What Is Northwest Hounded Police About?
The premise of Northwest Hounded Police in 300 words, with nothing given away. The full story follows below.
In a world where the line between prison walls and open wilderness blurs into a playground of pure imagination, an audacious inmate makes a daring break‑out from the tongue‑in‑cheek Alka‑Fizz facility. The escape is less about danger and more about whimsical ingenuity, setting the stage for a chase that feels like a living cartoon sketch. This opening premise thrusts the audience into a landscape where every detail—from the mottled signage to the snowy expanses of Mounty County—radiates a mischievous glow, inviting viewers to laugh at the absurdity of a fugitive’s frantic sprint across borders.
Enter Sergeant McPoodle, the lone volunteer of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, whose demeanor is as dead‑pan as his resolve is relentless. Volunteered in a comically swift fashion, he becomes the embodiment of the classic, unflappable pursuer, armed only with his mountie uniform and an uncanny ability to appear exactly where the chase leads. His presence is defined by a silent, almost mechanical determination that contrasts delightfully with the Wolf’s frantic energy, turning each encounter into a visual punchline rather than a showdown.
The film’s tone stays firmly in the realm of slapstick, wordless humor, and perpetual motion. As the two characters dart across a variety of settings—snow‑capped valleys, bustling cities, and surreal backdrops—the chase itself becomes a character, reshaping the environment with each twist. The animation style leans into exaggerated perspectives, allowing the audience to experience the pursuit from multiple, often surprising angles, while a jaunty musical score underscores the comedic rhythm.
At its heart, the story is a playful cat‑and‑mouse game, where the Wolf’s clever evasions meet the Sergeant’s unwavering persistence. Their dynamic is less about rivalry and more about the joyous dance of one‑upping each other in an endless loop of surprise, making the chase itself the delightful, ever‑evolving centerpiece of the film.
What Happens in Northwest Hounded Police?
The complete story of Northwest Hounded Police, from the first scene to the last, in 619 words (about 3 minutes). Spoilers throughout. Names in the text link to 2 cast member pages.
Spoilers ahead
The Wolf, Frank Graham as the Escaped Prisoner, begins the short with a playful jailbreak inside the spoofed Alka-Fizz Prison. A sign above the gate cheekily proclaims “No Noose is Good Noose,” a pun that foreshadows the farcical chase ahead. Using a discreet pencil, he draws a crude door on the wall outside his cell, slips through, and escapes from the United States into Canada, setting a tone of wacky, wordless pursuit that will thread through the entire film.
Across the snowbound expanse of Mounty County, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police headquarters calls for a volunteer to track the fugitive. In a quick, comic setup, Sgt. McPoodle, Bill Thompson (voice), is effectively volunteered when all the other Mounties step back, revealing him as the sole hunter. Meanwhile, in the Yukon wilderness, the Wolf trudges through the frosty landscape, pausing to read a sequence of Burma-Shave–style signs that warn him he’s being followed by the Mountie. The signs read like a taunting chorus: “Don’t Look Now / Use Your Noodle / You’re Being Followed.” The camera then shifts to reveal McPoodle riding up behind him, establishing the movie’s running gag: the pursuit is a game of shifting perspectives, with the observer repeatedly appearing in new places as the chase unfolds.
The Wolf, clearly frightened, bolts for cover and discovers a seemingly vacant cabin at the base of a mountain. He closes a string of doors in a panic, only to find McPoodle calmly waiting in an armchair, flipping through a comic strip. The Wolf escapes through the back door, only to collide with McPoodle there as well. He darts up the mountainside and takes refuge in a bird’s nest at the summit, where a large egg sits among the branches. When the Wolf declares he’ll never be found, the egg cracks and McPoodle strides out. Panicked, the Wolf dives into the lake below, thinking he’s momentarily safe—until he spots McPoodle swimming among the fish.
The chase continues with ingenuity and slapstick, as the Wolf navigates a taxi ride, the airport, and an airplane, all while McPoodle remains a step behind. The pursuit lands the Wolf on a tiny atoll in the middle of the ocean, marked only by two rocks. He jokes that he has “caught on to the pattern,” clearly expecting the larger rock to betray him. But, in a final twist, McPoodle emerges from under the smaller rock, catching him off guard once more.
Driven by the need to outsmart his pursuer, the Wolf races to New York City, where he dashes through the streets, nearly propelling himself off the edge of the film. He finds refuge in a movie theater, hoping to vanish among the audience. An MGM cartoon segment begins, and McPoodle appears on the cinema screen to greet him, forcing another escape. Desperation pushes the Wolf to seek a plastic-surgeon fix for a new face. A rapid-fire procedure leaves him with a look strikingly similar to McPoodle, and he begs the surgeon to restore his original visage—only to discover the surgeon’s face has changed to resemble the very same target.
In a bid for a final respite, the Wolf tries to feed himself to a lion at the zoo, but discovers he’s sharing the belly with McPoodle. He bursts from the beast’s mouth and hides in a hotel, only to find that room is a prison cell of its own. Turning to the audience for one last self-aware monologue, the Wolf wonders aloud, “I wonder if there coulda been more than one o’ them little guys.” The scene then widens to reveal hundreds of McPoodles gathered in the hallway, who respond in unison to his question with a collective, echoing, “What do you think, brother?”
Northwest Hounded Police Timeline: Every Key Event in Order
14 key events in the order they happen, from “Escape from Alka-Fizz Prison to Canada” to “The McPoodle chorus”. 14 events name a place, across 14 locations.
- 1
Escape from Alka-Fizz Prison to Canada
The Wolf uses a pencil to draw a crude door on the wall and slips through it to escape his cell. He travels from the United States into Canada, kicking off the pursuit that will define the rest of the short. The opening gag establishes the pattern of escape and pursuit that threads through the film.
When:Opening sequence Where:Alka-Fizz Prison
- 2
Mounty County recruitment
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police chief addresses the squad, seeking a volunteer to capture the escaped convict. Sgt. McPoodle is effectively volunteered when all the other Mounties step back to reveal him. This scene sets up the relentless hunter who will trail the Wolf across landscapes and gags.
When:Early pursuit setup Where:RCMP Headquarters, Mounty County
- 3
Signs warn of pursuit
In the Yukon wilderness, the Wolf reads Burma-Shave-style signs warning him that he is being followed. The final sign reveals McPoodle riding up behind him, turning the chase into a moving game of hide-and-seek. The camera shifts reveal the pursuer in new places as the chase continues.
When:Chase sequence begins Where:Yukon wilderness
- 4
Cabin standoff
The Wolf finds a seemingly vacant cabin and locks the front doors. Inside, McPoodle sits in an armchair, calmly reading a comic strip. The Wolf panics and reopens the doors, only to find McPoodle waiting in the doorway, escalating the pursuit.
When:Pursuit continues Where:Cabin in Yukon
- 5
Summit nest encounter
The Wolf climbs to the mountain summit and hides in a large bird nest with a single egg. He declares that he will never be found there, but the egg cracks and McPoodle emerges. The encounter marks a high point in the chase as the hunter persists.
When:Moment of escape attempt Where:Mountain summit
- 6
Underwater chase
The Wolf dives into the lake, briefly feeling safe underwater. He soon notices McPoodle among the schooling fish beneath him, and the hunter continues the pursuit from below. The underwater encounter heightens the sense that no refuge is safe.
When:After nest incident Where:Lake
- 7
Atoll misdirection
Escaping further, the Wolf takes a taxi and then a plane, only to crash land on a tiny oceanic atoll with two rocks. He mutters that he expects McPoodle to emerge from the larger rock first, continuing the pattern of rock-and-popper surprises. The gag reinforces the almost ritual chase logic.
When:Flight-chase sequence Where:Tiny atoll in the ocean
- 8
Rock-by-rock reveal
McPoodle proves implacable by popping up from the smaller rock rather than the larger one, catching the Wolf off guard. The Wolf processes the ongoing pattern but cannot outpace the Mountie's relentless timing. This moment tightens the running joke of the pursuer appearing in unexpected places.
When:Revelation moment Where:Atoll
- 9
Escape to New York
The Wolf swims to New York City and dashes through crowded streets, nearly tumbling off the edge of the film in a frantic turn. He seeks refuge in a movie theater, hoping the chaos will end, but the pursuit quickly follows him inside. The urban chase shifts the setting from wilderness to metropolis.
When:Mid-film sequence Where:New York City
- 10
Theater interlude with MGM cartoon
Inside the theater, an MGM cartoon begins and McPoodle appears from the screen, prompting the Wolf to flee once more. The line between screen and reality blurs as the chase spills into the cartoon world. The gag lampoons Hollywood animation within the pursuit.
When:Cartoon segment Where:Movie theater (NYC)
Show the other 4 events of Northwest Hounded Police Hide the last 4 events
- 11
Plastic surgery fiasco
Desperate, the Wolf visits a plastic surgeon to obtain a new face identical to McPoodle's. The operation seems to succeed, but the Wolf discovers the surgeon's own face has also transformed into McPoodle's. The gag inverts identity and deepens the chase.
When:Mid-film twist Where:Plastic surgeon's clinic
- 12
Lion's den
The Wolf tries to feed himself to a lion in the zoo, only to find the lion's belly already occupied by McPoodle. He jumps back in shock and escapes into a hotel, realizing the pursuit has reached absurd heights. The moment reinforces the inescapability of the Mountie.
When:Pursuit continues Where:Zoo / lion's cage
- 13
Hotel prison cell
The Wolf hides in a hotel room that turns out to be a prison cell, and he acknowledges that he is caught. He reflects on the chase as the corridor outside fills with McPoodles. The running joke reaches a chorus as he muses aloud.
When:Final act Where:Hotel
- 14
The McPoodle chorus
Mountie McPoodle gathers hundreds of his brothers in the hallway, responding to the Wolf's question with a unified, ironic 'What do you think, brother?' The ending cements the gag and the impossible persistence of the pursuer. The Wolf resigns to the absurdity of the situation as the scene loops toward its close.
When:Ending Where:Hotel hallway
Who Are the Main Characters in Northwest Hounded Police?
2 characters, among them The Wolf (Frank Graham) and Sgt. McPoodle (Bill Thompson): who each one is and the part they play in the story. Every profile links to the actor’s page.
- TW
The Wolf (Frank Graham)
Played by Frank Graham
A clever, determined escaped convict who triggers a cross-border chase, relying on wit, improvisation, and disguises to outpace the Mounty. He exhibits a stubborn, resilient streak, turning each obstacle into a humorous setback and never giving up easily.
- 🐺 Cunning
- 🎭 Disguise
- 🧭 Resourceful
- 😂 Slapstick
- SM
Sgt. McPoodle (Bill Thompson)
Played by Bill Thompson
A relentless Mountie whose calm, methodical pursuit drives the plot. He relentlessly corners the Wolf across changing locations, pairing patient strategy with playful mischief. He embodies perseverance and a lighthearted, determined lawman persona.
- 🐶 Persistent
- ⚖️ Lawman
- 🎯 Sharp
- 😂 Slapstick
Where and When Is Northwest Hounded Police Set?
Northwest Hounded Police is set in Alka-Fizz Prison, Mounty County RCMP HQ, Yukon wilderness, New York City, MGM…. Here is why the place matters to the story.
Where
Alka-Fizz Prison, Mounty County RCMP HQ, Yukon wilderness, New York City, MGM movie theater, a zoo, a hotel, a tropical atoll
The story travels from a US prison parody to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police headquarters in Mounty County, then through the Yukon wilderness and into urban spaces like New York City. It briefly visits a movie theater, a zoo, a hotel, and even a stark tropical atoll, using each setting as a new stage for slapstick chases and visual gags. The varied locales emphasize a fast-paced pursuit that crosses borders and genres.
- 🏰 Alka-Fizz Prison
- 🗺️ Mounty County RCMP HQ
- 🏔️ Yukon wilderness
- 🗽 New York City
What Are the Themes of Northwest Hounded Police?
3 ideas the story keeps returning to, among them Pursuit, Disguise and Comedy & Resilience.
-
01
Pursuit
A relentless chase drives the plot as the Mountie relentlessly pursues the escaped Wolf across diverse terrains. The pursuit shifts tone with landscapes, balancing physical comedy with strategic misdirection. Obstacles become punchlines as the Wolf dodges capture again and again. The chase underlines persistence and rivalry between pursuer and target.
-
02
Disguise
Disguise and mistaken identity are central as the Wolf changes his face and even imitates McPoodle. The gag escalates when a plastic-surgery bit backfires, blurring who is chasing whom. Identity becomes a movable mask in a cartoon world where appearances constantly flip. This theme fuels both humor and the ongoing cat-and-mouse dynamics.
-
03
Comedy & Resilience
Slapstick humor and rapid-fire gags punctuate the Wolf’s misadventures, from locked doors to underwater escapes. Each setback tests resilience but keeps the tone light and entertaining. The humor derives from physical misfortune and quick improvisation, sustaining momentum through the entire chase. The ending suggests camaraderie amid lifelong chases in a playful world.
What Kind of Film Is Northwest Hounded Police?
Whimsical in tone, with fast pacing and a moderate story, going by the plot summary.
- Tone
- Whimsical
- Pacing
- Fast
- Story
- Moderate
- Intensity
- Medium
- Ending
- Happy
A relentless, fast-paced cartoon chase that feels like a whimsical and surreal game of cat-and-mouse, filled with inventive gags and a playful, self-aware tone.
- zany
- playful
- farcical
- surreal
- relentless
- self-aware
- chase narrative
- anthropomorphic animals
- slapstick comedy
- surreal humor
Quiz
How well do you remember Northwest Hounded Police? Test yourself on the story.
