Fast Buck Duck is a 1963 Merrie Melodies short directed by Robert McKimson and Ted Bonnicksen.
Plot[]
Daffy Duck, flat broke and living in the middle of a junkyard, has a newspaper thrown at his mouth, and states that every morning the same thing happens. He reads the newspaper and learns that a millionaire willed his fortune to a butler. Angrily, Daffy turns green with envy, as he tears up the newspaper to see an advertisement that says a millionaire is seeking a local entertainer, and a boon companion. Daffy decides to apply for this job. When he arrives at Grand View Manor, he finds that he has one major obstacle as he saw a sign says Beware of the Dog, a bulldog that's guarding the place. Daffy remarks remarks "Oh, phooey. These rich people generally have Pekingese pups, But, uh, just in case." as he got a out piece of ham and he says "The quickest way to win a dog's friendship is through his stomach." and he tries to feed the dog, but the bulldog nearly bites off Daffy's arm, causing him to walk off scared.
Daffy, shocked at the sight of the dog, begins to think, "Bulldog? Hmm. Couldn't have been. Impossible. Eh, it was probably a toy poodle or a ch-ch-chihuahua." He climbs over the wall to investigate. The dog then knocks Daffy down to the ground. "It has a face of a bulldog, but the body of a brick wall". Daffy then tries many attempts to get past the bulldog:
- Daffy first digs a hole under the wall, but the dog runs him over with a lawn roller and flies him as a kite out of the manor.
- Daffy plans to vault over next as he says "No stupid mutt is gonna stand between me and a fortune. No siree.", but the dog pushes part of the wall up to hit him flat.
- Daffy chisels out part of the wall and grabs a hammer calling, "Here, kitty kitty kitty kitty!" Suddenly he finds himself surrounded by cats, but when the dog appears, the cats go berserk and wildly claw at Daffy.
- Daffy tries to lift himself over the wall with a balloon as he says "Man's best friend is his dog. such a laugh. ingenuity triumphs every time.", but the dog is on stilts. "Shows who gots the brains- he has!" The bulldog tries to bite Daffy and Daffy tries to blow himself back until the balloon pops and Daffy falls down.
- Daffy uses sleeping powder on the dog, and tests various noises to try and wake him, but none do it. Daffy then walks away, rustling a twig, which awakens the dog, who grabs Daffy. Daffy then uses a stick to distract the dog, but he comes back just before he can run. Daffy then does this again, this time with a stick of dynamite. He makes it to the door. The dog opens it and gives back the dynamite to Daffy before it blows up.
Daffy makes it to the millionaire's room, but only to find out the companion is for the bulldog himself, Percy. The millionaire says, "I know you two will become the best of friends." Percy walks away with Daffy in his mouth, who says, "'Friends' he says! With friends like this, you don't need any enemies!"
Availability[]
Streaming[]
Notes[]
- With only 5 minutes and 8 seconds of footage (not counting the credits and cards), "Fast Buck Duck" is the shortest Daffy Duck short ever made in the Golden Age of American Animation.
- Harry Love did the effects animation for Daffy's third plan (which is the alley cats scene.)
- This was also the shortest Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies cartoon to be made in the Golden Age of American Animation, timing 5 minutes and 44 seconds.
- MeTV has aired a previously unreleased restored print of this short on Saturday Morning Cartoons.
Censorship[]
When this cartoon aired on CBS in the 1970s, the scene of Daffy drugging the guard dog's water with sleeping powder was cut, making it seem like the dog fell asleep on his own accord.
Gallery[]