The last Gabby cartoon is watchable but not great

While not personally a fan of Gabby or some of his cartoons Fleischer cartoons in general I am very fond of. It's a Hap-Hap-Happy Day, he last of the eight Gabby cartoons is not a great one but it's watchable, but those who hate Gabby with a passion are likely to find that there's not much in It's a Hap-Hap-Happy Day to change their minds.

Sure the story is one that is not to be taken seriously, but that doesn't stop It's a Hap-Hap-Happy Day from being very predictable, if you've seen the previous seven Gabby cartoons there is very little different here other than the setting. It's a Hap-Hap-Happy Day did for personal tastes lack energy with the beginning taking too long to set up. When it comes to the humour, the moose gag is very funny but the rest ranges from the mildly amusing to the humourless, hurt by the story's predictability and that for my tastes they're a little repetitive. Most problematic was the title character Gabby, he was fine in Gulliver's Travels where he was a supporting character where he was much friendlier and much less of an unapologetic know-it-all. However once he went from support to title character of his own series of cartoons, his personality changed to someone less likable. He looks cute and probably means well, but in every one of his cartoons he does come across as annoyingly inept and a know-it-all, and when he does make mistakes he is very unapologetic about ruining people's day instead coming over as a jerk. He'll have his defenders who'll see him as someone who means well and as intentionally flawed, but the character traits for I and many others are a major turn-off.

However as with all Fleischer cartoons the animation is wonderful, crisply drawn with luscious colours, beautifully blended textures(the light colours are sumptuous and the dark ones not jarring at all) and very fluid, detailed background art, loved the picturesque village in the opening scene. Gabby and the mayor are animated with no real problems, both very distinctive Fleischer in character design. The music is even better, rhythmically it is liveliness personified and it's richly and sumptuously orchestrated. The title song is irresistibly catchy and whistle-for-some-while-afterwards worthy. It was very easy to feel sympathy for the mayor character, looking at his frustrated, upset(just before the moose gag you could really feel the emotion when he snapped, or was close to it) and increasingly angry facial expressions and body language you just want to hug him in the same way wanting to shout at Gabby to get lost. The voice acting from both Pinto Colvig and Jack Mercer is very good. All in all, watchable but falls short with Gabby's lack of likability being the biggest problem, from the sounds of this review you'd think I'd rate it lower but the animation and music are so good here for all its faults this viewer can't be too hard on it. 5/10 Bethany Cox

Animation is a form of visual storytelling that involves creating visual art and motion through the use of various techniques and technologies. In animation, images are manipulated to create the illusion of movement, bringing characters, objects, and environments to life. Animation can encompass a wide range of styles, themes, and intended audiences, making it a diverse and versatile form of storytelling.

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The comedy genre refers to a category of entertainment that aims to amuse and entertain audiences by using humor, wit, and comedic situations. Comedies are created with the primary intention of eliciting laughter and providing lighthearted enjoyment. They encompass a wide range of styles, tones, and themes, appealing to various tastes and audiences.

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The family genre features stories specifically created to be suitable for a wide range of age groups within a family. Family-oriented content is designed to be enjoyed by both children and adults, often providing entertainment that is wholesome, relatable, and appropriate for all members of a family to watch or experience together.

Drew Barrymore and Pat Welsh in E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982)

The short form refers to creative works characterized by their brevity and concise storytelling. Unlike full-length feature films, short films have a running time of less than 45 minutes, while TV shorts have a running time of less than 22 minutes.

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Pinto Colvig, Dave Fleischer, Max Fleischer, and Jack Mercer in It's a Hap-Hap-Happy Day (1941)

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It's a Hap-Hap-Happy Day

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