Released on February 19, 1938 this out of control Merrie Melodies cartoon was directed by Friz Freleng. Considered one of the Censored Eleven, the morals and morae's of today see this cartoon differently than it's place in history deserves. If you are easily offended do not watch this, however this is not out right raciest as are many of the early cartoons of that era. These characters are not wearing black face, they are simply strangely cartooned African Natives, that were drawn in a way that would not be accepted if released as a new work of art today.

The reviews on this cartoon when it was released really called it a step forward in animation. Here are the two most notable reviews from major publications of the day:

National Exhibitor, in a review February 1, 1938: "It sounds forced for us to say that this is better than the best this studio has released so far, but that is what one must say about a series that improves continually. Jungle Jitters is full of cute little touches that will be best appreciated by a class audience, but will still have the masses chuckling"

As you can read above this cartoon was actually considered high brow by the reviewers of the time, WOW how things change!

The Film Daily, in a review January 31, 1938: "Producer Leon Schlesinger goes to darkest Africa in this cartoon with a highly amusing set of characters... There are some very funny sequences and gags, with the characterizations very amusing."

You know what I always say, deny history and lose the lessons of the past, would this cartoon be acceptable if made this way for todays audiences, no absolutely not, which is why this is marked not for children, but we adults should see what happened in the past to understand the present in animation history. After all, Mel Blanc and Carl W Stalling are involved here too, their work is always so great!

Now Let me blow your mind, the depiction of Africans in this art is not the most PC offending thing if you look closely! The village queen of the African tribe is depicted as an old, chicken-like white woman, believe it or not this was to avoid problems with the Hays code over issues of "Miscegenation". That was the word that was used in laws against races marrying. The weird salesman was depicted as a white "Goofy" type dog man who morphed into caricatures of Clark Gable and Robert Taylor.

The Queen try's to marry him right away, but he kills himself going into the cannibal cooking pot saying "I hope they all get indigestion" closes the lid and presumably dies! There is a lot wrong with this cartoon by todays standards, but history is to be known and understood, so we can know what it is that we are avoiding from the past.

Now to technical issues. This cartoon fell into public domain and was on the do not show on TV list, so it was abandoned from all the usual up keep and storage requirements of most of the rest of the Warner Bros films. We went to great efforts and got this version the clearest and most colorful I believe that has been seen in many years - enjoy!

Thomas R Reich PhD
Cartoon Crazys Channel

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