Good Night Elmer

Good Night Elmer is a 1940 Merrie Melodies short directed by Charles Jones.
== Plot ==
The grandfather clock in Elmer Fudd's living room rings, prompting Elmer to retire for the night. He lights up a candle and heads to his bedroom. As he tries to take off his jacket, the hand holding the candle blocks the way for him to take it off fully. He tries to place the candle on the window, but the wind blows it out. After some struggling with his hat and getting the handle unstuck to his hand, Elmer is able to put the candle on a nightstand.
Elmer blows out the candle and prepares for sleep. However, the candle flame lights back up every single time Elmer tries to blow it out. Eventually, the flame becomes sentient and extinguishes itself when Elmer looks at it, but lights back up when he isn't. Elmer tries to cover the flame with a book, but the flame simply burns it. Next, Elmer covers the side of the candle with books, but the flame grows more intense and manages to light up the other side. Elmer breaks the candle in two, but both sticks now light up. Having enough, Elmer grabs an axe and smashes not only the candles, but the entirety of his bedroom. Just as soon as Elmer lies down, the sun comes up, causing Elmer to precipitate tears in a nervous breakdown.
== Availability ==
lt cel elmer.jpg|(1987) VHS Elmer!
Cartoon Moviestars 8.jpg|(1988) VHS Cartoon Moviestars: Elmer!
LT Laserdisc 1.jpg|(1988) LaserDisc Cartoon Moviestars: Bugs! and Elmer!
Golden-Age-of-Looney-Tunes-2-F.jpg|(1992) LaserDisc The Golden Age of Looney Tunes, Volume 2, Side 10, Variations on a Theme
Ghw45nmjhopi54wjy.jpg|(1996) VHS Looney Tunes Collection - Further Adventures of Elmer Fudd
=== Streaming ===
lt boomerang.jpg|Boomerang App (2017 - )
lt hbo max.jpg|HBO Max (2020 - 2023) (restored)
lt max.jpg|Max (2023 - 2024) (restored)
== Notes ==
* Arthur Q. Bryan did not voice Elmer in this short, as Elmer did not have any dialogue. Mel Blanc provided the weeping and bawling in the final scene.
* This short has a special opening rendition of the "Merrily We Roll Along" theme.
* The credits on the title card are the same as "Elmer's Pet Rabbit" and "Porky's Ant". Coincidentally, all three were directed by Chuck Jones.
* The final shot of this short (Elmer crying) is similar to the final shot of 1935's "The Merry Old Soul".
* In some shots of Elmer wrecking the candle with an axe near the end of the short, his bare bottom is exposed under his nightshirt.
* This short marks the first time where Elmer's character design has been finalized, using the design basis from "A Wild Hare" released earlier in the year, minus the red nose. However, this design was not yet finalized among the Warners' directors until "The Hare-Brained Hypnotist" (1942), as from "Wabbit Twouble" (1941) to "Fresh Hare" (1942), Elmer was temporarily redesigned by Bob Clampett to look chubby.
* Because the short has no dialogue, both American and European dubbed versions keep the original ending card, unlike most dubbed version cartoons, although non-dialogue shorts such as "Rhapsody in Rivets" (1941) and "Double Chaser" (1942) got dubbed ending cards. In addition, the original ending music is also kept.
== Gallery ==
Goodnite elmer bare.png|Elmer's bare bottom exposed under his nightshirt as he wrecks the candle with an axe.
Goodnite elmer.png|Elmer struggling with the candle
GoodNightRESTORED.jpeg|Cropped screenshot of 2020 restoration
File:Good Night, Elmer (1940) - Reading.jpg
File:Good Night, Elmer (1940) - Candle Reflection.jpg
File:GoodNightElmerBGCONCEPT.png|Background color key
== References ==
Category:Merrie Melodies Shorts
Category:1940
Category:Elmer Fudd Cartoons
Category:Cartoons directed by Chuck Jones
Category:Shorts
Category:Cartoons with music by Carl W. Stalling
Category:Cartoons animated by Charles McKimson
Category:Cartoons animated by Rudy Larriva
Category:Cartoons with orchestrations by Milt Franklyn
Category:Cartoons with film editing by Treg Brown
Category:Cartoons with sound effects edited by Treg Brown
Category:Cartoons produced by Leon Schlesinger
Category:Cartoons with characters voiced by Mel Blanc
Category:Cartoons in a.a.p. package
Category:Cartoons with layouts by Robert Givens
Category:Cartoons with backgrounds by Paul Julian
Category:Cartoons with no dialogue