125. The Fire Alarm (1936)

Release date: March 9th, 1936

Series: Looney Tunes

Director: Jack King

Starring:Berneice Hansell (Ham), Shirley Reed (Ex)

Something you don’t see everyday—“featuring Ham and Ex” in big bold letters! As the title card suggests, Beans  has to take care of his nephews Ham and Ex at the fire station. To two curious, havoc wreaking puppies, it’s the perfect place to stir up trouble, much to beans’ chagrin.

Beans assumes the role of a fireman, eagerly shining his fire engine. Elsewhere, Ham and Ex foreshadow trouble as they ride through the streets on a scooter, nearly taking out pedestrians. They arrive at the fire station and poke their heads in the window, yelling “Uncle Beans! Uncle Beans!” hapless victim Beans strolls over and scratches his head, when one of the twins hands him a note: “Uncle Beans, please take care of Ham and Ex. Have gone shopping. Lizzie.” Beans just shrugs and scoops them inside. Best not to question it too much.

Once inside, Ham and Ex take off almost immediately, running around with giddy excitement while Beans just stares, nonplussed and scratching his head. Kids will be kids. A lone firefighter’s hat sits perched on a stool, and the twins fight over it, a makeshift tug of war. One of the twins is sent rocketing into the wall, a boot covering his head. For simplicity’s sake, since there is literally NO way to tell them apart, this will be Ham. The other will be Ex. Ham struggles to get the boot off his head, and Ex, donning the top part of the firefighter’s hat, laughs and snaps a shoelace right in Ham’s face.

Nevertheless, Ex helps tear the hat off Ham, toppling backwards and the hat lodging itself on EX instead. Ex, too, struggles to throw it off, but eventually succeeds. He places the top half of the firefighter’s hat back on his head and dances, and Ham, the brim hilariously situated around his face, joins in. Finally a solution.

Big excitement as the pups spot a big, shiny, fire truck. Ham attempts to dislodge an axe from the side of the engine, Ex pulling from behind. Instead, Ham is sent flying backwards, the axe wedging into a support beam while he hangs from the handle.

Meanwhile, Ex entertains himself with the fire hose. He crawls underneath the fire truck and over it and everywhere you can imagine, tying the hose into a huge, complicated knot. Ham joins in on the festivities... by cranking the hose rewind button. Ex embarks on the ride of a lifetime as he’s sent whizzing backwards and flung through the air. He lands in a boiler that’s hunt dutifully polished by beans, exploding out the hatch and knocking right into beans.

Ham thinks it’s great. He slides on a puddle, slipping on a sponge. The sponge sprays a shower of water into both Beans and Ex. Beans is obviously enthused, angrily grabbing Ham and Ex by the ears and dragging them to a bench. Beans, who has been relatively optimistic up until this point, showcases his mean side as he paces frustrated, snapping “QUIET!” when they haven’t even said anything. Ham and Ex retaliate by blowing raspberries (trombone gobble sound effect, we love ya!).

Nevertheless, their disdain is quickly deserted once they spot the titular fire alarm. They scramble over who gets to press it, Ex eventually slamming on it with two hands. At once, firefighters asleep in their beds rise to the call. They dive into their pants and slide down the fire pole, scrambling onto the fire truck. The truck sputters to a start, eventually taking off, much to the unadulterated joy of Ham and Ex.

To celebrate their feat, the twins hold hands and dance around in a circle, cheerfully singing a Berneice Hansell original—“How We Like to Fool the Firemen”. The scene is delightfully sadistic, and conveys a wonderful sense of annoyance. However, their celebration is quickly put to an end once the truck comes roaring back into the station. Like the angels they are, Ham and Ex dutifully return to their bench. Of course, Beans finds out regardless, angrily pacing around in frustration.

Animation is comically snappy and conveys Beans’ obvious contempt as he drags the pups into bed and orders them to go to sleep. So, what do you do when you’re a hyperactive child? Do the complete opposite and jump on the beds. Ex leaps from bed to bed, jumping so high he gets himself stuck in a chandelier. Ham follows, bumping into him and dislodging him from the lamp. Ex slides down the fire pole, Ham following.

Unbeknownst to Beans, the two find themselves right in the fire truck . The cut is a little discombobulating, not showing them sliding down. Ex takes the steering wheel, Ham in the back. Beans rummages around in the tool box, and does a trademark Jack King hat take as his wits are scared out of him. Ex steers the truck right through the wall, the pups headed right into the streets.

Beans attempts to stop them, but instead runs right out in front of the truck and is nearly flattened. The animation of the back half of the truck swinging around the streets aimlessly adds to the comedic effect. A manhole saves his hide as he falls in, the truck whirling overhead. Ex’s blank gleeful state is HILARIOUS as he barrels through the streets, the truck crashing into every electrical pole possible. It’s a simple scene but one that’s hard not to laugh at.

The back of the fire truck stays horizontal as they pass through a line of bushes, literally mowing the bushes and chopping them up. Destruction galore as the two barrel into a statue, a house (a man on the phone desperately attempting to reconnect with the operator), even a trolley. They smack right into the trolley, which spins around in a whirlwind of motion. The speed is very nice and urgent—not as exhilarating as Tex’s speed but certainly nice and fast. The trolley is now riding upside down, the cable connector trailing on the railroad and the wheels on the cable.

Nevertheless, the truck ends up back into the fire station (a slightly incoherent transition, but enough to put two and two together. Just a small gripe) and Ham and Ex gleefully hobble up the staircase, back into their beds like nothing happened. Beans comes storming after them, donning a belt and ready to use it. Ham and Ex pretend to sleep in their beds, and somehow it convinces Beans (who just saw them leave and reenter). He tiptoes away so as not to disturb them, when Ex rises up and literally throws beans the boot.

Ham and Ex once more join in a chorus of “How We Like to Fool the Firemen”, dancing around on the bed. Beans creeps up behind them and lays them down on the bed, spanking them and pulling up their tails for good measure. Iris out.

Certainly an amusing cartoon. Ham and Ex are your archetypal troublemaking nephews, but they certainly fit the role well. Hansell’s vocal characterizations are the cherry on top. Ham and Ex are fun and full of personality, and above all, relatable. Exploring a fire station is exciting stuff! Being a little kid and seeing a big shiny fire truck? All these bells and whistles? It’s paradise to a hyperactive, inquisitive kid. Beans had some more personality than usual (albeit a more abrasive one), and his nonplussed stares at the beginning were highly entertaining. Some transitions were a little wonky and not the most coherent, but it didn’t detract from the plot. Ultimately, a Beans cartoon that’s more entertaining than usual and worth a watch! 

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