Duck! Rabbit, Duck!

Duck! Rabbit, Duck!
Merrie Melodies (Bugs Bunny/Daffy Duck) series
Daffy Duck thinks he is writing a fricasseing rabbit license, but Bugs spells "F-R-I-C-A-S-S-E-E-I-N-G D-U-C-K" instead.
Directed by	Charles M. Jones
Produced by	Edward Selzer (uncredited)
Story by	Michael Maltese
Voices by	Mel Blanc Arthur Q. Bryan (uncredited)
Music by	Carl Stalling(Direction) Milt Franklyn(Orchestration)(uncredited)
Animation by	Ken Harris Abe Levitow Richard Thompson Lloyd Vaughan Ben Washam
Layouts by	Maurice Noble
Backgrounds by	Philip De Guard
Studio	Warner Bros. Cartoons
Distributed by	Warner Bros. Pictures The Vitaphone Corporation
Release date(s)	October 3, 1953 (USA)
Color process	Technicolor
Running time	6:49
Language	English
Preceded by	Bully for Bugs (Bugs) / Duck Dodgers in the 24½th Century (Daffy)
Followed by	Robot Rabbit (Bugs) / Design for Leaving (Daffy)

Duck! Rabbit, Duck! is a 1953 Merrie Melodies comedy cartoon, directed by Chuck Jones, and starring Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck and Elmer Fudd. It is the sequel to Rabbit Seasoning, and the third (along with Rabbit Fire) and final entry in Jones' "hunting trilogy" (the only major difference in format between this film and the others is that it takes place during the middle of winter). Produced by Eddie Selzer for Warner Bros. Cartoons, Inc., the short was released to theaters in 1953 by Warner Bros. Pictures and is widely considered among Jones' best and most important films. This is the only film in the trilogy where Bugs does not crossdress.

The cartoon, set in winter, finds Daffy Duck removing and burning every "Duck Season Open" sign he finds in order to warm himself in the winter, and prevent himself from being hunted. Elmer is out hunting and Daffy uses several signs to convince Elmer that it's rabbit season, making Elmer excited about "Fwesh Wabbit Stew!" just before Elmer follows the yellow trail to Bugs' rabbit hole. Daffy lures Bugs Bunny out by asking for a cup of blackstrap molasses. Just as Bugs Bunny comes out of his rabbit hole, Elmer points the gun at him and declares that he got his "Wabbit Stew". However, Bugs is already prepared for Daffy's trick and attempts to convince Elmer not to shoot him because he is obviously an endangered species: a fricasseeing rabbit (the irony being that fricassee is actually a type of stew) and that Elmer doesn't have a license to shoot fricasseeing rabbits.

This enrages Daffy, who attempts to convince Elmer Fudd that Bugs Bunny is actually trying to fool Elmer and orders Elmer to shoot Bugs, prompting Elmer to regretfully point out that he doesn't have the proper license. Exasperated, Daffy writes out the proper hunting license but has to ask Bugs how to spell "fricasseeing". Bugs tells him, "F-R-I-C-A-S-S-E-E-I-N-G", adding "D-U-C-K". Oblivious to the trick, Daffy gives Elmer the license ("The fine print doesn't mean a thing!") and Elmer obediently blasts Daffy. This leads into an extended routine in this short that has Bugs holding up various "animal season" signs to correspond with every figurative expression involving an animal that Daffy gets called (including "goat", "pigeon", "mongoose" and "dirty skunk"). Each presentation of the sign is accompanied by a brass fanfare of a fox hunting call, and is, of course, followed by a gunshot; after each shot, irritated Daffy is forced to put his beak back in place.