Edgar Allan Pooh . . . movie comedy bit during the Third Lincoln-Douglas Debate in the 1850s. Overwhelmed by the odoriferous "Old Family Recipe" pastry Ms. Spencer's ancestor had just plastered onto his visage, Douglas famously fell flat on his kisser as Abe quipped, "A pie divided against itself cannot stand." Though many cinema pioneers tried to top this "Who cut the cheesecake?" moment from the Sepia Age of Film, no one came close until 1942's animated short, CASE OF THE MISSING HARE. While the pie fillings involved in HARE may be more mannered than the Spencer Family Manure, the facials exchanged between magician Ala Bahma and Bugs Bunny up the ante considerably (or, as Bugs says, pie-faced to the hilt, "Of course you know, this means War!"). Warren Buffet has brought this American political tradition forward into its Third Century, with his posting of the $10 million Project Pie Prize for the first group to get Donald Trump this-faced in Cleveland this summer. Vegas odds-makers have made Black Lives Matter a 3-2 early favorite, though the last I heard the Occupy Movement was closing fast.

ccthemovieman-1 Ala Bahma, the world renown magician is performing at Bijou Theater, amidst a lot of fanfare. (Billboards announcing this event are everywhere.) It turns out the slob magician is the one posting all the notices. He makes the mistake of posting on on a tree in which Bugs is occupying. (That's the first time I've seen Bugs living in a tree. What's with that?)Anyway, Bugs gives the guy lip and the portly one throws a blackberry pie in the rabbit's face. It is then we hear the famous words, outside of "What's up, doc?" of a BB cartoon: "Of course, this means war!"Unfortunately, the war isn't much. It would have been 5-10 years later in the Looney Tunes cartoons but these early 1940s ones weren't very wild. They were very tame - too tame - compared to the 1950s editions. In other words, not a lot happens here. Also, what's with all the big kisses on the lips? It seems to be another trait of the period, along with the corny humor. I see it here several times and in other cartoons of the early '40s? Kissing your opponent on the lips.....was that supposed to be funny?

movieman_kev When a magician desecrates Bugs Bunny's tree home (yea I know Bugs doesn't usually live in a tree, but just go with it), the rabbit decides to go to the magician's show to heckle him unmercifully, making him look quite the fool in front of his audience. If you can get over the whole tree thing, you'll find that this IS a truly funny short, and worthy to be more widely known than it appears to be. This animated short can be found on Disk 1 of the Looney Tunes Golden Collection Volume 3 and includes an optional commentary by Greg Ford which is quite informative by itself and is worth at least one listen.My Grade: B+

Mister-6 TIDBIT - Hey, all you up-and-coming magicians: it's not a good idea to get a bunny mad at you.In "Case of the Missing Hare", Bugs Bunny takes matters in hand when vile magician Ala Bama (as mystical as the same-named state) plasters posters for his show all over Bugs' woodland home and gets plastered himself with a blackberry pie. Of course you realize, this means war!That night at the theatre, the magician finds himself embarrassed, humiliated, clobbered and otherwise cut down to size by the vengeful Bugs as Ala tries to pres-ti-digi-toot (or pull) a rabbit out of his hat and fails...several times.Director Jones and writer Pierce create a case for all magicians to stick with working with more docile animals...like tigers or lions, maybe. And as always, Mel Blanc's voices make it all the funnier.Ten stars and a RED LIGHT for this nut "Case".