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Smile, Darn Ya, Smile!

An exploration of a foundational Merrie Melodies short, its characters, and its place in animation history.

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Film Details

Smile, Darn Ya, Smile!

1931 animated film

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Original video content unavailable due to source restrictions.

Directed by Rudolf Ising (uncredited)
Story by Bob Clampett (uncredited)
Produced by Hugh Harman
Rudolf Ising
Leon Schlesinger
Starring Rudolf Ising (uncredited)
Music by Frank Marsales
Abe Lyman
Animation by Animated and Drawn by:
Isadore Freleng
Max Maxwell
Uncredited Animators:
Bob Clampett
Larry Martin
Color process Black-and-white
Color Systems, Inc.
(1973 Korean redrawn three-strip color edition)
(1992 redrawn color)
Production company Harman-Ising Productions
Distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures
The Vitaphone Corporation
Release date August 15, 1931 (earliest known date)
Running time 6:59
Language English

Synopsis

Foxy's Trolley Troubles

Smile, Darn Ya, Smile! is the third installment in the Merrie Melodies series and features the character Foxy. The narrative follows Foxy, who works as a trolley engineer. His day is fraught with challenges, beginning with a rather large hippo who struggles to fit into the trolley car. Shortly after Foxy gets the trolley moving, a wheel detaches, causing further disruption.

Foxy then picks up Roxy, but their journey is soon halted by a cow, comically dressed in a dress and glasses, who refuses to move from the tracks. Nearby hobos serenade Foxy with the titular song, "Smile, Darn Ya, Smile!", as he attempts to dislodge the stubborn bovine. His solution involves driving the trolley underneath the cow, allowing him to continue his route.

The situation escalates as the trolley speeds downhill, with Foxy unable to control its descent due to malfunctioning brakes. The cartoon culminates in a dramatic crash off a cliff, sending Foxy hurtling towards the camera. However, this entire sequence is revealed to be a vivid nightmare. Foxy awakens in his bed, realizing the commotion was caused by the radio beside him playing the song. Annoyed, he promptly smashes the radio with his bedpost.

The Song's Resonance

Musical Impact and Appearances

The song "Smile, Darn Ya, Smile!" has resonated beyond its initial animated appearance. In 1931, English bandleader Billy Cotton recorded a cover version, showcasing its popularity in the musical landscape of the era.

The song gained significant cinematic recognition when it was featured prominently in Robert Zemeckis's 1988 film Who Framed Roger Rabbit. It was used twice: first, during Eddie Valiant's arrival in the vibrant world of Toontown, and again during the film's climactic finale, where it was joyfully sung by the assembled toons, underscoring its enduring connection to animated characters.

More recently, actor Christoph Waltz humorously performed a rendition titled "Smile, Damn You, Smile" during his hosting appearance on Saturday Night Live in 2013, demonstrating the song's continued cultural relevance and adaptability.

Colorization Journey

From Monochrome to Color

Initially produced in black and white, Smile, Darn Ya, Smile! later underwent a colorization process. In 1973 and again in 1992, commissioned by Fred Ladd and Ted Turner, versions of the cartoon were colorized. Due to the technological limitations of the time, particularly for the 1973 version, this process involved tracing the original animation frames and then applying color manually. The colorization work was notably completed in South Korea.

Home Media & Streaming

Availability

The classic short Smile, Darn Ya, Smile! has been made available to audiences through various home media and streaming platforms:

  • DVD: It is featured on Looney Tunes Golden Collection: Volume 6 and the compilation Return of the 30s Characters.
  • Streaming: The cartoon is accessible on the Max streaming service (formerly HBO Max).

Notes

Contextual Information

The earliest known release date of August 16, 1931, is inferred from newspaper advertisements, reflecting the common practice of premiering new cartoon shorts on Saturdays during that era.

Harman and Ising Filmography