I Haven't Got a Hat (1935)

I don't have all the words right now but this film is a work of art.

Excellent but underrated film

While it doesn't offer any answers, it both thrills and makes you think.

The movie's neither hopeful in contrived ways, nor hopeless in different contrived ways. Somehow it manages to be wonderful

Friz Freleng's 'I Haven't Got a Hat' is sort of an audition piece for new characters. With neither Bosko nor Buddy proving particularly inspiring, Warner cartoons needed a new star player and they hedged their bets by introducing a host of new creations based on the 'Our Gang' series. A range of young animals and their school teacher Miss Cud are introduced with captions at the beginning of 'I Haven't Got a Hat'. Not unreasonably, the studio assumed that the real winner was Beans the naughty little cat and they went on to make a handful of cartoons in which he was the lead. However, the character the audience found most interesting was Porky Pig who would go on to be the studio's first real star. In 'I Haven't Got a Hat', Porky performs a recital of 'The Midnight Ride of Paul Revere' but he is so nervous that he sweats profusely and stutters in the extreme. This stutter would ultimately become the character's defining feature, although it would later be portrayed as merely a speech impediment and not the result of extreme nerves. Porky's age was also altered from cartoon to cartoon at this stage. Often he would maintain the characteristics of a child while at other times he would assume the adult role which finally became the constant. As early as his second appearance in Tex Avery's 'Gold Diggers of '49', Porky was already playing a grown-up, the father of one of his classmates in this cartoon, no-less! All of which tells you very little about 'I Haven't Got a Hat', for which I apologise! A very early colour Merrie Melody, 'I Haven't Got a Hat' is cutesy but enjoyable. Set at a school talent show, we get to watch various acts starting with Porky's jumbled poetry. We hear Little Kitty (the most self-consciously cute character who is noticeably absent from the opening introductions) recite 'Mary Had a Little Lamb' with a little help from Miss Cud, then the twin dogs Ham and Ex (the weakest creations of this batch of new characters) perform the jaunty song that gives the cartoon its title. All of this is fairly enjoyable but the best antics come courtesy of Oliver Owl and Beans, who are engaged in an off-stage war over sweets which spills over into Oliver's act. I always enjoy 'I Haven't Got a Hat' despite its absence of big laughs. It's interesting to see Porky's debut but this amounts to barely a cameo really. What makes 'I Haven't Got a Hat' so enjoyable is its gentle warmth and bright, colourful animation. While my ribs remain largely untickled during these seven minutes, my lips remain in a upturned position and, every now and then, my foot taps to the tunes on offer. A small treat for cartoon enthusiasts.

Although "I Haven't Got a Hat" just looks like a cute cartoon, it really seems to be focusing on the various kinds of things that can happen during a school recital, namely stage fright and resentment. Probably most famous as Porky Pig's debut (he sings about Paul Revere's ride), the cartoon culminates when an owl tries to play the piano but a cat messes with the piano.So, this is a formidable part of cartoon history. The crowd behind the Looney Tunes cartoons would further develop the cartoons in later years, but this is a good reference point. Worth seeing.The lamb's fleece was as white as corn flakes. Ha!

Directed by Friz Freleng, "I Haven't Got a Hat" is a great Warner Bros. cartoon of historical significance: it marks the very first appearance of our favorite stuttering pig Porky! In this cartoon, which involves a talent show for schoolchildren, Porky doesn't look anything like the Porky that we all know today, but he's still a real treat to watch. It took a little time, but Porky eventually became the first major star of the Warner Bros. cartoons.The following are my two favorite moments from "I Haven't Got a Hat." First, Porky is so adorable as he struggles with his "Charge of the Light Brigade" recitation; as I watch him stutter, I really feel sympathetic towards him, and I WANT him to succeed. (Porky HAS succeeded; he became a star and is still well-known today.) And second, the two dogs, named Ham & Ex, sing a delightful little song together titled "I Haven't Got a Hat" (hence the title of the cartoon), with an occasional low-pitched "Bum-Bum-Bum-Bum" thrown in for good humor.There is no doubt that "I Haven't Got a Hat" is an enjoyable cartoon. Friz Freleng was always a music lover, so the schoolhouse setting for a children's talent show proved to be a great idea. Aside from Porky and Ham & Ex, watch for a mischievous cat named Beans, a painfully shy cat named Kitty, a studious owl named Oliver, and the schoolteacher herself, a friendly, encouraging cow named Miss Cud.

Mr. Freling comes up with the ultimate classroom stutterer in this Merrie Melodies cartoon. It begins with an elementary age Porky reciting "The Midnight Ride of Paul Revere" in front of an audience. Other characters strut their stuff too, but I only recognise Porky.