Thugs with Dirty Mugs (1939)

It is a performances centric movie

Excellent, a Must See

The film was still a fun one that will make you laugh and have you leaving the theater feeling like you just stole something valuable and got away with it.

It's an amazing and heartbreaking story.

Tex Avery was well known for off the wall zany humor. But in addition to that, he enjoyed playing with his audience and reminding them that they're watching a cartoon. One of his pet projects was poking fun at pop culture. Chief among these was doing parodies of well known stories and subjects. By the late 30's, Warner Bros. was known for doing gangster films and crime dramas which gave commentary on social issues in America. Most film buffs will know that one of the major stars of this genre was Edward G. Robinson, who became famous for his role in "Little Caesar (1930)". Tex parodies Robinson in a WB cartoon for the first time. While this short is not a parody of a specific crime drama, its a parody of the gangster film in general.The best part of this short is how Tex constantly breaks the fourth wall in so many unprecedented and sometimes original ways for the time. Many cartoons had been done that featured a caricature of a well known celebrity, what makes this one funny is that the Robinson caricature is aware that he is a caricature and proceeds to "show off his Fred Allen impression" to the audience. Tex had already done the gag of a silhouette at the bottom of the screen, simulating an audience member, many times. The way he sets it up here is so subtle at first that audiences in the theater would have been caught off guard seeing what appears to be Robinson actually addressing an audience member (the gag has since lost its effect outside the theater). Even funnier that the audience member tips off the policeman in the next scene with knowledge of where the Killer is going to strike next, because he's seen the short before.Definitely one of Tex's early masterpieces.

If you've seen any of Tex Avery's cartoons, then you should know what sorts of things to expect in the gangster spoof "Thugs with Dirty Mugs". Specifically, canine criminal Ed G. Robemsome - who admits to resembling Eddie Robinson, and then impersonates Fred Allen - and his men rob the First National Bank...then the Second National Bank, then the 3rd, 4th, etc., all the way up to 112th (but they skip the 13th, as Ed is one superstitious gangster). All the while, the police chief is wondering how to capture these bandits, knowing full well that he has to pin it on 'em (and you know to whom I refer). But then comes the big scene: even after the police chief couldn't make the best use of a split screen, a silhouette from the audience tells all (which a teller in an earlier scene couldn't do).So basically, it's what a 1930s gangster flick would be if it starred Leslie Nielsen. I almost never stopped laughing. It just goes to show that there will never be a cartoon genre like this one, and that Tex Avery was truly one of a kind. And above all, if you work in the Worst National Bank, just be careful.

I never knew movie parody was developed this well in 1939, but this was a great send-up on gangster films of the era. This was shown on TCM before an airing of Edward G. Robinson's classic of 1931, Little Caeser. This cartoon complimented the film very well. Of course, this cartoon is a tour de force for Tex Avery. Very little of the humor seems dated in 2004, or is sophisticated enough to still have lots of appreciation. One exception was the imitation Fred Allen. However, this one needs to be seen more often as it is one of Tex Avery's best! It gets a 9/10. This is humour you didn't see in the 1970's, much less the late '30's.

This old-school Warner Brothers cartoon spoofs gangster films. Yes there are some Edward G. Robinson jokes, police gags, and movie theatre jokes. Television was not there at that time. As Charleton Heston says in THE OMEGA MAN, "They don't make pictures the way they used to". Someday when I graduate from college, I'm going to make a not for kids cartoon about gangstas and a hellzapoppin of spoofs that is kind of like, LITTLE CEASER meets SOUTH PARK, meets THE FAMILY GUY, meets SCOOBY-DOO,but more updated and mature.