. . . and Bugs Bunny as Fletcher Christian suggests that Warner Bros. believed Clark Gable had bigger ears than Charles Laughton. However, for the sake of the kids in the audience, the topless Tahitian ladies are dispensed with entirely during this animated short, MUTINY ON THE BUNNY. The first half starts out promising enough, as Sam Shanghai's Bugs for a "Free World Cruise"--which turns out to be a job as Sam's deck slave. Bugs turns the tables on Sam by Tom Sawyering him into white washing--Er, swabbing the deck himself (to erase a series of insulting graffiti Bugs has surreptitiously scrawled while Sam's back is turned). But as soon as Bugs tricks Sam into first abandoning ship, and then scuttling it three times into dry-dock for repairs, MUTINY jumps the shark. The visuals of the second half become boringly repetitious; ditto the plot. Furthermore, does the command "Furl the Tattersail Topgallant!" really mean anything? The vast majority of the folks who'd know the answer probably are pushing up seaweed in Davy Jones' Locker right about now.
8 Reviews
"I'm a sailin' with the tide or my name ain't Shanghai Sam....and it is."
utgard1426 December 2014
Yosemite Sam (appropriately dubbed Shanghai Sam here) tricks Bugs Bunny into coming onto his ship. Then he conks him over the head and forces him to be his one-man crew. Bugs quickly adapts and takes control of the situation. Very funny Bugs cartoon with lots of great gags, some of which are familiar but fun ("I'm captain / You're captain"). I love the bit where Bugs writes graffiti on the deck just to rile ornery Sam up. Or when Bugs tricks Sam into digging for buried treasure on his ship. Sam's out of his league but it's so much fun to watch him be made a fool of repeatedly. Terrific animation, rousing music, and wonderful voicework. It's a fun Looney Tunes cartoon that everybody should enjoy.
Hi Ho, Hi Ho, it's off to sea we go...
TheLittleSongbird1 July 2010
Here it is, one of my favourite Bugs Bunny vs. Yosemite(here Shanghai) Sam cartoons. It aimed to be Looney Tunes fun, that's what we got. The animation is wonderful, it isn't the best looking cartoon out there, but the backgrounds are audacious enough and the characters are well drawn, especially Sam. The music is rousing, bombastic and energetic, almost like a Korngold film score, except with more quirky and tongue-in-cheek motifs. The dialogue is witty and hilarious, and the sight gags as are nearly always the case with Looney Tunes are clever and all of them work. Bugs is very good here, rascally and funny while Yosemite Sam is a superb foil and takes the laughs well. On top of this, Mel Blanc gives bravura voice characterisations. Overall, funny and witty, and just a must see. 10/10 Bethany Cox
It takes a Bunny to tame this Sea-Devil!
Chip_douglas19 January 2004
Yosemite Sam gives one of his best and most believable performances as Shanghai Sam, feared captain of the Sad Sack (formerly the Jolly Roger), who has just lost another crew. Seeing as his idea of a crew is that one person is enough, he tricks the first carrot nibbling tourist he can find to get on board for a `free round the world ocean trip'. Of course he finds this Bunny is not so easily broken.
Yosemite is probably my favourite Loony villain, especially when paired with Bugs. Marvin may be more threatening to the universe, Daffy more backstabbing and the Coyote more hungry, but Sam is just plain mean. Nobody does the old `No I'm not /Yes I am' routine better than Bugs and Sam. No Toon looks as terrible in a dress as Sam and no one knows how to exploit the gullibility of a bloated ego like Bugs. As a running gag the same footage of the boat sinking and being repaired is used at least three times in a row. Each time the repetitiveness makes it funnier! (maybe this is how Lou Scheimer got the idea to start Filmation?).
7 out 10
Yosemite is probably my favourite Loony villain, especially when paired with Bugs. Marvin may be more threatening to the universe, Daffy more backstabbing and the Coyote more hungry, but Sam is just plain mean. Nobody does the old `No I'm not /Yes I am' routine better than Bugs and Sam. No Toon looks as terrible in a dress as Sam and no one knows how to exploit the gullibility of a bloated ego like Bugs. As a running gag the same footage of the boat sinking and being repaired is used at least three times in a row. Each time the repetitiveness makes it funnier! (maybe this is how Lou Scheimer got the idea to start Filmation?).
7 out 10
Who's captain now?!
lee_eisenberg28 February 2007
Probably the reason that Yosemite Sam is so funny is that he's always so short-tempered, and when he gets paired with Bugs Bunny, he always seems like he's about to explode. In this case, Shanghai Sam loses his crew (the guy used to be a human being!) and kidnaps Bugs, only to see Bugs rebel. No matter what Sam does, Bugs figures out a way around it. The whole thing with the cannonballs makes me feel like I'm going to die laughing.
The point is, the combination of Bugs's antics and Sam's angry rants (involving insults like "flea-bitten varmint" or "fur-bearin' varmint", only extended) always make for something great. A really classic cartoon.
The point is, the combination of Bugs's antics and Sam's angry rants (involving insults like "flea-bitten varmint" or "fur-bearin' varmint", only extended) always make for something great. A really classic cartoon.
Kid nostalgia.
lukeneedssand8 July 2021
This must have been rewatched so much as a kid, because I absolutely LOVED this carton. And I still do. Its probably one of the most underrated Yosemite sam cartoons of all time. I always loved bugs bunny since a young age, and I remember I used to pretend that I was playing the Hero, Bugs, and My young relative was Playing Shanghai Sam. Of course I don't love this cartoon to that extent nowadays, but It's still A great and Hilarious cartoon. The Animation Is Excellent (at least in my opinion) and Surprisingly the jokes aren't too funny in this one, but Still occasionally give you a few chuckles, Kids will absolutely love this cartoon.
10/10
Surprisingly this isn't even in my top 3 favorite Yosemite sam cartoons, but I still give it a 10/10.
10/10
Surprisingly this isn't even in my top 3 favorite Yosemite sam cartoons, but I still give it a 10/10.
An enjoyably wacky Bugs Bunny cartoon
bob the moo7 March 2004
When Shanghai Sam loses the last of his crew he finds himself with a pirate ship but no one to man it. Under the pretence of a free cruise, Sam tricks Bugs Bunny on board and then hits him with a cosh. Bugs wakes up to find himself swabbing decks and rowing the galleon across the ocean! However Sam soon comes to regret his choice of pressgang.
Usually the strongest cartoons Bugs made were the ones where he had a good foil to outsmart and trick. Here is no exception as Shanghai Sam is a worthy foe that tries to give as good as he gets, (but ultimately gets more than he gives). The film starts slowly but soon sees Bugs and Sam involved in a running battle of wits that involves a very funny running gag where Sam ends up in dry dock before being launched (again!) to a ticker-tape send off! This is typical of the rest of the cartoon as it is all pretty funny and slick.
Bugs is in very good form and is great value for money; he starts the cartoon easily being taken for a ride but it isn't long before he gets the upper hand. Sam is a great partner here and he takes the falls well, always getting back up and trying again to humorous effect.
Overall this is a typically good cartoon from Bugs Bunny that will please fans as it does exactly what we expect him to do. The material is smart and very funny at times and the two characters are very enjoyable in their roles.
Usually the strongest cartoons Bugs made were the ones where he had a good foil to outsmart and trick. Here is no exception as Shanghai Sam is a worthy foe that tries to give as good as he gets, (but ultimately gets more than he gives). The film starts slowly but soon sees Bugs and Sam involved in a running battle of wits that involves a very funny running gag where Sam ends up in dry dock before being launched (again!) to a ticker-tape send off! This is typical of the rest of the cartoon as it is all pretty funny and slick.
Bugs is in very good form and is great value for money; he starts the cartoon easily being taken for a ride but it isn't long before he gets the upper hand. Sam is a great partner here and he takes the falls well, always getting back up and trying again to humorous effect.
Overall this is a typically good cartoon from Bugs Bunny that will please fans as it does exactly what we expect him to do. The material is smart and very funny at times and the two characters are very enjoyable in their roles.
All in good fun
thecruisermite9 September 2011
Yosemite Sam continues using his pig-headed antics in a rather extreme way here compared to some of his other shorts. For example, not knowing that him and Bugs are the only crew on the ship and thinking that gold is buried under his own boat? But this is all in good fun! The show begins revealing Sam as a brutally evil character, as one of his crewmen manages to escape, but is now quite insane. By the way, Gravel Gertie was an old Dick Tracy character who had a treasure map tattooed on her head. A rather ugly character, quite fitting that they used this as an example as Bugs writes on the deck. And who cares how Bugs and Sam were able to make it back on shore themselves after the boat sank a few times?
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