Forward March Hare
Encyclopedia
Forward March Hare is a 1952-animated Looney Tunes
cartoon
released in 1953 featuring Bugs Bunny
. Bugs is accidentally drafted in the army, and causes havoc with his sergeant at basic training
. The title relates to the March Hare
. This cartoon was released during the final months of the Korean War
.
"
Bugs' going through the Army induction center only causes some small reactions:
-After asking a guard for directions, the guard assumes the Army has started inducting rabbits.
-Before Bugs has his x-rays taken, a tall, rather lanky, tiny-headed person behind him looks at him and in response looks and chuckles at the audience.
-When Bugs has his x-rays taken, the doctor there assumes he's (the doctor) been overworked.
-Bugs also passes the eye exam with flying colors from the first letter right down to the microscopic "Reg. U.S. Pat. Off." disclaimer at the bottom of the chart.
Once in the army, though, he quickly causes problems. His shoes are too big, so when his Sergeant
calls for the men lined up to "about face," Bugs accidentally knocks the rest of the line over like bowling pins. The Sergeant calls Bugs forward, where Bugs introduces himself as "Private Bugs Bunny reporting, your majesty!" The Sergeant doesn't believe it's really Bugs, and sarcastically refers to himself as "Sergeant Porky Pig
." However, his Colonel
, referring to himself as "Colonel Putty Tat
", tells the Segeant that "General
Tweety Pie was asking about you, Sergeant." When the Colonel inspects Bugs and orders him to "about face," Bugs knocks the Colonel over with his large shoes, much to the Sergeant's horror.
As punishment, Bugs and the Sergeant — now noticeably demoted to three stripes ("buck" sergeant) — take a long hike that sees both of them crawling back to their bunk (at "Camp Ono" — Ono, Pennsylvania also happens to be a hamlet near Fort Indiantown Gap
, a former Army base) in the middle of the night. Bugs, after peeling back his sweating shoes, finally lies down in his bunk, but is woken by Reveille
seconds later. Bugs, intending to "moider
that bugler," runs out with a baseball bat and a "whack!" is heard off-screen. After Bugs decides to take a bath, it is shown that Bugs really hit a record player.
Later that morning, the Colonel is furiously looking for his helmet. The Sergeant finds Bugs taking his bath, using the Colonel's helmet as his bathtub. After Bugs makes a comment about cleanliness being next to godliness, the Sergeant throws Bugs out and runs off with the helmet full of soapy water — only to run into the Colonel. The Colonel then puts his helmet on - and gets splashed, blowing out bubbles afterwards.
Now demoted to Corporal
rank, Bugs' officer has Bugs 'dress' the chickens for the Officer's Dinner Dance that night — though Bugs has them all dressed in tuxedoes. ("Where are they eatin'?")
Bugs then tries nailing a calendar to the wall above his bunk using a large ammunition shell (causing the neighbouring soldiers to flee). The Corporal runs up just in time to almost get hit with the shell when it goes off — but, much to the Corporal's shock, the shell pierces clean through the angry Colonel's helmet, making him look like the devil.
Now reduced in rank to Private
, Bugs' former drill sergeant asks the now-bandaged bunny (presumably as a result of the aforementioned incident) what he's got against him. After mentioning Bugs' various body parts, he finally realizes "Jumpin' Catfish, we've inducted a rabbit!" and runs off to find the General.
The General apologizes to Bugs, explaining that Congress didn't pass any laws saying that rabbits could be inducted into the military. Bugs, however, wants to do his part for the military. The General tells Bugs there is something he can do — Bugs is then seen testing ammunition shells (similar to the one he accidentally fired) by striking the top with a mallet and marking them as 'DUD' when they don't explode. Bugs then tells the audience
, "And just think! In 30 years, I can retire!"
Looney Tunes
Looney Tunes is a Warner Bros. animated cartoon series. It preceded the Merrie Melodies series and was Warner Bros.'s first animated theatrical series. Since its first official release, 1930's Sinkin' in the Bathtub, the series has become a worldwide media franchise, spawning several television...
cartoon
Cartoon
A cartoon is a form of two-dimensional illustrated visual art. While the specific definition has changed over time, modern usage refers to a typically non-realistic or semi-realistic drawing or painting intended for satire, caricature, or humor, or to the artistic style of such works...
released in 1953 featuring Bugs Bunny
Bugs Bunny
Bugs Bunny is a animated character created in 1938 at Leon Schlesinger Productions, later Warner Bros. Cartoons. Bugs is an anthropomorphic gray rabbit and is famous for his flippant, insouciant personality and his portrayal as a trickster. He has primarily appeared in animated cartoons, most...
. Bugs is accidentally drafted in the army, and causes havoc with his sergeant at basic training
United States Army Basic Training
United States Army Basic Training is the program of physical and mental training required in order for an individual to become a soldier in the United States Army, United States Army Reserve, or Army National Guard. It is carried out at several different Army posts around the United States...
. The title relates to the March Hare
March Hare
Haigha, the March Hare is a character most famous for appearing in the tea party scene in Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland.The main character, Alice, hypothesises,...
. This cartoon was released during the final months of the Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
.
Plot
The mailman has delivered a letter to "B. Bonny" (Bertram Bonny), but when the truck pulls out, the exhaust from the tailpipe causes the letter to drift out of the mailbox and accidentally drop into Bugs Bunny's hole. Bugs, in the middle of his morning workout (including a brief workout of his ears), eventually sees the letter and assumes it's for him. On reading the letter, he gets shocked: "Holy cats, I've been drafted!Conscription in the United States
Conscription in the United States has been employed several times, usually during war but also during the nominal peace of the Cold War...
"
Bugs' going through the Army induction center only causes some small reactions:
-After asking a guard for directions, the guard assumes the Army has started inducting rabbits.
-Before Bugs has his x-rays taken, a tall, rather lanky, tiny-headed person behind him looks at him and in response looks and chuckles at the audience.
-When Bugs has his x-rays taken, the doctor there assumes he's (the doctor) been overworked.
-Bugs also passes the eye exam with flying colors from the first letter right down to the microscopic "Reg. U.S. Pat. Off." disclaimer at the bottom of the chart.
Once in the army, though, he quickly causes problems. His shoes are too big, so when his Sergeant
Sergeant First Class
Sergeant First Class is the seventh enlisted rank in the U.S. Army, above Staff Sergeant and below Master Sergeant and First Sergeant, and is the first senior non-commissioned officer rank...
calls for the men lined up to "about face," Bugs accidentally knocks the rest of the line over like bowling pins. The Sergeant calls Bugs forward, where Bugs introduces himself as "Private Bugs Bunny reporting, your majesty!" The Sergeant doesn't believe it's really Bugs, and sarcastically refers to himself as "Sergeant Porky Pig
Porky Pig
Porky Pig is an animated cartoon character in the Warner Bros. Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies series of cartoons. He was the first character created by the studio to draw audiences based on his star power, and the animators created many critically acclaimed shorts using the fat little pig...
." However, his Colonel
Colonel (United States)
In the United States Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, colonel is a senior field grade military officer rank just above the rank of lieutenant colonel and just below the rank of brigadier general...
, referring to himself as "Colonel Putty Tat
Sylvester (Looney Tunes)
Sylvester J. Pussycat, Sr., Sylvester the Cat or simply Sylvester, is a fictional character, a three-time Academy Award-winning anthropomorphic Tuxedo cat in the Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies repertory, often chasing Tweety Bird, Speedy Gonzales, or Hippety Hopper...
", tells the Segeant that "General
General
A general officer is an officer of high military rank, usually in the army, and in some nations, the air force. The term is widely used by many nations of the world, and when a country uses a different term, there is an equivalent title given....
Tweety Pie was asking about you, Sergeant." When the Colonel inspects Bugs and orders him to "about face," Bugs knocks the Colonel over with his large shoes, much to the Sergeant's horror.
As punishment, Bugs and the Sergeant — now noticeably demoted to three stripes ("buck" sergeant) — take a long hike that sees both of them crawling back to their bunk (at "Camp Ono" — Ono, Pennsylvania also happens to be a hamlet near Fort Indiantown Gap
Fort Indiantown Gap
Fort Indiantown Gap, also referred to as "The Gap" or "FIG", is a census-designated place and U.S. Army post primarily located in Lebanon County, Pennsylvania. A portion of the installation is located in eastern Dauphin County...
, a former Army base) in the middle of the night. Bugs, after peeling back his sweating shoes, finally lies down in his bunk, but is woken by Reveille
Reveille
"Reveille" is a bugle call, trumpet call or pipes call most often associated with the military or summer camp; it is chiefly used to wake military personnel at sunrise...
seconds later. Bugs, intending to "moider
Murder
Murder is the unlawful killing, with malice aforethought, of another human being, and generally this state of mind distinguishes murder from other forms of unlawful homicide...
that bugler," runs out with a baseball bat and a "whack!" is heard off-screen. After Bugs decides to take a bath, it is shown that Bugs really hit a record player.
Later that morning, the Colonel is furiously looking for his helmet. The Sergeant finds Bugs taking his bath, using the Colonel's helmet as his bathtub. After Bugs makes a comment about cleanliness being next to godliness, the Sergeant throws Bugs out and runs off with the helmet full of soapy water — only to run into the Colonel. The Colonel then puts his helmet on - and gets splashed, blowing out bubbles afterwards.
Now demoted to Corporal
Corporal
Corporal is a rank in use in some form by most militaries and by some police forces or other uniformed organizations. It is usually equivalent to NATO Rank Code OR-4....
rank, Bugs' officer has Bugs 'dress' the chickens for the Officer's Dinner Dance that night — though Bugs has them all dressed in tuxedoes. ("Where are they eatin'?")
Bugs then tries nailing a calendar to the wall above his bunk using a large ammunition shell (causing the neighbouring soldiers to flee). The Corporal runs up just in time to almost get hit with the shell when it goes off — but, much to the Corporal's shock, the shell pierces clean through the angry Colonel's helmet, making him look like the devil.
Now reduced in rank to Private
Private (rank)
A Private is a soldier of the lowest military rank .In modern military parlance, 'Private' is shortened to 'Pte' in the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth countries and to 'Pvt.' in the United States.Notably both Sir Fitzroy MacLean and Enoch Powell are examples of, rare, rapid career...
, Bugs' former drill sergeant asks the now-bandaged bunny (presumably as a result of the aforementioned incident) what he's got against him. After mentioning Bugs' various body parts, he finally realizes "Jumpin' Catfish, we've inducted a rabbit!" and runs off to find the General.
The General apologizes to Bugs, explaining that Congress didn't pass any laws saying that rabbits could be inducted into the military. Bugs, however, wants to do his part for the military. The General tells Bugs there is something he can do — Bugs is then seen testing ammunition shells (similar to the one he accidentally fired) by striking the top with a mallet and marking them as 'DUD' when they don't explode. Bugs then tells the audience
Fourth wall
The fourth wall is the imaginary "wall" at the front of the stage in a traditional three-walled box set in a proscenium theatre, through which the audience sees the action in the world of the play...
, "And just think! In 30 years, I can retire!"