My Little Duckaroo 1954

This cartoon offers a humorous parody of the popular Western films of its time, centering around the adventures of Daffy Duck as the Masked Avenger and his loyal sidekick, Porky Pig, played by Mel Blanc. The story begins in a typical desert setting where the duo rides along, searching for a notorious outlaw named Nasty Canasta, who is wanted dead or alive for a variety of comical crimes such as horse stealing, candy theft, gag stealing, scaring sheriffs, and even square dancing in a round house. Their efforts are motivated not just by the desire for justice but also by the promise of a reward; Daffy exclaims with enthusiasm, “This looks like a job for…the Masked Ee-venger,” and adds, “And besides, it isn’t the principle of the thing, it’s the money.”

A large, conspicuous poster boldly displays the reward, practically guiding them straight to Canasta’s hideout. Daffy, ever the bold hero, instructs Porky to wait outside while he goes inside to confront the outlaw, declaring that he will “fix his little red wagon,” a phrase that humorously foreshadows the antics to come. Inside, Daffy surprises Canasta, who is calmly sitting at a card table. Daffy makes a series of dramatic attempts to establish himself as various alter egos, first claiming to be the Masked Avenger, then the Frisco Kid, and later Superguy. However, Canasta remains unimpressed, not even bothering to look up until Daffy offers unsolicited advice on his card game.

Challenged to join the game, Daffy confidently returns in a cowboy outfit—though without his mask—believing he’s ready to win. What follows is a series of comical humiliations for Daffy—each gag more absurd than the last. The first comes during the card game, where Canasta rudely cuts the deck with a meat cleaver, nearly severing Daffy’s hand in the process. Daffy mistakenly believes he’s won a hand when Canasta, poking a pistol into Daffy’s mouth, claims to have a 3 of clubs, prompting Daffy to nervously respond, “Beats me!”

The scene shifts to Canasta leisurely reading a joke book, while Daffy attempts to roll a cigarette but ends up with just the paper in his mouth. The comedy escalates with a futile arm wrestling match, which Canasta easily wins, smashing Daffy through a table. Porky intervenes, suggesting, “Why don’t you plain old arrest him?” Daffy’s attempt to do so fails spectacularly when Canasta effortlessly breaks free from the handcuffs and stands unmovable, much to Daffy’s frustration.

In a fit of anger, Daffy declares his intention to physically punish Canasta, with Porky urging him to fix Canasta’s “little red wagon.” Daffy’s bravado quickly backfires, as Canasta flexes his muscles and rips Daffy’s shirt off before delivering a hard beating. The house trembles from the chaos, and Porky nervously comments, “Oh, h-h-h-he’ll murder him,” as Daffy, dazed and staggering, claims to have successfully fixed Canasta’s red wagon. True to his word, Daffy finally emerges from the house pushing a shiny, newly repaired wagon, boasting, “You should’ve seen it. The wheels were busted, the axle was all bent, and it needed a new coat of paint.” Ultimately, he resigns to his return home, humorously concluding that he’s off to see his mother.

Throughout this animated adventure, viewers enjoy the playful parody, slapstick antics, and Daffy’s classic comic resolve—despite repeatedly getting humiliated, he remains just stubborn enough to keep trying, making this cartoon a timeless spoof of Western tropes with plenty of laughs.