Bob Clampett's cartoons often were high in energy and fun and displayed a uniquely wacky visual style that one can recognise immediately. Porky Pig is often likable and amusing, if at times overshadowed by characters with stronger personalities.
'Patient Porky' is not quite among Clampett's masterpieces, and Porky has also been in better cartoons. However, it is still enormously enjoyable stuff, Clampett's imaginative visual and wacky directing style is all over 'Patient Porky', and works brilliantly.
The animation is excellent. The blacks, whites and greys look absolutely beautiful, even nearly 80 years on, while also rich in detail and high in imagination. Carl Stalling's energetically high-voltage, luscious, rousing, dynamic and action-enhancing music score and inspired arrangements of pre-existing music shows off his genius. The lyrics in the more musical moments will make one laugh out loud.
It is an exceptionally funny cartoon as well, with some wonderfully cornball lines and names, some pretty inventive and brilliant kinds of illnesses and symptoms and shows a view of being in a hospital in a hugely entertaining but somewhat nightmarish way. Porky's screen-time is not large but he is still memorable and fun plus you do feel sorry for him.
Likewise the supporting characters are very colourful, the elevator operator is a racial stereotype, and a not particularly subtle one, but not in a way that's overtly offensive. The voice acting is terrific, with Mel Blanc once again showing the second-to-none ability to bring different personalities and voices to several characters.
Overall, not a masterpiece but still great. 9/10 Bethany Cox
