We’re in the Money (1933)

1933-were-in-the-money-title “We’re in the Money”
Merrie Melodies (cartoon-specific titles)
Released: August 26, 1933
Length: 6:43

Credits:

Supervision by – Rudolf Ising
Drawn by – Isadore FrelengLarry Martin
Musical Score by – Frank Marsales


Summary:

Toys come to life with only one purpose in mind — singing!

Description:

The night watchman of a department store is going through the aisles turning out the lights, and spitting out a little chewing tobacco as well. When all the lights are out, the watchman puts a huge padlock on the front door and leaves. Suddenly a toy soldier shouts “Whoopee!”, and all his fellow toys come to life. The soldier calls for his friends to join him in the music department. Once he gets there he slides down a violin, bounces off an accordion, and lands on a drum. The other toys arrive mostly by their own power, though one toy gets there by bouncing on the squeaker of a toy dog, causing it to jump forward. When all the toys are in position in front of an instrument, the soldier begins to conduct them in playing the title song. Dolls bounce on a piano, a clown plays sax, other soldiers handle a flute and violin, a beaded toy hops on a bass drum pedal, another clown and two dolls play accordion, and even more soldiers handle a trombone. One doll atop the piano goes off to the side and provides the vocals for their song; she even deepens her voice on a few lines by speaking into a French horn. The items in the clothing department are swaying to the music, including a pair of socks who jumping rope with shoestrings. The toy solider opens up a cash register, and the coins inside start to sing “We Are the Money”! At the end of the song clothes cheer and ladies and men’s gloves applaud. Next, we see a little blond doll in the jewelry department put on numerous rings and a necklace, then don a large hat and turn into Mae West! She even propositions a male hat dummy by saying “Why don’t you come up some time?”. After this, the beaded toy resumes the title tune by dancing on a xylophone, and more soldiers swing around by the strings of a corset. The Ted Lewis-like mannequin from A Great Big Bunch of You appears and dances a bit; slapping not only his own bottom but the bottom of a dressmaker’s dummy behind him! He then slides down the banister of a stairway, bounces off a chair, and performs the exact same routine that he did in his previous cartoon. He then goes up to a three-panel mirror and begins to sing the title song, harmonizing with his own reflections! They even take time out to bang on a spittoon together. During the song, a trio of long johns dance around, then bang on hat boxes with their rear flaps! After his verse, the mannequin performs the same routine yet again, then begins to play the title tune on a piano. His stool comes to life and takes him to another piano, so he plays that one too. The mannequin then bangs on some hat dummies, including two who resemble Laurel and Hardy and provide their own bit of vocalization. The mannequin now rolls past numerous pianos as he plays them, does his bit one more time, then grabs a trombone and plays it back into the hat department. As the hats conclude the song, the mannequin crashes into a shelf and dozens of hat boxes fall upon him. He pops out with a his broken trombone and plays the final notes as we iris out.


Notes:

  • The song “We’re in the Money” is actually titled “The Gold Digger’s Song”, and is from the film The Gold Diggers of 1933.

Memorable Scenes:


Video Availability:

Laserdisc: Golden Age of Looney Tunes, Vol. 2