Dime To Retire

Whenever the wise-quacking Daffy bedevils the gullible Porky, the plot is usually a hunting misadventure. In “Dime To Retire,” director Robert McKimson cleverly relocates the pair out of the wetlands and into a sophisticated and well-told tale straight out of suburban America. Porky is the weary traveling salesman looking for a room and Daffy is the unscrupulous motel proprietor who entices his victim with a flat that rents for only ten cents! It seems too good to be true, and it is, because Daffy begins infiltrating one pest after another into Porky’s room, to be removed only upon receipt of a “fee.” Each nuisance is bigger than the last (first a mouse, to be removed by a cat, who is driven out by a dog, etc.), and so are the fees. By the time Porky gets an elephant for a roommate (who is evicted with a mouse, beginning the pest cycle again), con-man Daffy is fleecing Porky big-time. Disgusted, Porky exits the motel, but nervy Daffy follows and confronts Porky at his car to demand the original ten cents. When Porky refuses, Daffy seizes his baggage. This final act of greed will have serious repercussions because the bags are labeled “Acme Blasting Powder Co.” In triumph, Daffy marches his feathered fanny back inside his motel, unaware that both are marked for demolition because he's left a trail of gunpowder which ignites when Porky’s jalopy backfires. Once Porky departs, a huge explosion rattles the motel, after which Daffy peers from the door, looking disheveled and a little embarrassed, but otherwise unharmed (despite his cool front, Daffy conceals a hot behind: his defenseless derrière was a perfect target for Porky's combustive merchandise—now, with fanny aflame, smart-ass Daffy is host to a fierce and fiery spanking!). Anticipating the cartoon's grand finale, Daffy breezily requests "a little traveling music, please" and closes the door. When he gets his cue, "liar, liar" Daffy bolts from his motel with buns blazing, doing his trademark "woo-hoo!" as he shakes his flaming rump. With his ruined business behind him and his behind facing ruin, the ex-hotelier high-tails it for the hills, putting on a terrific show as the flames goose him at every turn. As the cartoon irises-out with his helpless fanny still on fire (woo-hoo!), it's clear Daffy will be feeling the burn long after the cartoon is over. It's a well-done end he richly deserves, and it's a shame Porky wasn't there to enjoy the show.

I dont like this short. I don't care for the plot involving the person trying to get some shut eye. It gets to be tiring after awhile. It's also similar to earlier shorts from Disney and Warner Brothers.

Not only does this have a great story to it, McKimson animated half of this cartoon himself.