Hiawatha's Rabbit Hunt (1941)

This is a coming of age storyline that you've seen in one form or another for decades. It takes a truly unique voice to make yet another one worth watching.

There is, somehow, an interesting story here, as well as some good acting. There are also some good scenes

Worth seeing just to witness how winsome it is.

An old-fashioned movie made with new-fashioned finesse.

I have loved Looney Tunes since childhood, and to this day I really like, love even, a vast majority of the cartoons. Hiawatha's Rabbit Hunt is not one of the best, nor is it one of my least favourites. The story is on the routine side, and there are stereotypes that are far from subtle that you can understand why some will be offended. These aside, there are many reasons to like about Hiawatha's Rabbit Hunt. The animation is just great, with lots of colour and fluidity. The character designs are also well done, though I do prefer Bugs' look later on. The music is lively and beautifully orchestrated, bringing an infectious energetic flavour to the proceedings. The cartoon is crisply paced, has some witty dialogue and some clever gags such as Bugs climbing into the boiling pot mistaking it for a bathtub, very Bugs Bunny behaviour but you love him for it. The scenes on the river and the poetic beginning and end are delightful too. Bugs is great here, smart, arrogant and still likable. I do like that when he does make mistakes and I think he makes at least one in every cartoon he's made while perhaps not learning from them he at least realises he makes them. Mel Blanc's voice work is impeccable, no surprises there. Overall, not one of Freleng's(a promising start by the way) and Bugs' very best but an interesting and enjoyable cartoon regardless of whether it was banned or not. 8/10 Bethany Cox

Hiawatha's Rabbit Hunt (1941) *** 1/2 (out of 4) This is one of the best known Merrie Melodies shorts as Indian Hiawatha goes out looking for a rabbit and unluckily for him he runs into Bugs Bunny who makes his life one misstep after another. Of all the early incarnations of Bugs, this here is probably one of the most popular and it's easy to see why because the rabbit is given a perfect co-star and the two really work well together. Yes, some might object to some of the stereotyped humor but I tend not to let these things bother me. The film works so well because of the way Bugs manages to drive Hiawatha crazy and one of the best sequences is when Bugs jumps into his water for a bath and even helps him put a log onto the fire. Another funny joke involves a cliff but I won't even think about spoiling the gag. The two characters here are given quite a lot to do and they work so well together that you can't help but have a smile on your face the entire time. There's plenty of nice laughs and just as many good action scenes. If you're a fan of animation then this here is a must see.

Understanding the racial stereotypes in "Hiawatha's Rabbit Hunt", it's got some funny stuff, as Bugs Bunny avoids getting trapped by the eponymous Native American. As I understand it, this cartoon is a parody of a Silly Symphony from Disney, but I've never seen that one. I first saw clips from this cartoon in "What's Cookin', Doc?", in which Bugs submits this cartoon for an Oscar nomination. Watching the later cartoon in "Bugs Bunny Superstar" as a little boy was the first time that I'd ever heard of the Academy Awards.Anyway, it's an OK cartoon. The tricks with the river are the best part. The cartoon even has a little twist at the end.PS: This was the first time that Friz Freleng directed Bugs Bunny, and also the first time that Gerry Chiniquy helped animate Bugs.

"Hiawatha's Rabbit Hunt" is Bugs Bunny's first film directed by Friz Freleng, and it's a wonderful sample of what Freleng would have in store for Bugs for the next 23 years.Freleng already starts throwing a curveball into the standard Bugs formula by inserting Bugs into the story of Little Hiawatha. While there is not much difference in intelligence between Hiawatha and, say, Elmer Fudd, Freleng does a great job at making the new character look funny (particularly in Hiawatha's run, which causes him to trip over himself often).Freleng also introduces a new traditional Bugs joke...having the wabbit climb into a boiling pot thinking it's a bathtub. This little sequence alone is also fun to watch, including the little puff of relaxing steam that comes out of Bugs' mouth once he gets both feet inside.And although Bugs acts more confident in this picture than he has in the recent past, even he is not safe from foolish mistakes. At the end of one scene Bugs leaps into the air, intending to land into a rabbit hole, but just misses and smacks his head on the ground. He sheepishly crawls into the hole, looking apologetically at the audience. How can you not like this character??Sadly, this cartoon is not seen often because it deals with a Native American character. But if you get the chance somehow, do sit down and watch this cartoon. It's one of the early Bugs' best.