Cartoon a Day: Ace in the Hole

Ace in the Hole
1942
Directed by Alex Lovy
Available on: Woody Woodpecker and Friends Classic Cartoon Collection

"Ace in the Hole" is a pretty solid Woody Woodpecker short in which Woody dreams of becoming a fighter pilot. His nemesis in this one is a drill sergeant bull dog.


The sequence early in the film in which Woody rides across the ground on the moving shadow of a passing plane is a fun scene. It actually shows a sweet side of Woody, a character who is fun to watch but often hard to root for.

A sequence in which Woody struggles with a flight suit and a box of flares is also a highlight of the film. I think what works well with this film is that Woody isn't being a vicious as he often in, but he's just sticking up for himself. This is probably one of the best of the early Woody shorts.