1940s Film Noir Parody

[rsharman]

I've been scouring the internet looking for an animated short, most likely from the 1940s (possibly 50s), that is a parody of film noir and made up entirely of visual puns. As I recall, every line of narration was illustrated as a visual pun as we followed a detective on a case (eg: "Hanging around in a bar" and everyone is literally hanging from the rafters). It may have been Merrie Melodies, but I can't be sure. I know it had none of the "stars" of the time, it was a one-off with no recurring characters. Anyone remember this one? A title? Even a link?

[EricJ]

Could be "Symphony in Slang", by the grand old Texan:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZlE9U41gAIc

[rsharman]

That's it!!!! Amazing. Not so Noir-ish as I remember, but the visual gags are just as funny. THANK YOU!!!! Greatest forum ever.

[droosan]

Funny; I'd considered suggesting that it might've been Symphony in Slang, when I saw this question earlier -- but then I'd thought to myself, "nope, there's nothing 'film-noir-ish' about it."

After all, Tex Avery's Symphony In Slang did inspire a few (inferior) imitations .. such as the 1954 Walter Lantz cartoon Broadway Bow-Wows:




Symphony in Slang is available on DVD, by the way .. as a bonus feature on the 2-disc set of An American in Paris. The cartoon is also included on the Blu-ray of the same film .. but is in 'Standard-Definition'.