The Foxy Hunter (1937) Online

A good deal of the pre-Production Code Betty Boop cartoons are daring and creative, with content that makes one amazed at what's gotten away with. While the later Betty Boop cartoons made after the Code was enforced are still watchable and exceptionally well-made, they are so toned down that they feel bland.

Fleischer were responsible for some brilliant cartoons, some of them still among my favourites. Their visual style was often stunning and some of the most imaginative and ahead of its time in animation. The character of Betty Boop, one of their most famous and prolific characters, may not be for all tastes and sadly not as popular now, but her sex appeal was quite daring for the time and to me there is an adorable sensual charm about her.

Unfortunately, while she is cute and charming that's all that Betty is in 'The Foxy Hunter'. She has barely anything to do in screen time totally perhaps a minute if even that, and by now her personality has been significantly toned down and all she does is act motherly and matronly.

Much of 'The Foxy Hunter' is dominated by Pudgy and Junior, and their chemistry is not as engaging as it should be and their material is not funny and too excessively saccharine. Of the two, only lovable Pudgy shines whereas Junior is incredibly irritating.

Have mentioned numerous times about having a preference for the Betty Boop cartoons with more creativity, imagination, humour and a risqué and surreal edge, so the pre-Code cartoons. All of those things are missing in 'The Foxy Hunter', even when lacking the surreal and risqué edge and a running out of ideas vibe a good deal of the post-Code cartoons managed to still have some amusement and endearing charm and 'The Foxy Hunter' even misses out on those. With all those missing, it is very difficult to forgive a story that really isn't much of one at all.

There are saving graces certainly. Along with Pudgy, as to be expected, the animation is extremely good, being beautifully drawn, crisply shaded and meticulous in detail. The music is infectious, lush and dynamic and the voice acting is solid enough from Mae Questel.

Overall, 'The Foxy Hunter' is very much lacking in many areas. 3/10 Bethany Cox