Sweet or Sour: Elmer's Pet Rabbit

[Marty26]

Seeing as to how this is one of the oddest Bugs Bunny cartoons ever released, I thought I'd do a poll about it.

Truthfully, I like this cartoon. I feel it was here that Bugs's sarcastic/sassy demeanor really started to develop. And Elmer's gullibility also really starts to shine here. Yeah, Bugs's voice is COMPLETELY different than usual, he has orange gloves, and (most strikingly) he refuses to eat carrots, but I actually do see this cartoon as more pivotal to Bugs's development than a lot of people give it credit for.

[Matt the Y]

Sweet, definitely. I know Bugs' appearance makes things a bit awkward to watch (not to mention his REALLY weird, annoying voice) but this is actually one of Chuck Jones' best earlier cartoons. Chuck seems to handle the rabbit fairly well in his first outing with the established character (not counting the earlier "Elmer's Candid Camera") and it doesn't quite "crash and burn" under his inexperience which easily could have been the case but thankfully isn't. It's actually kind of fun to see Bugs rebel and mouth off to the "oppressive" Elmer in this short. Bugs is just trying to assert his authority here (like when he tries to get into the bathroom before Elmer; "I beg your pardon, Sir! Please wait your turn!") and the bit where he actually fakes drowning in the bathtub just to gain Elmer's sympathy is pure genius!!!! Even the wabbit's antics before he actually gets to Elmer's house are great (like his bantering with Elmer on the way home; "Listen, Doc! Be a little more careful who ya call a 'wittle, gway wabbit!'.") and his bluntly candid opinion on his new living conditions ("Frankly, ol' man... I don't like it! It stinks!") is classic. Chuck Jones was just starting to show his true genius as director with early shorts like this (albeit very slowly but surely) and others like "Saddle Silly" before finally reaching his comfortable peak of perfection a year later.

[frizfrelengfan]

I don't care for this cartoon. I know the filmmakers were experimenting with the character at the time, but to me it's just not the Bugs that we know and love. Besides the different look and voice, the personality is just too bitter. Although there's one part that's funny - he complains about the food that Elmer is giving him while at the same time he's stuffing his face.