Wild and Woolfy (1945) User Reviews

Tex Avery and Droopy...a nice combination.

[planktonrules · 8/10 · 6 September 2013]

Considering that this film was directed by Tex Avery and stars Droopy, you know that you're in for a good time! It begins with a nasty wolf riding his horse into a western town. Soon, he becomes enamored with a singing beauty (who looks much like a western version of Swingshift Cinderalla from an earlier Avery cartoon) and kidnaps her. What follows is an insane Avery sort of chase--complete with elevators and other wackiness. Ultimately, our hero is able to save the day and get the girl.

As you'd expect from the Tex Avery cartoons that he made for MGM, this one has terrific animation, lots of wonderful gags and a weirdness that makes you shake your head and wonder what was wrong with that guy! Funny and well worth your time.

You Been A-Doggin' Me All Thru This Picture

[stp43 · 8/10 · 10 July 2003]

This is perhaps the cartoon that best summarizes Tex Avery's style of direction, exemplifying superbly-timed gags, the chase, the use of puns for maximum effect, and the unexpected appearences of a protagonist thought lost earlier in the short.

More than a few viewers probably first saw this cartoon when it was mistakenly inserted into a Warner Brothers cartoon reel used in television syndication in the 1960s and '70s; how an MGM cartoon got mixed into a Warner Brothers reel is intriguing, even though Avery did spend much time at Warners.

The Wolf rides into town and encounters Droopy at several points, having the waiter dispose of the annoying dog over and over. When the Wolf sees the Girl dancing on stage, he kidnaps her and an angry posse takes off in pursuit. The Wolf loses the posse, but when he tries to collect his kiss of the Girl, guess who? "You've been a-doggin' me all through this picture," the Wolf says, demanding to know who Droopy is; when he gets his answer the Girl gets her freedom from the Wolf - or does she?

Hello, You Happy People

[boblipton · 7/10 · 21 March 2020]

Well, someone had to say it, because Droopy keeps showing up in this cartoon about how Woolfy is now a western bandit who kidnaps Red after she's only finished half of a song. A posse is assembled and they take after the villain, with Droopy popping up -- mostly -- on his little blue horse throughout the short subject.

This being a Tex Avery cartoon, of course the real issue is how many gags he can cram into its length. This being Avery's peak period, the answer is a whole lot. My favorite is the one where they're crossing the river, although you may prefer some other. There are so many of them, after all.

Since when do frozen confections labeled as . . .

[cricket30 · 6/10 · 11 July 2022]

. . . "Neapolitan" or "Tutti F-r-u-t-t-i" look identical to bland tan fudge sickles, and indistinguishable from each other?! IF the lazy groaning fat cat studio animators did not feel up to picturing the desserts mentioned in the WILD AND W-O-O-L-F-Y dialog as written, they could have done the logical thing and asked the story guy to change Joe Wolf and his steed's requests of the held-up "Good Rumor" stage coach ice cream man to "A pair of boring fudge sickles, please." Obviously, the professional artists at Warner Bros. Could have covered an entire desert with Neapolitan desserts without even working up a sweat. But because that fat cat studio was used to bribing its way to the lion's share of gelded award statuettes without paying any attention to detail, accuracy, coherence, logic, S. T. E. M. educational value, American Civic Progress, solid entertainment, human rights, proper decorum, community standards or redeeming social value, it's not a surprise to find this W. & W. Film marred by such an egregious and unforced goof.

My Favorite Horse In A Cartoon!

[ccthemovieman-1 · 10/10 · 13 June 2007]

A "wanted poster" on a cactus sets up this story: the big bad wolf is wanted and the reward is $5,000, which would be untold thousands today. We then see the notorious bandit - and his horse who also is wearing a mask! - hold up a stage. Unfortunately, it turns out to be only the "Good Rumor Man" (they love puns in these cartoons) stagecoach, carrying ice cream. The bandit - and the horse - ask for "Neapolitan" and "Tutti Fruitti," respectively.

It's this kind of insanity that makes me love these Tex Avery Droopy cartoons. They are so full of great dialog in addition to the sight gags that I constantly laugh throughout most of them. The absurdity of a horse asking for a tutti-fruitti ice cream bar is just one example.

Of course, you know who is going to catch this bandit: little Droopy, with a cowboy hat on that is bigger than him. The action will take place at the "Rigor Mortis Saloon" where customers are invited to "come in and get stiff." Ouch!!

As with the "Dan McGoo" cartoon, we get the beautiful woman singing a song on stage and the wolf's eyeballs flying out but that part is very short. The chase begins when this varmint grabs that sexy singer and rides off with her out of the saloon. A posse is quickly formed and we a corny horse race....but you know who will win this "race" to get the villain.

My favorite character in this story was the bandit's horse, who was really funny. All in all, more good silly, corny animated fun....and another great restoration job on this Droopy "Complete Theatrical Collection" DVD. The colors in here look fantastic. For fans of this cartoon, I highly recommend this DVD.

Tex Avery's Droopy

[SnoopyStyle · 7/10 · 11 February 2023]

In the old west, wanted criminal Joe Wolf holds up an ice-cream stage coach and steals a treat. He's followed closely by Droopy. Wolf rides into town and starts shooting up the place. Everybody is scared except Droopy. Wolf is taken with hot lounge singer Red and kidnaps her.

I like everything except Droopy's voice. He doesn't sound like the Droopy that I know and he doesn't talk enough. He has the same style, but the tone is off. They're probably using different voice performers. As for the final reveal, a funnier joke would be Droopy demanding that Wolf pay for the ice cream and let him go afterwards. This is good overall.

Masterful use of the character of Droopy and the running gag.

[llltdesq · 10/10 · 24 November 2002]

As the creator of the character, it's understandable that Tex Avery would be best able to utilize him to best effect. Most of the Droopy shorts made after Tex left MGM don't really use the character as effectively, giving him too much dialogue or making him to soft-hearted and without an edge to him. Droopy has teeth and can use them. But, really, what Droopy is, and probably intended to be all along, is a simple character to react to things and bounce things off of, a sort of subtle focus point the audience can be drawn to and relate to, but who doesn't distract from the sight gags.

Watch for Droopy's appearances in this one-he pops up unexpectedly in some amusing places. There's also a great running gag here that may well be his best running gag, certainly the best Avery used while at MGM (the one at the core of The Legend of Rockabye Point may be better, but I love that cartoon so much, I could be biased in its favor) and running gags were a staple in Avery cartoons. Most of them had at least one. Good cartoon and the ending is great. Well worth watching. Recommended.

Wonderfully wild

[TheLittleSongbird · 9/10 · 18 September 2017]

Love animation, it was a big part of my life as a child, particularly Disney, Looney Tunes and Tom and Jerry, and still love it whether it's film, television or cartoons.

Also have much admiration for Tex Avery, an animation genius whose best cartoons are animated masterpieces and some of the best he ever did. Generally like the Droopy cartoons and the character himself a lot, his best cartoons are classics and among Avery's best. 'Wild and Woolfy' is not one of the best Droopy cartoons, and is not as good as the previous cartoons 'Dumb-Hounded' and 'The Shooting of Dan McGoo'. It's wonderfully wild fun, even if the basic story is predictable and Droopy is more of a barely seen supporting character.

With that being said, his contribution is still memorable and shows off his remarkably well-established personality beautifully.

The Wolf is a villain that has menace and great comic timing, the girl is beautiful and sexy and the horse steals the cartoon (one of the funniest horses easily in cartoondom). 'Wild and Woolfy' is endlessly inventive and hysterically funny in typical Avery-style cartoon.

Tex Avery does a wonderful job directing, with his unique, unlike-any-other visual and characteristic and incredibly distinctive wacky humour style all over it as can be expected.

Some of 'Wild and Woolfy' is over-the-top and weird in a delicious way, it is also incredibly clever, imaginatively creative and full of inspired visual gags, play on words and hilariously droll asides and puns. The strangeness was an enormous part of its charm. There is enough variety to stop it from being repetitious.

'Wild and Woolfy' is beautifully and brilliantly animated as usual. The character designs are unique, Avery always did have creative character designs, and suitably fluid. The music, courtesy of Scott Bradley, is lushly and cleverly orchestrated, with lively and energetic rhythms and fits very well indeed.

Voice acting is very good from Bill Thompson, Pinto Colvig and especially Paul Frees.

Overall, great and wonderfully wild cartoon. 9/10 Bethany Cox

Non-stop action with spoofs and gags!

[OllieSuave-007 · 8/10 · 19 January 2018]

Another Droopy cartoon that is full of the dog's simpleness, calmness, and slow yet witty personality. He is sharp as nails and drives a ruthless outlaw crazy, showing up in places he least expects it.

It's non-stop fun and action (even some adult-oriented fare!). Some laughs, and plenty of witty spoofs and gags.

Grade B+

A Wolf in Wolf's Clothing

[Hitchcoc · 8/10 · 12 October 2021]

Droopy is he hero here. The wolf is a holdup man. He is terrorizing the old west, and he has a beautiful young woman, tied up in a cabin. His problem is the ever persistent Droopy who never lets up. No matter where the wolf goes or how evasive he is, the sad little dog is always there. Good Tex Avery stuff.