With most of the Tom and Jerry cartoons focusing on slapstick and character driven comedy, Tom and Jerry shorts that are actually parodies are rather rare. The Mouse from H.U.N.G.E.R. is an exception. It is a parody of the TV series The Man from U.N.C.L.E.
In this short film, Jerry is a secret agent who is assigned to recover a fridge full of cheese from enemy agent Tom Thrush (a reference to the evil organization T.H.R.U.S.H. from The Man from U.N.C.L.E.).
This is one of the weakest Tom and Jerry shorts of the Chuck Jones produced era. Though it is about the same length as most Tom and Jerry cartoons, it feels too short in a way other cartoons don't. Part of this is that too much of the runtime is taken with setting up the story. By the time Jerry actually makes it to Tom's hideout, there is not much time for the typical Tom and Jerry action. This also leads to a surprising lack of gags here. The few gags there are here are simply not that funny. As with many of the non-Chuck Jones directed shorts from this era, the timing is off. Because of this the basic gags we see here have been done better in countless other cartoons. This is not helped by some weak drawings that find their way into the cartoon.
Abe Levitow is the credited director. Bob Ogle is the credited writer. The credited animators are Philip Roman, Ben Washam, Ken Harris, Don Towsley, Tom Ray and Dick Thompson. Bob Inman is the credited background artist. Don Morgan is the credited layout artist.
This film is available on the DVD sets Tom and Jerry: Classic Collection Volume 6, Tom and Jerry: The Chuck Jones Collection and Tom and Jerry's Adventures as well the VHS set Tom & Jerry Cartoon Festival: Volume 4 and the Laserdisc set The Art of Tom & Jerry: Volume III: The Chuck Jones Cartoons.
The cartoon aired on the Toon in With Me episodes Tyler (2021), Yee Chowdy! (2022), I Spy (2022), Toony and Bill Dial-Up 1995 (2025), Women's History - Going Undercover (2026).
This marks the 157th Tom and Jerry cartoon.
-Michael J. Ruhland
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