Great Film overall

Good movie but grossly overrated

Funny, strange, confrontational and subversive, this is one of the most interesting experiences you'll have at the cinema this year.

Blistering performances.

. . . is a cigar ever JUST a cigar? THE DUCKTATORS opens with cigars galore, as the Adolph Hitler Duck's parents celebrate the hatching of their admitted "bad egg." In 1942 most people in the viewing audience would have seen this as a Current Events Spoof, mostly touching on happenings in (then) far-off Europe. They could never guess how clever Warner Bros.' Looney Tuners would prove in sneaking a second message even more important than the Surface Yuk Fest into the underbelly of each animated short, warning America of its approaching Calamities, Cataclysms, Catastrophes, and Apocalypti into the 21st Century and Beyond (if any). As the Hitler Duck spews his rancid rhetoric in broken German, the narrator intones "And there were some gullible ones who listened." As THE DUCKTATORS segues into the Infamous Axis Triad including Hitler's bunk mates Hirohito and Mussolini, 40% of Americans have noticed that the gullible OTHER 60% are marching in lock-step with a dude who sounds just like old Mr. Sig Heil! The Trumpsters' rise to power is as implausible as that of the Arty Austrian Corporal, whose Secret Pact with Mad Dog Stalin is echoed by the unreleased Donald J. Duck tax returns detailing how he is beholden for BILLIONS to Stalin's successor, Mad Dog Putin. Will this Manchurian Candidate prevail--despite Warner's DUCKTATORS warning--with his plan to liquidate the assets of U.S. taxpayers (such as our Original Constitution and the Liberty Bell) to settle the never-itemized personal debts he racked up during AT LEAST four bankruptcies from the ill-advised business dealings that squandered away the wealth this Trumpster inherited from Daddy?

An occasionally amusing World War II Warner's propaganda cartoon, THE DUCKTATORS tried to explain how a farm is taken over by Hitler, Mussolini, and a Japanese caricatured duck (Hirohito or Yamamoto or Tojo) and turned into an Axis haven (complete with storm troopers - who only march in stormy weather, according to the cartoon, and a secret police called "the Gestinko"). The Hitler duck signs a peace treaty (similar to Munich) which he puts into a shredder as soon as it is signed). The troublemakers are finally overthrown when the dove of peace gets fed up (when the Axis leaders march over him on a road) and beats the hell out of them. The cartoon ends with a reference to Jerry Colonna, the Italian-American comedian who worked usually with Bob Hope. Not the best but interesting, especially when the Japanese duck, trying to avoid anger from a victim, claims to be Chinese.

This cartoon from 1942 is a cute way to discuss the evil menace of the Axis Powers. Hitler, Mussolini and a Japanese duck run amok in the farm yard spreading lies and bullying the other animals. Finally, the others who only wanted peace have had enough and proceed to whip the annoying three. This is a wonderful positive propaganda piece that was designed to solidify everyone behind the war effort and poke fun at the Fascists. While occasionally the cartoon lags and there is a joke about Black Southern ducks that might offend some, the cartoon is overall very well made and effective--possessing the usual high production values in Looney Toons cartoons.FYI--Although the Hitler duck was said to have been a "paper hanger", this is a common mistaken belief about Hitler. There is no evidence that he ever made a living wallpapering.

If you can find this one, see it. It a classic example of WWII propaganda. Most of what Norm McCabe did (Tokio Jokio, Nutzy Spy) fell into that category. But it was clear they were having a good time making this one. Did anyone notice "Figaro" playing in the background when they showed the Mussolini goose? Or the Japanese duck calling himself crazy? Or when the big fight begins at the end, the voice yelling "Give 'em one for Pearl Harbor?" The "Gestinko Gestapo?" The treaty tearer-upper? Vintage stuff. All we need to do is remind people that this was propaganda at the time and they shouldn't take it seriously anymore. My wife is Japanese and she even laughed. Bring this one back.