Jerry's _Yankee Doodle Mouse, The (1943)_ (qv). With that term as part of the title, one could expect to see soldiers; airplanes; military maneuvers; the bashing of Hitler, Mussolini, Hirohito, or Tojo; or at least something related to the war in some way. This cartoon has nothing remotely related to WWII. Perhaps 'Friz Freleng' (qv) figured it wouldn't matter to his audience.

In my opinion, this has got to be the best Daffy Duck cartoon ever....all of the songs he does are great and very hilarious...especially when he sings Laugh Clown Laugh....had me laughing through the entire cartoon...classic Daffy stuff right here.