Watching the Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies shorts growing up, I've always been well familiar with the name Chuck Jones, among other animators-turned-directors looking at the opening credits. But I didn't know the differences between the directors' Warner Bros. cartoons, the backstories behind these shorts, nor did I know how much that several of the pre-1940s ones were trying the emulate the Disney shorts. I also didn't know just how, although this may not have been considered so at the time, important this short is to cartoon history, also with Jones's Claude Cat-Hubie-Bertie series. That is, until I read about this mentioned briefly in a 3-part essay called "The Most Influential Animations You've Never Heard Of" on a blog called The Animatorium. The cutesy Jones-directed WB cartoons I did see and maybe those by some others, I didn't find boring, I could still get through them despite having little to no comedy to them, as at the time, I didn't know how detested they've been. But now I do know just how much of a landmark this short is considered, as Mr. Jones would make a move towards the somewhat same, loony style as Tex Avery and Bob Clampett. As the LT & MM series progressed, they would gradually become more and more in the vein of the former's namesake and the title would have nearly a double meaning.Although there are some, certain LT & MM cartoons directed by Jones that I love more, especially the less praised ones, I still find this to be just as enjoyable. I read a post in a forum thread about the worst LT/MM or least favorite LT/MM shorts by someone who had beef with this due to the technical aspects of it. I don't focus so much on that, since I find the moments in this irresistible to look pass it as a whole. How anyone can still resist that, I just don't know. As for the humor, I don't know too much about that nor the differences between this and of any other animation company/studio. So I can't say anything about that here.What can I say concerning the plot of the short that hasn't already been mentioned by others and differently? Well, it's a parody of 1890s melodramas and the Rover Boys books about the three Dover Boys: Tom, Dick, and Larry, who attend Pimento University. They try to spend the day with fiancée, Dora Standpipe, but this is interrupted in the midst of a long game of hide-and-seek due to their rival, Dan Backslide, from Roquefort Hall, kidnapping her. The Dover Boys aren't even aware of this until after receiving a telegram about it. But despite this, Dora proves that she's much more than capable of handling herself. There are also recurring moments of a gray-bearded man in a bathing suit, walking and hopping along, as he passes by the other characters, with a surprise towards the end.Just a few years before the UPA studio would become well-renowned for pioneering limited animation, there was this. The art style in this is different in that it's, well, stylized than what was seen in those prior. The way the animation moves is different as well, such as Dora moving in a gliding motion rather than walking. Of all the characters, Backslide is who really makes this. Everything else about this, the writing, the music, the voice work, is great. Some reviewer here had problems with the colors, but I don't see anything wrong with the coloration at all. Depending on anyone who may read this, it's recommended, at least for historical reference and value. Again, this is the WB cartoon in which we'd get to see Jones showcase his wacky side from then on, in other cartoons as well. I found out it was producer Leon Schlesinger and the WB studio executives who goaded Jones into moving away from the cuteness. And when he did, they still weren't quite satisfied with it. I have no idea what exactly they wanted. But I find it as funny and great as several others, if not simply intriguing, at least. Still much better than the cartoons that are over-reliant on sick humor.

I felt the humour style of this cartoon was in many ways more similar to a Hanna Barbera cartoon than a Looney Tunes cartoon, but I still loved it all the same. It makes fun of sissy romance and heroic rescuing, while still having original and bright humour. I personally appreciated the narration, especially as it was the same narrator in Disney cartoons like "Dumbo" and "The Art of Skiiing".Anyway, this episode is set at Pimento University, where the most popular boys are the Dover boys, Tom, Dick and Larry are going out on their bicycles in the sunshine one day, to pick up "their" fiancée Dora, a cute brunette with a squeaky voice who rides on Tom's bicycle. She is playing hide and seek with the Dover Boys when accidentally they hide in a casino where their arch enemy, Dan Backslide is playing Poole. He realises that Dora is being left on her own and snatches the girl and takes her to his hunting lodge. Can the Dover Boys save her?I recommend this cartoon to people who love a mixture of slapstick humour, witty humour and spoofing humour and to people who like a different approach to Looney Tunes once in a while/often. Enjoy "The Dover Boys at Pimento University"! :-)8 and a half out of ten.

To me, at least, "The Dover Boys at Pimento University or The Rivals of Roquefort Hall" seems like one of the most unusual Looney Tunes cartoons, but I still liked it. Portraying some college friends trying to rescue a woman from a cad/thief, the cartoon doesn't get quite as wacky as most cartoons produced by that group - I always liked them for how zany they were - but it ends on a good note. And any Chuck Jones-directed cartoon is a good one (especially with the whole tree sequence here).All in all, "The Dover Boys" gives one a sense of college life during WWII. Will we remember college positively or negatively? Only time will tell, but I'll sure remember this cartoon positively.

This cartoon is underrated. The humor is subtle yet hilarious. My two kids love it so much that they will drop what they are doing whenever this comes on. The Dover Boys is a takeoff of the damsel-in-distress/Uncle Tom's Cabin scenario. The humor is in the characterizations such as Dan Backslide's unique way of kidnapping the girl or how the heroes ride their bicycles. Perhaps my family's sense of humor is different from most people. Too many contemporary cartoons rely on toilet humor and not something that is well written. But Chuck Jones and the people who gave us these classics will always have a soft spot in my heart. Their work is flawless and timeless. Whenever a show or cartoon crossovers generations without having to explain why, then the artist has done their job. They just don't make them like they use to.