14. Smile, Darn Ya, Smile! (1931)

Release date: September 5th, 1931

Series: Merrie Melodies

Director: Rudolf Ising

Starring: Johnny Murray (Foxy), Rudolf Ising (Cow, Skeleton), The King's Men (Hoboes), Ken Darby (Narrow Collars)

Perhaps the most well known cartoon to feature Foxy (granted, there WERE only 3 of them made). The song “Smile, Darn Ya, Smile!” was even used in the ending scene of Who Framed Roger Rabbit! To further twist the tangled web of Harman and icing’s Disney influence in Looney Tunes, this short appears to be heavily influenced (if not a remake) of Disney’s Trolley Troubles starring Oswald the Rabbit, which Hugh Harman has some influence in creating him (like Mickey Mouse.) 

We’re greeted by the smiling face of Foxy, who starts the cartoon off by singing “Smile, Darn Ya, Smile!” while driving a trolley (and using a cat’s tail as a rope to pull, sounding a bell). God, what an earworm! It’s so catchy! And Foxy doesn’t sound half bad, either. 

Foxy makes a stop to allow any passengers to board. An oversized hippo attempts to climb aboard, but has trouble fitting. There’s a part where Foxy is pushing her and she starts talking backwards inexplicably. Thank god for IMDB trivia: evidently she says “Susie heard one of those Atlantic bells! Whaddaya think?” I guess it isn’t all that inexplicable, probably intended to imitate some angry muttering, but it was a little jarring at first to hear.

To solve the dilemma, Foxy plucks a feather from her hat and pokes a hole in her stomach, which causes her to deflate like a balloon. Embarrassed to be seen in her underwear, the woman marches off as Foxy laughs and hops back into his trolley.

Now we find Roxy waiting patiently by the tracks. Foxy happily picks her up, and together they sing “Good Morning to You” and “Smile, Darn Ya, Smile!”. This is actually the first time we figure out Foxy’s name (“Good morning, dear Foxy!”)—his name wasn’t mentioned in the previous cartoon.

While the lovebirds sing “Smile, Darn Ya, Smile!” we have a few gags with the advertisements on the inside of the trolley, like a long necked dog advertising “Narrow Collars” singing a bass line, the “Sniff Brothers” advertising cough drops, their coughs so powerful it causes a chicken to loose all its feathers and hit the brothers over the head, and an advertisement for “Risk Tires”, the advertisement next to it a picture of a tombstone captioned “Ask the guy who owns one!” like everything else in these cartoons thus far it’s just a simple “objects anthropomorphized” gag, but the jokes land. The pacing of this sequence (and quite honestly the cartoon as a whole) is smooth and quick. The voice acting is decent, no awkward pauses that drag the short on forever. And that damn song is criminally catchy! 

In similar fashion to Sinkin’ in the Bathtub (and, going back to Disney, Trolley Troubles), a cow blocks the path of Foxy and Roxy. Foxy attempts to scare the cow away, repeatedly yelling “hey!” but to no avail.

Cut to a gang of hobos who find merriment in Foxy’s dilemma, transitioning into a BEAUTIFUL barbershop chorus of the eponymous tune. I love the music in all the looney tunes shorts, especially Carl Stalling’s scores during his 1936-1958 career, but I have a fondness for the music in the 30s shorts. There’s an abundance of lush harmonies, barbershop quartets and pseudo-Andrews sisters types. They make for a very atmospheric cartoon. Even if a cartoon doesn’t have much going for it, a good music score can cushion the blow of a bad short (not that this one is bad, I really enjoy it!) 

In pure cartoony goodness, Foxy manages to slide the entire trolley beneath the cow, who sticks up her tail and her nose and carries her business elsewhere.

The influence of Sinkin’ in the Bathtub and Box Car Blues comes into play by reusing the same concepts and animation. After crossing a bridge like a tightrope, the trolley enters a cave and Foxy is catapulted out of the trolley, leaving Roxy to her devices. The trolley heads down a steep decline, and Foxy, conveniently spotting a rope nearby, fashions a lasso and attempts to wrangle the trolley back, but only ends up catapulting himself onto the out of control trolley with Roxy.

We get this beautifully dizzying scene of Foxy attempting to maneuver the trolley the best he can down the decline. I really appreciate the camera angles used in these cartoons. They come off as up close and personal, and therefore tend to be slightly uncomfortable, but good on them for mixing it up! Staging the scene this way from Foxy’s point of view adds a sense of immersion as you yourself feel you’re about to plummet into the unknown with them.

Foxy enters a black tunnel, and the fate of our favorite foxes is floundering and unfathomable...

...until we see Foxy screaming and tumbling out of his bed. T'was merely a dream, all is well! That is until the radio sings “Smile, Darn Ya, Smile!” Foxy appreciates the singing SO MUCH that he tears a leg off of his bed and bashes the radio in.

I enjoyed this cartoon! It had more plot than Lady, Play Your Mandolin! And, for once, the voice acting was tolerable. “Smile, Darn Ya, Smile!” should be criminal! It’s SUCH an earworm, I can’t get it out of my head! Some animation was reused (as was the entire concept from Trolley Troubles), but this cartoon manages to feel fresh, chipper, and energetic, paced well for its time. Overall, I’d definitely give it a watch! AND it’s in high quality. What’s not to love? Watch it, darn ya, watch it!