ChessCoach's video: Short Cartoon Mr Hook in Tokyo Woes 1945 by Warner Bros

A WW2 propaganda cartoon entitled 'Mr. Hook in Tokyo Woes' produced by Warner Brothers Pictures, Inc. was released by the United States Navy Department in late war/early postwar times to make the personnel to buy War Bonds. Message: "For a happy future - see your WAR BOND OFFICER Today!" Together with a ridiculous Japanese fellow called Sad Sack who is talking like Porky Pig representing a wannabe US prisoner of war emphasizing on the great advantages of living in Japan, Tokyo Rose* begins broadcasting anti-American propaganda. Her question "What good will bonds do?" refers to so-called Defense Bonds and since the Pearl Harbor attack in Dec. 1941, they were renamed to US War Bonds. Those IOUs were intended to finance the US war machine and promoted in huge campaigns including by celebs like Bette Davies and many others. Seaman Mr. Hook looking like Porky Pig is representing 'Uncle Sam's navy' ("Whose intentions are really quite clean. They are sending you more of these presents, again and again and again.") shoots a bullet followed by several bombs at Rose and her fellows (presumably referring to area bombing of Tokyo and not to the atomic blasts in Hiroshima & Nagasaki). The War Bonds were promoted as mandatory financial instruments to defeat Japan but also pushed as a fine rewarding investment for a bright wealthy future. Presumably due to time pressure and to lower costs, this short film came in black-and-white which was already very unusual for Looney Tunes in the mid-1940s since Warner Bros. usually filmed in color after Puss n' Booty (1943). *This name generally refers to female English speaking Japanese broadcasters (propagandists) but in this clip might be realated to the most famous one Iva Ikuko Toguri D'Aquino. "The Series E bond was withdrawn on June 30, 1980, when the Series EE bond replaced it, and the War Bond became history." (http://www.u-s-history.com/pages/h1682.html) There were three more films of the Mr. Hook series produced, which are Take Heed Mr. Tojo (1943), The Return of Mr. Hook (1945) & The Good Egg (1945). And also both 45er were filmed in black-and-white. Director: Robert Clampett Screenwriter: Robert Clampett Music: Carl W. Stalling Cinematography: Animation (B, W) Cast: Animation, Mel Blanc Voices (all uncredited): Frank Graham as Storyteller Sara Berner as Tokyo Rose Mel Blanc as Japanese Announcer, Sad Sack, Singing Bond Arthur Lake as Mr. Hook The two covered songs are: 1. 'Rum and Coca-Cola' by Rupert Westmore Grant aka Lord Invader, came up in 2nd WW. It became very famous be the Andrew Sisters in 1944. BTW, the song text is full of irony. (Currency: Trinidad and Tobago dollar) 2. 'My Bonnie (Lies Over the Ocean)' is an old Scottish folk song from the 19th century. Sources: http://looneytunes.wikia.com/wiki/Tokyo_Woes http://www.filmaffinity.com/en/film380909.html http://www.u-s-history.com/pages/h1682.html https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tokyo_Rose http://www.history.com/news/history-lists/6-world-war-ii-propaganda-broadcasters http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0293957/fullcredits?ref_=tt_ov_st_sm Clip speed lowered to 90% for non-native speakers like me ;-) This clip was uploaded for historical & educational purposes only.