The Crackpot Quail (1941) *****

After his triumph with Bugs Bunny and Elmer Fudd in 1940's "A Wild Hare", Tex Avery created two new characters (a smart quail and a stupid dog) and put them in a very similar cartoon, using the same 'hunting' plot formula, but adding more gags. The finest running gag involves the dog crashing into various trees, with the camera reacting differently to each accident. The first time, the camera pans rapidly to the right anticipating the direction of the chase, but has to pan back to reveal the poor dog lying on the ground after hitting the tree. Next time, the camera is smarter - the dog exits the frame to the right and his inevitable crash takes place off-screen. The final crash is the most spectacular - the dog is allowed to exit the frame and the camera slowly follows him, revealing the destruction on his path - crashed walls, destroyed fences and fallen trees, (many, many trees). It's probably the single best developped running gag in Tex Avery's long and illustrious career.