Soup Or Sonic (1980) - Merrie Melodies Theatrical Cartoon Series

Written, produced and directed by RR creator Chuck Jones, this cartoon answers the oft-asked question, "Does Wile E. Coyote EVER catch the Road Runner?" The answer comes after the usual series of mishaps and backfires suffered by Wile E. At first the gags are uneven, with a strained and overlong pole vault bit and an obvious falling safe routine, but things improve mightily when Wile E. loses track of a lit dynamite stick. It explodes behind him and, after the smoke clears, Wile E. examines himself for damage. Finding none, his mood changes from fear to relief to smugness while, unknown to him, a thin trail of smoke is rising from behind. Convinced he's escaped harm, he reaches for a long stick and, twirling it like a cane, coyly turns and waddles toward the horizon in an impression of Charlie Chaplin. At last we can see that his rear end has been on fire since the explosion, and the sight of him shaking his rump accompanied by the jaunty music and crackling flames makes for the funniest moment in the cartoon. Wile E. disappears over a hill and then, with a "Yeoww!," leaps back into view with arms outstretched and fanny on fire. The remaining gags are all good, especially the "giant fly-paper" bit, and lead to the climax in which Wile E. at last gets his clutches around the Road Runner! It's an ironically clever "capture," and describing it in print cannot do it justice. Suffice to say that RR becomes more than Wile E. can handle.