The Screwdriver is a Woody Woodpecker cartoon directed by Walter Lantz and released in 1941.
The episode revolves around Woody driving a car in his typical manner, which includes eluding a persistent police officer.
Was renamed Woody’s Jalopy for re-release, likely to avoid confusion with the later cartoon The Screwball.
Tropes:
- The Alleged Car: Woody's car, which is clearly on its last legs. Though he still gets it to drive full speed.
- Bowdlerise: Some versions cut Woody's stereotypical Chinese disguise, while others cut the final scene where his disturbing the officer at the asylum drives him to another episode, probably because it was too much of a Downer Ending.
- Drives Like Crazy: Woody's habit of speed driving is introducing here.
- Extendo Boxing Glove: Woody convinces the officer to get ready for a fistfight, then produces a camera, which contains an extendo boxing glove with which he knocks the guard down.
- Karma Houdini: This is the first episode where Woody's malicious side is shown, as he not only relentlessly pesters a police officer, but drives him insane and even goes to disturb him even further. And he gets away with all that.
- Kick Them While They Are Down: After going insane, the police officer is sent to an asylum. Woody visits him in a doctor disguise and proceeds to drive him over the edge just as he's starting to get calmer and seemingly recovering.
- Madness Mantra: After being driven insane, the poor officer keeps repeating his orders to follow Woody or his motorcycle: "Follow that motorcycle! Follow that horse! Follow that buggy! Follow that China-boy!", which he later repeats at the asylum he's sent to.
- Paper-Thin Disguise: Woody takes several disguises, first as an old country man, then as a Chinese, then as a little girl in a trycicle, all of which fool the officer.
- Villain Protagonist: Woody, as he Drives Like Crazy, harrasses an innocent police officer, and proceeds to pester him after he was sent to an asylum after going insane.