His Bitter Half

His Bitter Half is a 1950 Merrie Melodies short directed by I. Freleng.
== Title ==
The title is a play on the phrase "his better half," referring to one's spouse. In this case, the played title is used ironically.
== Plot ==
Daffy Duck reads the newspaper and finds that a rich widow is seeking a single gentleman for marriage. As the impoverished duck thinks that he can live a life of fortune and luxury that way, he marries and tries to relax, but his wife is revealed to be a pushy, abusive, intimating and domineering duck bigger in size than Daffy himself, demanding that Daffy does chores around the house. Daffy refuses, but he gets his beak knocked out by his wife, so Daffy complies and cleans up the entirety of the house.
Exhausted, Daffy thinks he can finally catch a break, but he later finds out that his wife also has a bratty troublemaking son named Wentworth. When Wentworth wants to play with Daffy, Wentworth causes all sorts of trouble for Daffy, such as playing Indians where Daffy gets scalped, sling-shotting rocks at the carnival shooting game owner who thinks Daffy is shooting at him, and exploding 4 July fireworks on Daffy. After a failed attempt to punish the boy, Daffy finally has enough and leaves the abusive household, but not before his wife manages to pluck nearly every feather off his body.
== Availability ==
Hesrgshtjrdus5y.jpg|(2007) DVD The West Point Story
331779_front.jpg|(2023) Blu-ray Looney Tunes Collector's Choice: Volume 1 (restored)
=== Streaming ===
lt hbo max.jpg|HBO Max Latin America / Brazil (2021 - 2024) (restored)
== Censorship ==
* The version of this cartoon shown on FOX's The Merrie Melodies Show edited the part where Wentworth plays Army to remove the part where Wentworth fakes getting shot and screams, "They got me!"http://www.intanibase.com/gac/looneytunes/censored-h.aspx
* The version of this cartoon shown on Nickelodeon's Looney Tunes on Nickelodeon edited the part where Wentworth cautiously tries to light a string of fireworks as Nickelodeon censors feared kids will imitate this dangerous act. That scene was left uncut until 1992 and the above scene that FOX edited was shown uncensored on Nickelodeon both before and after 1992.
== Reception ==
According to the What's Cooking Doc section of the July 1949 issue of Warner Club News, Eddie Selzer thought that this was the best Daffy Duck cartoon ever made.https://cartoonresearch.com/index.php/warner-club-news-1949
== Notes ==
* Wentworth Duck bears a striking resemblance to the unnamed little yellow duck from "Ain't That Ducky", which was directed by Friz Freleng five years earlier, albeit not the same character.
**Coincidentally, both cartoons feature Daffy Duck being antagonized by an identical-looking bratty yellow duckling.
**Wentworth's name is possibly a reference to Martha Wentworth, the actress providing the voice of Mrs. Duck.
* The premise of this cartoon would be later be reused for another cartoon starring Yosemite Sam, "Honey's Money".
*This cartoon was used in the Thanksgiving special Daffy Duck's Thanks-for-Giving Special.
*MeTV aired a previously unreleased restored print of the cartoon on Toon In With Me, uncut and uncensored. This was later released on HBO Max in Latin America and Brazil, and later on Looney Tunes Collector's Choice: Volume 1 Blu-Ray set.
* While Wentworth is painting, a can labeled “Hadley & Pert Flex Lak Thinner” is shown, a reference to layout artist Hawley Pratt.
* The Native American music that plays when Wentworth chases Daffy Duck while whooping like an American Indian is reused and modified from "A Horse Fly Fleas".
==Gallery==
HisBitterHalfCredits1.png
HisBitterHalfCredits2.png
File:His Bitter Half (1950).jpg
File:His Bitter.jpg|Concept sketches by Arthur Davis
His Bitter Half Lobby Card.jpg|Lobby card
File:Fdghfaeafghsdfj.jpg|Lobby card
=== TV Title Cards ===
HisBitterHalfBugsBunnyShowTitle.png|The Bugs Bunny/Road Runner Show
==References==
Category:1950
Category:Cartoons directed by Friz Freleng
Category:Daffy Duck Cartoons
Category:Cartoons that contain excerpts from "Powerhouse"
Category:Shorts
Category:Merrie Melodies Shorts
Category:Cartoons written by Tedd Pierce
Category:Cartoons with layouts by Hawley Pratt
Category:Cartoons with backgrounds by Paul Julian
Category:Cartoons with characters voiced by Mel Blanc
Category:Cartoons with music by Carl W. Stalling
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 Eddie Selzer
Category:Blue Ribbon reissues
Category:Re-released cartoons whose original titles are known to exist