Herr Meets Hare

Bugs Bunny wanders into the Black Forest and runs into Hermann Goering, who’s out hunting more than rabbits. What starts as a cat-and-mouse exchange turns into a rapid series of tricks and impersonations. Bugs slips into several disguises, including exaggerated takes on Hitler, Stalin and an operatic Brunhilde, using voice and costume to confuse and outwit his adversary. The short keeps its tempo light and farcical, trading on wartime stereotypes and slapstick, and it focuses on clever wordplay and timing rather than dramatic stakes. The plot moves fast and stays focused on Bugs' playful sabotage of the pompous, armed intruder.

Directed by Friz Freleng and written by Michael Maltese, the 1945 cartoon features Mel Blanc supplying the principal voices. It was produced during World War II and released as a theatrical short, reflecting the era’s appetite for topical animated comedy and propaganda-tinged satire.

As a single cartoon short, specific box office receipts aren’t recorded, it circulated as part of theatrical programs in 1945 and reached audiences alongside feature films, making its financial footprint hard to separate from the larger exhibition practices of the time.

The film’s caricatures of Nazi leaders and its use of political impersonation made it a clear piece of wartime propaganda. In later decades the cartoon has been discussed for its portrayal of Axis figures and for the way it mixes humor with political mockery. That context has kept it visible in studies of animation during wartime.

Modern viewers and critics tend to treat it as a period piece, with a vote average of about 6.8 out of 10 from a small number of votes. Commentators note the emphasis on satire, slapstick and voice work, while also acknowledging that some jokes and portrayals feel dated. The short is mainly appreciated for its fast gags, vocal performance and its role in the wartime animated landscape.