Mouse in Manhattan (1945)

 

Mouse in Manhattan stands as one of the most unique Tom and Jerry films. Part of the reason for this is that it is not really a Tom and Jerry film but for the most part a solo outing for Jerry. Tom only appears very briefly and doesn't really do anything when he is on screen. The story follows Jerry as he decides that he is fed up with country living. He leaves Tom a goodbye note and heads out for the city. At first the city seems to be all he dreamed it would be, but then he discovers it is much more dangerous than he thought. This storyline is perhaps inspired by the Aesop's Fable, The Town Mouse and the Country Mouse, but with only the country mouse (played by Jerry). 

This cartoon is far from one of the funniest or wackiest Tom and Jerry cartoons and to be fair there are very few laughs to be found here. However it makes more than up for this with pure charm. Even if there are not many laughs here, there is still a whole lot to enjoy. The animation is truly excellent. Even if Jerry never speaks a word here (in fact there is no dialogue at all in this cartoon), we can always tell exactly what he is thinking. Perhaps even more so than any cartoon before this, the character feels like a real living, breathing and thinking being. This also allows us to experience the big city perfectly from his point of view, from the wonders to the terrors. It is appropriate that his first (mostly) solo effort, so perfectly captures and conveys who this character in fact is. This film also benefits from wonderful background art and an incredible score by Scott Bradley. The background art perfectly captures just what makes everything that makes the big city so appealing to Jerry and much of it is simply beautiful to look at. I am a big fan of Scott Bradley's scores, but his score for this film may be one of his best. This is a lush and beautiful score that perfectly captures the awe and wonder Jerry feels when he first reaches the big city.  He incorporates a beautiful number called Manhattan Serenade (written by Louis Alter (with lyrics by Howard Johnson) in 1928). This number has also been used in other films as well including the feature length movies, My Man Godfrey (1936), Broadway Rhythm (1944), The Godfather (1972) and Vertigo (1958). It is used to especially great effect in this short film and really enhances this cartoon greatly. 

This film was the first Tom and Jerry cartoon released to feature an animation credit for Ed Barge. He would become a regular animator on the Tom and Jerry films. Like many animators who worked on Tom and Jerry, he would later work for William Hanna and Joseph Barbera at their own cartoon studio, Hanna-Barbera. The other credited animators on this film include Irven Spence, Kenneth Muse and Ray Patterson. 

Notice that when Jerry passes a movie theater, the marquee says, "Now Playing! A Tom & Jerry Cartoon!" Also there is a little anination error when Jerry dances with the dolls as one of them changes the color of her hair when Jerry dances with her. There is brief blackface scene in this film that is cut out of any airings on Cartoon Network or Boomerang. 

The following is an exhibitor's review from Motion Picture Herald. " MOUSE IN MANHATTAN: Technicolor Cartoons— Another good cartoon in a good series. This pleased everyone here. Thomas D. Lorenzo, New Paltz Theatre, New Platz, N.Y."