Felix the Cat Finds The Golden Bug is a 1961 Felix the Cat cartoon and the 125th episode of the Felix the Cat (Joe Oriolo) cartoons, distributed by Trans-Lux and directed by Joe Oriolo.
The cartoon starts with Felix in a jungle, equipped with a butterfly net and studying a map that says he's in Inca gold territory. He mentions that if he can find their Golden Bug, it'll lead him to the treasure. By chance, a bug is flying right around Felix, which catches his attention. Felix realizes that it's the very bug he's looking for, and takes off running after it with his net. The bug flies inside a sleeping hippo that has its maw open, and Felix follows it inside. The bug quickly flies back out, and Felix continues after it. Eventually, Felix stops the chase and ends up befriending the bug, shaking hands with it. A day later, Rock Bottom and Professor are lounging around a table, and Rock tells Professor about a story in the newspaper about Felix finding the bug. Professor isn't interested at first, but Rock mentioning it's 1000 years old gets his attention and is the Golden Bug. Professor is immediately interesting, pointing out that its the only living thing that can point out where the Inca treasure mines. They take off running out of their home to find Felix and the bug. Meanwhile, Felix and the bug are on a motorboat, where Felix is reading instructions that to find the Inca Treasure Minds, he has to say the magic words Mongo Jingo to the golden bug, and he'll point the way. Felix gives the command and the bug points him in the direction he wants. While driving the boat, Felix is unaware that Professor and Rock Bottom are clinging to the bottom of the boat with plungers while wearing scuba gear, but Rock ends up getting eaten by a shark. Felix reaches dry land and begins trekking, while Professor climbs onto the shore behind him. Rock also climbs out, but still has the shark stuck around him. Professor, thinking it's a foolish trick, yanks off the shark and throws it aside, and he and Rock take off to find Felix. Up ahead, Felix asks Goldie where they go now while Rock and Professor are listening nearby, and the bug leads him through the jungle swamp. Felix begins swinging across vines with the bug. Professor ties Rock to a palmtree and ties leaves to his arms to try and make him fly after Felix. Professor puts the rope, and the palmtree catapults them through the air, but it ends up making them fly ahead of Felix and sends them crashing headfirst into a mountain wall, sending them sliding down the side. Nearby, Felix says Mongo Jingo again and the bug points up towards the mountain. Professor and Rock finally catch Felix and beat him up, pinning him under a pile of rocks and capturing the Golden Bug.
Ready to move, Professor asks Rock what the magic word for the bug is. Rock gives the word, and Professor asks the bug where the treasure lies. The bug again points up to the top of the mountain. Felix threatens that both of them will wind up in jail as they leave him behind, climbing up the summit, while Felix ponders how he'll be able to catch them now. Up near the top, Rock is pulling Professor up by rope when he comes across the nest of a buzzard. It's mother notices rock near her resting chicklet as Professor, annoyed at Rock being distracted, orders his goon to get rid of it. Rock drops the bird off the mountain, but the mother comes to its rescue. Down below, Felix sees the little bird falling towards him and partially pull himself out of the rock, just in time to stop the chicklets descent with his tail. The little bird hugs him out of gratitude as Felix laughs, and the mother, grateful for what Felix has done, pulls him out of the rock pile and into the air with it. Rock and Professor finally reach the top of the mountain, and Professor asks the bug where they go next with a command of Mongo Jingo. To their puzzlement, the bug points down from the mountain towards the edge of the cliff. The buzzard flies right above them at this moment, and drops Felix right near Professor and Rock. Felix commands them to release the Golden Bug, failing to notice that the impact of his landing has caused the icy top of the mountain to start cracking. Rock warns Felix about it, just as the ice ledge breaks loose of the mountain and begins sliding down the hill. The ice ledge is send flying due to a slope and ends up flying through a nearby city. Felix gets off and watches as the ice slab, with Professor and Rock still on it, flies directly into a jailhouse, and Felix quickly locks it up. Professor bitterly remarks that he's on ice and Rock remarks that they're in the cooler. Nearby, Felix, who has found the treasure, laughs as the cartoon fades out.
Tropes:
- Affectionate Nickname: Felix gives the bug the nickname Goldie.
- Kick the Dog: Rock throwing a harmless baby buzzard off the mountain on orders from Professor. He even mocks it by saying that it had better learn to fly before it hits the bottom.
- Meaningful Name: The Golden Bug, besides having gold as its color, is also able to point out the location of the hidden Inca treasure (which includes gold) to whoever says the words Mongo Jingo to it.
- Oh, Crap!: Professor and Rock have this reaction when they see Felix has unwittingly broken the ice on top of the mountain.
- Tree Buchet: Professor uses this to launch Rock Bottom (who is using palmtree leaves as makeshift wings) into the air.
- Visual Pun: Professor and Rock Bottom are literally put on ice in the ending, both because in they're jail and because they're still sitting on the slab of ice that broke loose from the mountain.
- The Voiceless: The Golden Bug has no dialogue at all.
