"The Wild Chase" is a 1965 Looney Tunes cartoon featuring Speedy Gonzales, Sylvester the Cat, Wile E. Coyote and the Road Runner.
There's a "big race" going on somewhere on the Texas-Mexico border, as cowboys are lining up at the $2 Betting Window while Mejicanos are at the 2-Peso window. They've come to see the race between Speedy Gonzales, the Fastest Mouse in all Mejico, and the Road Runner, the Texas Road Burner. But there are two predators lurking in the shadows, each with an eye on their dinner.
Things go as well as they usually do for the Coyote. Sylvester fares no better, especially since being in the Coyote's normal territory he gets the same results.
It is notable for being the only Road Runner cartoon (1) directed by Friz Freleng and (2) having another director (uncredited Hawley Pratt). Also of note is that the only dialogue in the entire cartoon, outside of the racers' signature calls, comes from the race announcements. It was also the final classic-era Looney Tunes cartoon directed by Freleng.note
"Get on your marks... get set... TROPE!!"
- Ash Face: Nothing new for the Coyote, but this time it's Sylvester who is shown being hit with the explosive blast in the tunnel in which the detonator goes. He even loses some fur.
- The Big Race: The premise of the cartoon.
- Dark Horse Victory: Wile E. and Sylvester end up winning the race in their rocket car.
- The End: Spelled out on the deep blue background on which the Fantastic Fireworks display in the final scene is shown.
- Evasive Fight-Thread Episode: The cartoon ends shortly before we see who of Roadrunner or Speedy Gonzales wins the race.
- Homing Boulders: Again, nothing new for the Coyote, but after the Seesaw Catapult launch, Sylvester finds out just how well it works.
- Jump Scare: Courtesy of the Road Runner in both cases. First, when the Coyote is in the dust cloud (but not on solid ground like his prey is); and second, when Sylvester is observing Speedy on the opposite cliff almost immediately after (while the Coyote is climbing back up).
- Pyrrhic Victory: Wile E Coyote and Sylvester cross the finish line first and win the race in their rocket car, but they did not even want that to begin with, they wanted to catch the Road Runner and Speedy Gonzales. Even worse, Wile E Coyote and Sylvester blast off into the sky where they are blown up into Fireworks.
- Reckless Gun Usage: The announcer/starting official nearly shoots several spectators when he fires his pistol to start the race.
- Recycled Animation: Most of Wile E.'s scenes were taken directly from the original Chuck Jones shorts ("Zoom and Bored," "Wild About Hurry," and "Hopalong Casualty") only with Sylvester added in.
- Seesaw Catapults: On opposite precipices, Sylvester and the Coyote await their prey... and launch their boulders at the exact same moment! Then the boulders knock into each other and... anyone for Homing Boulders?
- Villain Team-Up: More like antagonists than villains, but the Coyote and Sylvester still join forces in this cartoon in their attempts to catch their prey.
