This marks the last Tom and Jerry cartoon to be nominated for an Oscar for Best Animated Short Film. The other films nominated were Crazy Mixed Up Pup (1955, Walter Lantz, directed by Tex Avery), Pigs is Pigs (1954, Disney), Sandy Claws (1955, Warner Brothers, Sylvester and Tweety) and When Magoo Flew (1954, UPA, Mr. Magoo). The Oscar went to When Magoo Flew. This shows what high regard the UPA cartoons were held during this time period. In the 1950's film critics and those in the industry held the UPA cartoons in the same high regard that they held the Disney cartoons in the 1930's. They often felt that these shorts were pushing just what an animated cartoon could be in unexplored directions. This was heavily because of the stylized approach to design in those films that was greatly inspired by modern art. All the cartoons nominated this year were great choices. Crazy Mixed Up Pup was one of Tex Avery's last great films. Pigs is Pigs is a delightful and very funny Disney short that is more than a little influenced by the UPA style. Sandy Claws is one of the best Sylvester and Tweety shorts especially due to it being one of the few Looney Tunes where Art Davis was a credited writer. When Magoo Flew is a very strong Mr. Magoo cartoon and the little dialogue exchange at the end is a classic.
This also marks the second film in a series of shorts that feature Jerry and Nibbles (or Tuffy if you prefer) as two Mouseketeers. The first of these shorts (The Two Mouseketeers (1952)) won an Oscar. Touché, Pussy Cat! would be followed by two more of these shorts, Tom and Chérie (1955) and Royal Cat Nap (1958). The characters would also use their Mouseketeer roles in multiple of the Del comic books.
In this short film, Mouseketeer Jerry tries to teach Mouseketeer in training Nibbles. However, Nibbles soon finds himself getting in trouble be picking a fight with Tom and Jerry must protect his little friend.
While not quite as great as the first Mouseketeer cartoon, there is a lot to enjoy about this short. It is a very handsome looking film, something that especially obvious when you view it either in a widescreen format or on a big screen. Unfortunately, if you are viewing the cropped version that often airs on channels like Boomerang, you miss how lovely this film actually looks. The background art is simply wonderful. It gives the whole cartoon a sense of atmosphere that helps it stand out from many other Tom and Jerry. Most of the Tom and Jerry shorts of this time had suburban or barnyard settings, which helps this film stand out even more. Though this may not be the funniest Tom and Jerry shorts, there are some great gags here, such as Nibbles being very chivalrous to a lady mouse that walks by. This is one of those cartoons were you really root for Tom, and this makes the ending gag all the more satisfying. The cartoon is also full of great character animation that makes these characters feel completely real to us. Though Tom and Jerry don't talk, we can always tell exactly what they are thinking.
The credited animators on this film are Kenneth Muse, Ed Barge and Irven Spence. The credited background artist is Robert Gentle. This cartoon is available on the DVD sets Tom and Jerry Spotlight Collection, Vol. 1, Tom and Jerry: Once Upon A Tomcat, Tom and Jerry: Merry Mice and Tom and Jerry: Classic Collection: Volume 4. It also appears on the Blu-ray set, Tom and Jerry: The Deluxe Anniversary Collection and the Laser Disc set The Art of Tom & Jerry: Volume II as well as a bonus feature on the Blu-ray for the feature film, The Last Time I Saw Paris (1954). Like some other Cinemascope cartoons of this time, this film was made in both Academy and CinemaScope aspect ratios. While the same animation cels were used in both versions, the camera shots were reframed and different backgrounds were used for both versions. Sadly, many TV airings of this cartoon feature a cropped version of the Cinemascope version rather than airing it in widescreen or using the Academy version. This marks the 89th Tom and Jerry cartoon.
Below are some storyboard drawings for this film.
-Michael J. Ruhland
Resources Used
Of Mice and Magic: A History of American Animated Cartoons by Leonard Maltin
https://tomandjerry.fandom.com/wiki/Touch%C3%A9,_Pussy_Cat!#Availability
In this short film, Mouseketeer Jerry tries to teach Mouseketeer in training Nibbles. However, Nibbles soon finds himself getting in trouble be picking a fight with Tom and Jerry must protect his little friend.
While not quite as great as the first Mouseketeer cartoon, there is a lot to enjoy about this short. It is a very handsome looking film, something that especially obvious when you view it either in a widescreen format or on a big screen. Unfortunately, if you are viewing the cropped version that often airs on channels like Boomerang, you miss how lovely this film actually looks. The background art is simply wonderful. It gives the whole cartoon a sense of atmosphere that helps it stand out from many other Tom and Jerry. Most of the Tom and Jerry shorts of this time had suburban or barnyard settings, which helps this film stand out even more. Though this may not be the funniest Tom and Jerry shorts, there are some great gags here, such as Nibbles being very chivalrous to a lady mouse that walks by. This is one of those cartoons were you really root for Tom, and this makes the ending gag all the more satisfying. The cartoon is also full of great character animation that makes these characters feel completely real to us. Though Tom and Jerry don't talk, we can always tell exactly what they are thinking.
The credited animators on this film are Kenneth Muse, Ed Barge and Irven Spence. The credited background artist is Robert Gentle. This cartoon is available on the DVD sets Tom and Jerry Spotlight Collection, Vol. 1, Tom and Jerry: Once Upon A Tomcat, Tom and Jerry: Merry Mice and Tom and Jerry: Classic Collection: Volume 4. It also appears on the Blu-ray set, Tom and Jerry: The Deluxe Anniversary Collection and the Laser Disc set The Art of Tom & Jerry: Volume II as well as a bonus feature on the Blu-ray for the feature film, The Last Time I Saw Paris (1954). Like some other Cinemascope cartoons of this time, this film was made in both Academy and CinemaScope aspect ratios. While the same animation cels were used in both versions, the camera shots were reframed and different backgrounds were used for both versions. Sadly, many TV airings of this cartoon feature a cropped version of the Cinemascope version rather than airing it in widescreen or using the Academy version. This marks the 89th Tom and Jerry cartoon.
Below are some storyboard drawings for this film.
-Michael J. Ruhland
Resources Used
Of Mice and Magic: A History of American Animated Cartoons by Leonard Maltin
https://tomandjerry.fandom.com/wiki/Touch%C3%A9,_Pussy_Cat!#Availability
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