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Max FleischerBetty Boop: I'll Be Glad When You're Dead, You Rascal You (1932)

With Louis Armstrong


This movie is part of the collection: Film Chest Vintage Cartoons

Producer: Max Fleischer
Sponsor: Paramount Publix Corporation
Audio/Visual: sound, black and white
Keywords: Betty Boop; cartoon; humor

Creative Commons license: Public Domain

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Reviewer: goth_Snob - - October 18, 2008
Subject: I agree with Gman...
I hate the racial stereotypes (especially how they superimpose that on the real musicians...)

And - sadly - the racial stereotyping here is benign compared to some Warner Bros.,and MGM cartoons.

But the reason to watch it - Louis!!

Reviewer: PGJK - - June 16, 2008
Subject: STOP THE WALLOWING
Puleeeze get down off the soapbox ....it's just a cartoon. In the cartoons the Irish are still shown as drunken bums ,,,The Italians are still shown as ignorant peasants ...the Polish are still pshown as less than intelligent ...and lest not leave out all those buxom women in the cartoons ...lest leave racism out of it and review on the fact that it's a cartoon. Not unlike any other political satire of a time when people just couldn't get along. It's not gonna change unless people change ...get down off your soapboxes and prove them wrong ...do something different then just rant and rave. More opportunities are offered today than anytime in history. like Hortense, go to college see who gets in first nowadays ...based on race alone

Reviewer: Hortence_Freep - - April 16, 2008
Subject: All a Ya'll
Get help. We don’t live in 1972 (I was 20 ‘yarold.)
Downloaded 25,798 times. U think that it was done by the KKK?
Wake up. All the kids in Iraq be Gangsta.
In some way, RUN DMC, where like Gandhi.
This late in life, you should take 1 college course and listen.
Love,
Real Old School gangbanger

Reviewer: mdebutante - - April 7, 2008
Subject: Racism in our Culture
Many of us keep within the boundaries of the stereotypical roles given to us because of gender, race, etc. How many people compromise due to ignorance, or even survival? Even though a person may compromise his dignity, doesn't mean we should keep silent. We need to always keep raising each other up by educating.

This 'toon did bum me out! To see my Louie that way! But hey, I've done alot of 'shufflin' ' myself in different siutations as a woman. Glad there was no camera on me. Anyway, I'm sure it wasn't as cool as old dear Louie!

Reviewer: micorazondiablo - - April 5, 2008
Subject: Nope.
Nope, it's not hard to call this racist. What makes you think that media back in the day was so much different than our media today? Still racist, different continent, objectifying a different culture. And besides, just because it was more socially acceptable to be completely racist in the past doesn't mean it was ever right. Slavery was (is?) accepted and that wasn't right, was it?

I love Betty Boop, but this one was really to much. I do agree that it should be preserved, not as a nostalgic remembrance of "those times" but to illustrate the acceptance of obnoxious and disgusting ideals and images. It's not like much has changed, watch Disney's Alladin or that tv show Aliens in America.

Reviewer: Al W. - - March 24, 2008
Subject: Times Change
It's hard to call things like this racist when the prevailing sentiment of the times was that it was OK. There are so many old films that contain things that we as modern people find offensive, but I'll contend that they need to stay and preserve the feelings of the time. And I'll add, this song really swings. The black performers of the 30's really knew how to play great music and given that the times were what they were, this is one of the few venues we have that preserve that part of history.

Reviewer: antim00r - - February 17, 2008
Subject: Racial stereotypes
who knows, - maybe they all just felt alright about them that time. maybe that was louis armstrong himself who generated the idea. maybe there are no racial stereotypes at all, taking into account the cartoon was created in 1932. if so, then why don't you just keep enjoying the film? it's quite funny after all.

Reviewer: valeyard - - December 28, 2006
Subject: Great song, hard to watch
It's a great song. It's hard to watch though, because of the way they juxtapose Louis Armstrong and his Orchestra with such racial stereotypes. It just doesn't seem right to have them portrayed that way. I can't help wondering how Armstrong felt about being portrayed that way. Still it's a gem to watch solely for the song. Love the song.

Reviewer: samrees - - March 18, 2006
Subject: ditto little nemo
no genius sequences, but a lovely little number about louis being glad when some chaps dead. worth a peek if you like the louis

Reviewer: sbrager - - September 24, 2005
Subject: Greatness, Indeed
Three tunes by Louis Armstrong and his orchestra - "High Society", "I'll Be Glad When You're Dead, You Rascal You", and a bit of "Chinatown".

It brings pleasure to the ears as well as the eyes.

Stan

Reviewer: Gman - - July 23, 2005
Subject: Racism, boo- Jazz, Yaaay!
Contains unfortunate racial caricatures cross-dissolving over not only men (which is bad enough) but one of the greatest musicians in history.
Otherwise, this cartoon realy swings and Armstrong's music is what drives its positive virtues to the fore.

This was the first time I wondered when viewing this, did KoKo really mess with the chief's wife?

My favorite line:
"You bought my wife a coca-cola
SO you could play on her victrola.."

Reviewer: judeblack, bbc - - May 18, 2005
Subject: Why Should You Watch This?
One word, brothers and sisters, one word: SATCHMO!

Reviewer: Little Nemo - - April 6, 2005
Subject: weird
all pre-code Betty Boops are worthy seeing.
this features...um, a giant disembodied Louis Armstrong head chasing Bimbo and Koko.
warning: racial stereotypes on display.
Satch footage always good though.