A 1949 MGM cartoon starring Droopy, one of many directed by Tex Avery.
In England's countryside, Droopy and a pack of hunting dogs compete to capture a fox for their kennel master, but Reginald Fox (voiced by Daws Butler) is "as smart as a fox" and doesn't make it easy for them.
Tropes in this cartoon:
- Accessory-Wearing Cartoon Animal: Fittingly for someone who acts very much like a sophisticated Englishman, Reginald sports a monocle and white gloves.
- And Your Reward is Edible: The motivation of the dogs hunting a fox is the reward of a thick juicy steak for each fox bring back, which also convinces the foxes to turn themselves in for the reward.
- Aside Comment: Both Droopy and Reginald do this; this is a Tex Avery cartoon after all.
- Brick Joke: This one involves actual bricks. Reginald Fox sees four dogs approaching and tosses four bricks into the air. As each dog closes in, each gets hit by a falling brick, Reginald counts them, but before he gets to four, the last dog bags the fox and rushes to the kennel to deliver him to the Kennel Master. But just as he's about to knock on the door, the last brick nails him and knocks him out, with Reginald counting "Four" before he escapes.
- Brief Accent Imitation: Reginald Fox does this when Droopy asks permission to capture him again, replying with "Are you kiddin'?" in an American accent.
- British Stuffiness: Reginald's made of this trope, complete with monocle, ubiquitous cup of tea, and complete unflappability even when he's being chased. Subverted very briefly when Reginald does a quick wild take when Droopy mentions the steak reward.
- Brits Love Tea: Reginald Fox, in British fashion, can be seen pouring and sipping tea multiple times, even while he's being chased.
- Captured on Purpose: Reginald Fox and his family all surrender themselves to Droopy in order to get a free steak for each of them.
- Cranial Eruption: A dog mistakes another dog for the fox and whacks him on the head with a shovel, resulting in this. Simply pushing it down makes it go away, but it doesn't make him less angry.
- Cunning Like a Fox: Reginald Fox has this in spades, singlehandedly outwitting every hunting dog trying to capture him.
- Dinner Deformation: After Reginald gives Droopy a bone with a stick of dynamite inside it, the other dogs gang up on him, and one eats it. Droopy asks which of them took his bone; one by one, the dogs shake their heads no... including one who clearly has a bone-shaped lump in his muzzle, just a second before the dynamite blows up and obliterates it.
- Eat the Bomb: A dog eats a fake bone with dynamite in it; he doesn't swallow it, but it still blows his muzzle off!
- Exact Words: How Droopy catches every single one of the foxes. The Kennel Master is offering anything that brings in a fox a big juicy steak, including the foxes.
- Failed a Spot Check: You'd think Droopy would notice Reginald's arm from the doorway as the fox was handing him a bag with himself in it.
- Food as Bribe: The moment Droopy tearfully says that he will not get a big juicy steak as a reward for bringing in a fox, Reginald Fox immediately changes his mind and calls the other foxes to turn themselves in so they can get the steak. As a result, Droopy and the foxes have a great feast.
- The Grand Hunt: The basis of the short is traditional British Fox hunting.
- High-Class Glass: Both Reginald Fox, his entire family, and the Kennel Master sport monocles, as well as Droopy in the final shot.Droopy [donning a monocle] Pip-pip.
- Karmic Trickster: Reginald Fox is this.
- Mirror Routine: Reginald Fox does one of sorts, using a glove and copying a dog's movements to trick the dog into thinking his arm extends through a log (which it somehow does).
- National Animal Stereotypes: Reginald Fox is a very British, monocle-wearing, tea-drinking fox speaking with a high-class British accent.
- No Celebrities Were Harmed: The voice for Reginald Fox is based on Ronald Colman's.
- No Mouth: The trope come into play when a dog hiding a fake bone (with a lit stick of dynamite in his muzzle), resulting in it being blown off.
- Not So Stoic: Droopy briefly gets angry when he asks the dogs wich one of 'em stole his bone and later cries thinking he won't get the steak as a reward. In the same scene the usually collected Reginald briefly does a Wild Take after hearing this.
- Out-of-Character Moment: And very quickly at that. Reginald, who's normally calm and soft-spoken, suddenly and abruptly spazzes out in pure Tex Avery fashion when Droopy brings up the steak he won't be getting, just before returning to his usual Englishman personality.
- Politeness Judo: Unsuccessfully invoked twice by Droopy. The first time, Reginald tricks Droopy into bringing one of the hunting dogs that tried to capture him. The second time, Reginald flat-out tells him no and closes the door on him. When Droopy bursts into tears outside and mentions being given a big, juicy steak for each fox brought in, Reginald immediately changes his tune, and he not only offers to turn himself in but also calls the other foxes to do the same. As a result, Droopy and all the foxes get the steak and have a big feast.
- The Runt at the End: The roll call of similar-looking large hunting dogs ends with the much smaller Droopy.
- Sophisticated as Hell: The normally more sophisticated-sounding Reginald had this to say:Droopy: Hello, Mr. Fox. Now can I catch you?
Reginald: Ah, as they say in America... [in a Brooklyn accent] Are you kiddin'? - The Smurfette Principle: There's only one female dog (Cynthia) and she's only seen during the roll call.
- Strong Family Resemblance: Reginald calls in members of his family to receive free steaks, and they all look exactly alike, right down to their monocles!
- Torso with a View: A dog ends up shooting a large hole through his palm.
- Wild Take: The normally calm Reginald does a quick one when Droopy tearfully mentions the big, juicy steak he won't be getting.