Stage Hoax (1952)
Stage Hoax Review
Stage Hoax is a 1952 animated short film from the Woody Woodpecker series. It is a very good entry.
Woody dons a female disguise in order to trick some of his enemies in the Wild West. This is a crazy cartoon that is unhinged in its chaotic structure and pacing for better and for worse. It needed a more streamlined narrative, but I mostly appreciated its energy. The movie had a particularly strong beginning and ending.
The middle parts were less interesting and even more could have been done with this setting, but Woody cross-dressing produced some funny results. That final scene made for instantly memorable, hilarious imagery. The animation and score are pretty good here and this is a rare western cartoon from this period that really worked and is still enjoyable today.
