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Lobby Card
The Ducktators is a 1942 Warner Bros. Looney Tunes animated short directed by Norman McCabe. It was released on August 1, 1942. The title is a pun on the word Dictator.
Story Synopsis[]
The cartoon takes place on a farm, beginning with a few ducks, geese and chickens being shown. After a brief few moments, two ducks (who are expecting a duckling) go over to their unusually black-colored egg as it starts to hatch. Once the egg has hatched, a duckling with an Adolf Hitler mustache emerges and yells "Sieg Heil!" while giving the Nazi salute.
After time passes, the baby Hitler duck grows into adulthood, holding aggressive speeches toward other ducks and geese. One goose, representing Benito Mussolini, agrees with him and gives the Nazi salute. Afterward, a postcard from The Management of the Theatre that says "We wish to apologize to the NICE DUCKS and GEESE who may be in the audience" is shown (which possibly means that the "Nice Ducks and Geese" are German-Americans). The Hitler duck then gathers up a group of soldiers to join him in his own Axis Powers Army. The Mussolini goose then delivers a speech to the only listener: a little chick who had been forced to stay and applaud. After these happenings, storm troopers are sent marching across the area, while the Dove of Peace, grieves at what is happening ("Have they forgot? 'Tis love that's right, and naught is gained by show of might.").
A group of chickens and the Mussolini goose are then seen at what appears to be a Peace Conference, in which the Hitler duck slaps the Mussolini goose and puts the newly signed peace treaty through a shredder, whereupon everyone in the Peace Conference area brawl against each other.
Another duck with large teeth and round glasses holding the flag of the Empire of Japan, representing Hideki Tojo, is seen swimming across water and placing the flag (with the words "Japanese Mandate Island" written on the back of the flag) on a tiny island that turns out to be a turtle, who emerges from the water and chases the duck, beating him with the "Japanese Mandate Island" sign. The Japanese duck tries to get out of being beaten by flashing a badge that reads, "I Am Chinese," but to no avail.
The three (Hitler Duck, Mussolini Goose and Tojo Duck) are then seen marching across a field while singing a parody of "One, Two, Buckle My Shoe".
The Dove then tries to reason with the Axis Powers. However, they ignore him and trample him. His temper reaching breaking point, the Dove yells at the Axis Powers to "STOP!!". The Dove proceeds to combat against the Hitler duck, Mussolini goose and Tojo duck, as well as their storm troopers. With the help of a group of chickens, the baby chick who had been forced to cheer for the Mussolini goose earlier after being captured (how he was rescued is not explained), a crazy rabbit with a mustache (impersonating Jerry Colonna and possibly representing Joseph Stalin) wielding a large wooden hammer for a weapon and hiding in a barrel which he also uses for transportation and a human man carrying a sniper rifle that emerges from a poster that says "For Victory, Buy United States Victory Bonds" and fires at the fleeing axis powers, the Dove overthrows the Axis Powers and saves the day!
Years later, the Dove, now a brave war hero, gets married (although his wife is not seen or mentioned) and has two children (one named "Peace", the other named "Quiet"). The Dove explains to his children that even though he hates war, he chose to be brave and stand up against the Axis Powers. The Dove then points out to his children that his enemies (the Hitler and Tojo ducks and Mussolini goose) have been killed and are now moose-head trophies above his fireplace.
The final message of the cartoon states to the U.S. audience that if they wish to defeat the Axis Powers and bring peace to the world once again, all they have to do to insure the country's victory is to buy United States Savings Bonds and Stamps.
Censorship[]
When this cartoon was sold to Sunset Production for Television, the ending where a message to buy War Bonds was deleted and the film ends with the Rabbit hitting himself on the head. This edited version is seen on many Public Doman VHS Videocassettes and DVD's. The ending was restored on an episode of Cartoon Network's ToonHeads showcasing Norm McCabe cartoons and on Disk 2 of Looney Tunes Golden Collection Vol. 6 DVD set.