Pigs in a Polka (Cartoon, 1943)

"Pigs in a Polka" is a classic 1943 Warner Bros. Merrie Melodies animated short cartoon, directed by Friz Freleng and released to theaters on February 6, 1943. Running about seven minutes, it's a lively, Technicolor parody of the classic fairy tale "The Three Little Pigs," reimagined as a fast-paced musical extravaganza set to excerpts from Johannes Brahms' Hungarian Dances (specifically Nos. 5, 7, 6, and 17, played in that sequence). The animation synchronizes the characters' actions tightly with the upbeat, folk-inspired rhythms of the music, creating a whirlwind of slapstick comedy, exaggerated expressions, and clever visual gags.
The story opens with a sly, mustachioed Big Bad Wolf (voiced by Mel Blanc in his signature gravelly tone) breaking the fourth wall as a narrator, cheekily reminding viewers of the familiar tale: "Remember the story of the three little pigs? One played a pipe and the others danced jigs!" He then launches into the plot, which roughly follows the original fable but amps up the absurdity for laughs. The three anthropomorphic pig brothers—each with distinct personalities and outfits (the first two in shirts only, the third in overalls)—scramble to build their houses amid the lively Hungarian Dance No. 5.The lazy first pig hastily assembles a flimsy wire frame and slaps on a thatch of hay, lounging inside with a pipe while the wolf huffs, puffs, and effortlessly blows the whole thing to smithereens.
The second pig, slightly more industrious, constructs a ramshackle stick house next door, complete with a goofy jig-dancing routine, but meets the same explosive fate when the wolf returns.
The clever third pig, ever the bricklayer extraordinaire, fortifies a sturdy brick home (with a nod to modern conveniences like a radio), leading to a chaotic chase sequence where the wolf's schemes backfire hilariously—culminating in him getting comically pulverized by his own huffing and puffing.

Throughout, the pigs' frantic building, dancing, and fleeing are choreographed like a ballet to the swelling strings and lively tempos of the Brahms pieces, with recurring motifs of pipes, jigs, and explosive demolitions adding rhythmic punch. The wolf's repeated failures escalate into over-the-top physical comedy, including a memorable bit where he inflates like a balloon from his own breath. The short ends on a triumphant, pig-powered note, with the survivors celebrating to the final dance's crescendo.
Visually, Freleng's direction shines through in the fluid, exaggerated animation typical of wartime-era Looney Tunes: vibrant colors pop against simple backgrounds, character designs are caricatured (pudgy pigs with rosy cheeks, a lanky wolf with wild eyes), and the pacing builds to manic energy without a single spoken line beyond the wolf's intro—it's all told through music and motion. Nominated for an Academy Award for Best Short Subject (Cartoons) that year (though it lost to MGM's "Yankee Doodle Mouse"), it's celebrated for its inventive score integration and remains a fan favorite for blending fairy-tale familiarity with irreverent Warner Bros.