BUGS AND THUGS (1954) & THE RELUCTANT ASTRONAUT (1967)
A cartoon short and a feature...compliments of our 2022 guest writer Phil Congleton.
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| Photo by Phil Congleton |
My film choice for July ended up being a double feature. As I will mention again in my Bugs and Thugs (1954), review, a huge part of motion picture history, was the animated short subject. Since the early 1920s, the practice of running an animated cartoon before a theatrical feature film, was a staple at the movie theaters. A tradition, which would last into the 1970s. It's actually possible that this cartoon played before The Reluctant Astronaut (1967), when it was released in a theater, at least once, somewhere in the country. What brings me back to the month of July, is the two main stars of each film had a birthday in July. Don Knotts was born on July 21st, 1924, in Morgantown, West Virginia. In a different kind of birthing, the animated short, A Wild Hare (1940), directed by Tex Avery, was released on July 27, 1940, thus introducing the world to Bugs Bunny. It's a good grouping of films for July, plus Don Knott's character, janitor Roy Fleming and his space flight was originally scheduled for July but got moved up a few weeks to beat the Russian's from launching a dentist into space.
Bugs and Thugs (1954)
By this point in film history, Warner Brothers was in full swing with its animated division. Bugs Bunny had become a household name since he made his debut 14 years before. This film is a textbook example of what a great Bugs Bunny cartoon was all about. This film is a semi-remake of another cartoon with Bugs, which was done eight years before. As you can tell from the title, Bugs takes on some thugs, or more accurately, two criminals resembling gangsters. The best way to describe them is a caricature of Edward G. Robinson and Peter Lorre. The two thugs match their real-world counterparts much better in the 1946 short, but in this one, they are modified more for the 1950s audience, however the comparison still works.
The first 75 years of the film industry had a different definition for theatrical films. Many cartoons from the golden age, such as Popeye, Mickey Mouse, Woody Woodpecker, The Pink Panther and many others, made their debuts in the movie theaters during those pre-television years of cinema (except the Pink Panther). The shorts would be anywhere between six to twelve minutes long, but still are considered theatrical films. They would accompany feature films and be shown right before the main feature. It was a practice that kept going on into the 1970s. Eventually the paradigms would shift and cartoon shorts would eventually become a staple on television. Most younger audience members in the 21st century probably think cartoons were just a TV thing, but that is not true. Another thing about these shorts, was the fact, that they were not totally made for kids. These films had plenty of underlying inside-jokes for the adults as well. So much so, that they have been censored in many of their current 21st century incarnations. This editing of the old, classic shorts enabled the TV distributers to drive them towards a younger audience. When watching these shorts make sure you get the genuine article to watch. They are available out there on DVD, Blu-Ray or on a streaming service somewhere. I just wouldn't watch them on TV. They usually are the edited versions that are televised.
An excerpt from Bugs and Thugs (1954)
This film short has everything that made Bugs Bunny great. The comedy in this one still works well for adults today too. The animation and background paintings are beautifully stylized. You can always tell when you are watching a Warner Brothers cartoon. The art style has those hard lines and cut corners. They contain rich colors and flow nicely. There's always a sign post or a marquee with a funny statement on it. It contains pure satire of the real world. The king of voice-overs, Mel Blanc, who did all the characters in WB's canon, is on-point for this one. Mel Blanc was a legend in Hollywood and this animated short proves it. Bugs and Thugs (1954), is one of director, Friz Freleng's best efforts. Make sure you find the uncensored versions, that haven't been torpedoed by the changing times. They are a huge part of film history.
9.1 (A- My Grade) = 9 IMDB, 4 1/2 Stars Letterboxd
The Reluctant Astronaut (1967)
In the 1960s, Disney was becoming the king of the family film. Up to this point in film history, the concept of the family film was more widespread, because of the strict censoring of content, seen in the first 50 years of the film industry. In the 1960s, those lines between family entertainment and mature entertainment started to pull away from each other. As you know, by the end of the 1960s, the MPAA movie rating system would be in effect and that helped to create different levels of content for different varieties of audience members. Disney was making all kinds of family entertainment in the 1960s. They were in the movies, on television and the two original Disney Parks were in full swing by 1965. There also was a lot of Disney copycats out there too. On top of that, television, which was heavily censored in the 1960s, was becoming more popular and many television actors were doing movies too. A lot of the theatrical film comedies of the 1960s resembled their TV sitcom counterparts. Universal Pictures wanted to capture some of that family entertainment for the movie theaters, so they cast one of the most successful comedians on television of the time, Don Knotts, to star in a couple of movies, slated for theatrical release. This is when the term "children's comedy" replaced the "family comedy" term. It would be something that would become much clearer once the MPAA was established.
Don Knotts fit into this era perfectly and became as popular in theaters, as he was on TV. When you look back at this era from a 21st century perspective, The Reluctant Astronaut (1967), is probably his most popular film, however it did have its growing pains when it was initially released. The same week this film was released, NASA experienced one of its worst tragedies in history, with the loss of the Apollo 1 crew. This made the film unpopular with older people but did not deter the love and respect that the kids had for it. You then add in the syndication reruns, VHS releases and networks, like TV Land, running it all the time and over the decades, this film would lose that tragic connection. It would become, what most people would say, is a textbook example of what a fun Don Knotts film looks like. In a nutshell, a carnival-ride worker, Roy Fleming (Knotts), unwittingly lands a janitor job at NASA and through dumb luck, gets the opportunity of a lifetime to fly into space. The only drawback is, he hates heights and is a coward. He also has to hide his secrets from his family back home. He has to maintain this false "astronaut" persona, in order to make his father, Buck (Arthur O'Connell), proud of him and the woman of his desires, Ellie (Joan Freeman), respect him as a great man.
The Reluctant Astronaut | Movie Trailer & PSA (1967)
The film has a low-budget, television look to it, but that doesn't really affect the film too much. It actually helps the comedy work better. It helps draw an excellent contrast between the small town, Missouri lifestyle in Roy's hometown, with the high-tech (1960s style), future world of the space agency. Don Knotts is quite humorous, even from a 21st century perspective. He has a history with audiences, which allow grown-ups to enjoy his work as much as the kids do. Also, on deck for this film is a young, Leslie Nielsen, as Major Fred Gifford, who is the real, respected astronaut, who befriends Roy at the space agency. It is interesting watching Nielsen's earlier films, because he had to play his roles much straighter, than his famous Frank Drebin role in the Police Squad films. The Reluctant Astronaut (1967), is a film that "is" what it is supposed to be. It is a fun movie, that the whole family can enjoy. It also is a movie, that older people shouldn't be ashamed of watching alone either. Why should the audiences of the 1960s have all the fun? You should too.
6.9 (C My Grade) = 7 IMDB, 3 1/2 Stars Letterboxd
And then came Star Wars...
There is a belief out there, that if the Star Wars saga, had been made in the late 1950s or the 1960s, it's quite possible Don Knotts would have been cast in the role of C-3PO. In fact, I can totally see that. C-3PO even has the small mouth-slit, that totally looks like Don Knotts when he shows that puckered lips-look, when he is frightened or surprised. I mean come on, The Incredible Mr. Limpet (1964), if you will? You can really see Don Knotts doing these faces in the Andy Griffith Show (1960–1968), as Barney Fife and on Three's Company (1976–1984), when he played the landlord, Ralph Furley, beginning in 1979. C-3PO moves stiffly around a lot, just like Roy Fleming (Knotts), does in his space suit in The Reluctant Astronaut (1967). In The Phantom Menace (1999), C-3PO mentions about hating space travel and Knotts' Roy Fleming hates flying in planes. We always hear C-3PO mention, in a frightened way, the words, "Oh dear". It sounds much like Roy Fleming sadly saying, "Oh Pa", when he can't tell his father Buck (Arthur O'Connell), what he really wants to tell him. Both of these characters, in their respective films, hate heights and are cowards. In Attack of the Clones (2002), C-3PO says he has never flown before, just like Roy never has. By the time we get to Revenge of the Sith (2005), C-3PO is now saying, "I can get used to this", referring to space-flight, which coincides with Roy Fleming accepting the job to go into space, rather apprehensively.
Originally, George Lucas wanted C-3PO to have an American accent and be more of a conniving persona. It was a completely different approach to the protocol droid he was known to become. This brings me to the Bugs and Thugs (1954), portion of the comparison. Lucas floated the idea of having Mel Blanc possibly being the voice of C-3PO, before the job was given to Anthony Daniels. Lucas eventually threw out the idea of an American accent and changed it to Daniels' British accent, after the recommendation of Mel Blanc. Blanc's opinion was, that the British accent of Daniels worked better for the character of C-3PO. There are other comparisons, which scream Don Knotts or The Reluctant Astronaut (1967), that are found in the prequel films. In Attack of the Clones (2002), Yoda is teaching the younglings the art of light sabering, when Obi-Wan Kenobi (Ewen McGregor), comes in needing Yoda's help searching for a planet. It is a funny contrast to Roy Fleming, at his carnival space ride teaching kids the art of space travel. Remember, he is just a janitor.
Actually, I will take this even further and say that Jar Jar Binks could have been portrayed by Don Knotts also. So, having a man like Roy Fleming, becoming an astronaut, reminds us of the ridiculous notion of having Jar Jar Binks named acting senator, during Senator Padme's (Natalie Portman's), absence in, Attack of the Clones (2002). She leaves for Tatooine to help Anakin Skywalker (Hayden Christensen), find his mother. How could a character with the mind of a six year old, who is clumsy all the time, be named as an acting senator? How could a janitor be named an astronaut? One other funny note about Bugs and Thugs (1954), revolves around the main gangster in the film, who is trying to ruin Bugs' day. His name is Mugsy. He is the one, who looks a lot like Edward G. Robinson. The oversized hat on Mugsy looks a lot like the hat on Captain Panaka (Hugh Quarshie), in Phantom Menace (1999). Look it up. It's kind of funny.
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