The Cat and the Mermouse (1949)

 

As this short film begins Tom is enjoying some nice sunbathing on the beach, when Jerry walks on top of the cat on his way to go fishing. This of course begins their usual chase. After some slapstick gags, Tom winds up underwater. There he finds Jerry has become a mermouse and the chase continues underwater. 

This is a delightful cartoon. The underwater setting helps it stand out from other Tom and Jerry cartoons, as the film uses this setting perfectly. The setting leads to some especially clever gags. Jerry pretending to be a seahorse and the swordfish growling like a dog, never fail to put a smile on my face. Even the gags before the duo find themselves undersea, are wonderful here. Once again William Hanna's timing shows him at the top of his game here. The underwater setting also allows for some great visuals. I stand by my belief that the MGM cartoons were some of the best-looking cartoons of the era (only the Disney shorts really provided competition in this department). The underwater scenes here are truly a visual treat. The background art here is truly breathtaking (this is something that I believe is true about the Hanna-Barbera cartoons not only during this time period but in their limited animation TV days too (look at some of the Scooby-Doo backgrounds some time)). The background art is luscious and detailed and makes this underwater environment seem so much more real than the underwater scenes in other studio's cartoons. This is not the only visual treat here. The character animation is wonderful and Tom and Jerry feel like real breathing characters, rather than moving drawings. You can always tell just what is going through these characters' minds by just watching how they move. The only real problem with this film is that the ending can be seen coming from a mile away.

This is not the last underwater adventure Tom and Jerry would have. The cartoon duo would later appear alongside Ester Williams in a wonderful scene in the feature film, Dangerous When Wet (1953). Ester Williams was a great swimmer and her movies would often feature sequences with her underwater. This is one of the best of those sequences and the combination of live action and animation is wonderful. Though that movie was directed by Charles Walters, William Hanna and Joseph Barbera directed Tom and Jerry and the other animated characters that appear in this dream sequence. 

The credited animators on The Cat and the Mermouse were Ed Barge, Irven Spence, Kenneth Muse, Ray Patterson and Al Grandmain. This film would be reissued to theaters in 1957. 

Interestingly various statements in movie magazines hint at a Tom and Jerry cartoon with a similar title being a combination of animation and live action. A 1947 issue of The Film Daily states, "Forerunner of a new series of MGM cartoons is in production. New cartoon, featuring Tom and Jerry, has been titled 'The Catfish and the Mermouse.' Film 'tis said marks the first time underwater sequences are used for a cartoon. Companions of the team will be live fish." An issue of box-office magazine (dated August 9, 1947) states, "Metro’s “The Catfish and the Mermouse,” the forerunner of a new series of cartoons in which live action and animation are combined, has just gone into production." If anyone reading this knows more about this, I would love to hear. 

Below is the movie poster for this short film. While the coloring is off, it is much better than the average poster for this series.

Heavenly Puss (1949)

 

Heavenly Puss is probably one of the best remembered and most beloved of the Tom and Jerry films. It certainly is one that has stayed in the minds of cartoon fans. 

In this film Tom is chasing Jerry around the house, when he is crushed by the piano. He finds himself at the pearly gates. However, the cat permitting passage to Heaven says that Tom can't enter because he spent his whole life persecuting Jerry. However, Tom will get another chance. He will get an hour back on Earth and if during that hour he can get Jerry to sign a certificate of forgiveness, he can go to Heaven. However, if Jerry does not sign Tom will end up in the other place (and be tormented by a Devil dog, who looks an awful lot like Spike). 

This may not be the funniest Tom and Jerry cartoon, but it is one of the cleverest. The storyline is a very clever twist on the usual Tom and Jerry formula. Despite Jerry also being in this film, this is fully Tom's cartoon. Throughout this film we really care and feel sympathy for Tom. Tom is not just a series of moving drawings here but a real living and breathing character. This is especially true as the time gets closer to running out. We feel his panic and want nothing more than to see him go to Heaven. This is due both to excellent storytelling and masterful character animation. The scene where Tom is pantomiming everything that has happened to Jerry is about as good as character animation gets. It both gets across everything Tom is trying to say to Jerry while also making us feel his sense of panic. Even Jerry gets some excellent character animation, with him sneaking around at the start of the film. This film also has a prefect and very funny ending. 

My only real complaint about this film is that it lacks the sheer number of great gags that populate some of the other Tom and Jerry cartoons of this era. However, the cleverness and charm overcome this easy. 

The credited animators here are Ed Barge, Irv Spence, Kenneth Muse and Ray Patterson. Each of them get their time to shine. Irv Spence animates the scene where Tom is crushed by the piano. Ed Barge handles most of the animation of the cat that grants passage to Heaven as well as the scene with the small kittens. Ray Patterson animates the scenes with the evil version of Spike the bulldog.   

This evil version of Spike here would later appear in the 2002 video game, Tom and Jerry in War of the Whiskers as an alternative costume for Spike. This version of Spike would also be used as the main antagonist of the 2003 video game, Tom and Jerry in Infurnal Escape. This film marks the last time Spike would be voiced by Billy Bletcher. Billy Blecther was a small man with a deep voice, who worked heavily doing cartoon voices, mostly as villains. He did the voice of the Big Bad Wolf in Disney's The Three Little Pigs (1933), he played Papa Bear in Chuck Jones' three bears cartoons and was Peg Leg Pete in some of the Mickey Mouse films. Before doing cartoon voices he had acted in various live action silent comedies. He would however sometimes appear in live action films during the talkie era, such as some Three Stooges shorts and Laurel and Hardy's Babes in Toyland (1934). After Heavenly Puss, Spike would be voiced by Daws Butler, who would give the character a less evil, and more Jimmy Durante inspired voice. 

The cat that grants passage to Heaven would later be a playable character in the 2019 mobile game, Tom and Jerry Chase. In that game he would be called Cooper. 

The three kittens Fluff, Muff and Puff would appear in only one more Tom and Jerry short film, Triplet Trouble (1952). However, they would later appear in TV's The Tom and Jerry Show (2014) and the direct to video movie, Tom and Jerry: A Nutcracker Tale (2007). 

William Hanna and Joseph Barbera would later make a semi-remake of this film with the Pixie and Dixie cartoon (from The Huckleberry Hound Show), Heavens to Jinksy (1959). Clips from Heavenly Puss would later be reused in the Tom and Jerry cartoon, Shutter Bugged Cat (1967). 

Below is the movie poster for this cartoon. The drawing of Jerry is especially ugly here.  

 

Resources Used

DVD audio commentary by Jerry Beck.

https://tomandjerry.fandom.com/wiki/Heavenly_Puss

https://cartoonresearch.com/index.php/go-to-hades-part-2/

Hatch Up Your Troubles (1949)

 

This is yet another Tom and Jerry film to be nominated for an Oscar. Its competition this year was For Sent-imental Reasons (1949, Warner Brothers), The Magic Fluke (1949, UPA) and Toy Tinkers (1949, Disney). The winner was For Scent-imental Reasons which is still considered today as one of the best Pepe Le Pew cartoons. While I like all the cartoons nominated, I admit to having a special fondness for Toy Tinkers which is possibly my favorite film that pits Donald Duck against Chip and Dale. 

In this film, an egg rolls out of its nest, while mama woodpecker is away. The egg rolls into Jerry's home, home and hatches there. Since the first thing the baby woodpecker sees is Jerry, he assumes that Jerry is his mama. Jerry tries to return the little woodpecker to his nest, but the little woodpecker just wants to follow Jerry. Unfortunately for the little woodpecker, when he pecks on Tom's chair and breaks it, he has an angry cat after him. Jerry then tries to protect the woodpecker from Tom. 

This is one of the rare instances of a 1940's Tom and Jerry short that actively tries for sentimentality and cuteness. This would become more common in the Tom and Jerry films of the 1950's but the 40's shorts tended to focus more on over-the-top slapstick violence. However unlike some of the later attempts to mix sentimentality in the Tom and Jerry formula, this film is works very well. One of the reasons for this is that the woodpecker is cute without feeling consciously cute. This is to say that it doesn't feel like the filmmakers are trying too hard to make the character cute. I think we have all seen cartoon characters, that feel like they are trying so hard to be cute that they come off as annoying. That is not the case here as the cuteness feels completely natural. The film also works very well because the humor is not sacrificed for the sake of cuteness. The slapstick involving Tom and Jerry is simply excellent. There may not be as many slapstick gags as in some previous cartoons, but the gags are just as funny and wonderful here. The gags also can be as over the top and violent as we have come to except without getting in the way of the sentimental story. These two components are mixed expertly. The result is a film that is sentimental and cute, while remaining a true Tom and Jerry short. 

This film would be remade using the same animation and soundtrack as The Egg and Jerry (1956). The difference between the two was that The Egg and Jerry was made for the wider CinemaScope process.  

The credited animators on this film are Ed Barge, Irven Spence, Kenneth Muse and Ray Patterson.

Below is a movie poster for this cartoon. It is surprisingly much better than the average movie poster for this series. 

Resources Used

Of Mice and Magic:  A History of American Animated Cartoons by Leonard Maltin

https://tomandjerry.fandom.com/wiki/Hatch_Up_Your_Troubles

The Little Orphan (1949)

 

This marked the fifth Tom and Jerry cartoon to win the Oscar for Best Animated Short Film. Its competition this year was Mickey and the Seal (1948, Disney), Mouse Wreckers (1949, Warner Brothers) (that short would later be remade as the Tom and Jerry cartoon, Year of the Mouse (1965)), Robin Hoodlum (1948, UPA) and Tea for Two Hundred (1948). While I enjoy all the other cartoons listed, I feel that this year the best film won.  

In this film, Jerry volunteers to take care of little Nibbles over the Thanksgiving holiday. The only problem is that Nibbles is always hungry. When Tom's owner lays out a wonderful spread for Thanksgiving dinner on the table, little Nibbles can't help himself and treats himself to all of the great food. Tom spots Nibbles and Jerry on the Thanksgiving table and a massive slapstick fight takes place. 

This is simply a wonderful cartoon. It has everything that I love about Tom and Jerry. The gags come fast and furious with a comic energy that is simply a lot of fun. Each gag is timed perfectly as well. No gag either goes by too quickly or too slowly. Instead each of them is timed to get the greatest laugh possible. The gags themselves are all great. There are a lot of the gags in which one character will completely change shape (for instance after eating a big orange, Nibbles becomes the same shape as the orange). These were my favorite Tom and Jerry gags as a kid and I still love them today. The film also benefits from some truly wonderful character animation. Because of this Tom, Jerry and Nibbles all feel completely real here. Scott Bradley's music is also as wonderful as ever. 

Watching this short today, you may notice an awkward cut after the candle lands on Tom's tail. There was a blackface scene here that has been cut out of many TV airings and DVD releases. Unfortunately, this little cut is very noticeable even if you don't know there was a blackface gag. This short would be remade as another Tom and Jerry cartoon, Feeding the Kiddie (1957). The later short would be in Cinemascope. A clip from The Little Orphan would later be reused in the Tom and Jerry film, Life with Tom (1952). 





 

                                                      Motion Picture Daily, 1949

Below is the movie poster for this film. Notice the miscoloring of Nibbles here. 

Resources Used

Of Mice and Magic: A History of American Animated Cartoons by Leonard Maltin

https://lantern.mediahist.org/

Polka Dot Puss (1949)

 

An underrated Tom and Jerry short.

In this film Tom's owner wants him to sleep outside. Because of bad weather, Tom fakes a cold to stay inside for the night. This gives Jerry an idea. Jerry makes Tom believe that he has the measles. Jerry then uses various uncomfortable methods to "cure" Tom. 

While this may no be in my list of the best Tom and Jerry films, it is a really fun cartoon. What does keep it from being one of the best Tom and Jerrys is that it does not have the number of great gags that you might see in other Tom and Jerry films of this era. The main problem here is that the start of the film is all set up and little real gags. However, the gags pick up when the story really gets underway. there are still some pretty good gags here, including some of Jerry's methods to cure Tom. The story itself is quite clever and gives it a unique feel among Tom and Jerry cartoons. This is because it twists the usual formula in a clever way. It is not your typical chase cartoon, but it still fully gives us the fun Tom and Jerry rivalry that we all love. This film also benefits from some wonderful character animation, especially when Tom figures out what is going on. The film also has a wonderful little twist at the end that works perfectly. 

This film would be reissued to theaters in 1956 and again in 1966. 

This may not be among one of the best Tom and Jerry's but it is still a delightful cartoon that deserves more attention. 

Below is the movie poster for this film. Once again, it is not exactly the most attractive poster. 

Mouse Cleaning (1948)

 

Mouse Cleaning is one of the least seen Tom and Jerry films and this is a shame as it is a real gem. 

The premise of this film is incredibly simple. Tom (while chasing Jerry) tracks mud into the house. His owner then tells him, to clean up the mess and if it gets messy while she is gone, Tom is out. Jerry overhears this and decides the best way to get revenge on his rival. So, while Jerry goes around the house trying to make a mess, Tom follows him trying to stop the mouse.

This type of plot had been done before with Tom and Jerry and it would be done again. In fact, the plot is quite similar to the very first Tom and Jerry cartoon, Puss Gets the Boot (1940). However, it has rarely been done as well as it is here. The timing in this film is truly fantastic. William Hanna was a master at comedic timing and this film features him at the top of his game. Probably one of the best examples of this is the scene with Tom catching all the falling eggs. This is such a simply gag but the perfect timing makes it very funny, especially with a wonderful topper gag at the end. This cartoon also does a wonderful job simply building on ever gag before. The film gets more and more over the top as it goes along. Because of this it gets funnier and funnier with each gag. One of my favorite moments is when Jerry takes a donkey into the house. What makes this gag so funny, is that no donkey has appeared earlier and the introduction to this gag makes you think Jerry is welcoming Tom's owner back. The element of surprise here is simply perfect. While Tom and Jerry can often be predictable, this is one gag that few would see coming. Adding to the fun is the wonderful character animation on both Tom and Jerry. Both characters feel completely real here, and you can see them thinking through their every move. A real highlight though is when Tom does a big Tex Avery style take. It is over the top, but also fits the character and the situation perfectly. Scott Bradley's music is also very energetic and fun. It also complements the action on screen perfectly making it much funnier. 

This is one of the only four shorts where you briefly see Tom's owner's head. The other shorts are Part Time Pal (1947), A Mouse in the House (1947) and Saturday Evening Puss (1950). The film appeared in the "Other Great Cartoons" appendix of Jerry Beck's book, The 50 Greatest Cartoons. It is the only other Tom and Jerry cartoon to appear in this appendix and there is only one Tom and Jerry cartoon was included in the main list of 50 cartoons, The Cat Concerto (1947). 

The reason this cartoon is so little seen is because of one blackface scene. In this scene, not only does Tom's face appear black but he also talks in a stereotypical voice, that is inspired by black actor Stepin Fetchit. This scene is also integral to the film's ending making it so it can't be cut out. Because of this, the cartoon is rarely (if ever) seen on TV and is sadly one of the few Tom and Jerry shorts not available on DVD. If you want to see the cartoon though, you can watch it here.

Below is the movie poster for this film. This is as typically ugly as you might expect from a Tom and Jerry movie poster. 

Professor Tom (1948)

 

When watching the Tom and Jerry films, what really stands out is just how many variations the filmmakers were able to come up on a simple formula. Though nearly all of these cartoons revolved around a cat chasing a mouse, most of them come up with fun little twists. This is one of the reasons you can watch quite a few Tom and Jerry short films back-to-back without them becoming too repetitive. The same cannot be said of some other theatrical cartoon series and this is part of what makes Tom and Jerry truly special. 

In this short film Tom is teaching a smaller cat (who is known by many Tom and Jerry fans as Topsy) the art of catching a mouse. Jerry however does his best to persuade the smaller cat that cats and mice should be friends. And no matter how hard Tom tries to teach this smaller cat to catch Jerry, the smaller cat simply doesn't get the idea and is more interested in being buddies with the mouse. 

This is a very fun cartoon. The relationship between Tom and Topsy is perfect. While this film is full of good slapstick gags, the best humor comes from the smaller cat's complete obliviousness to what Tom is trying to teach him and Tom's frustration at this. One of the best jokes comes from Tom being unable to communicate to hit Jerry with the vase and being hit by the vase himself. What makes this scene so funny is the character animation on the smaller cat as he is trying to figure this out. Another joke that works brilliantly due to the character animation is Topsy being stuck between a couch and a table. What makes this gag so funny is that Topsy, obliviously keeps running (without moving anywhere) until Jerry pulls him out. The pure oblivious determination on his face is truly hilarious. Also adding to the fun of this film is the character animation on Tom whenever Topsy and Jerry act as best friends. His frustration at this is not only funny but it makes him feel more real to us because we have all felt the same frustration when trying to communicate something, when the other person simply doesn't get it. The scenes between Topsy and Jerry may be very cutesy for Tom and Jerry, but it works very well, because it fits the characters and the story perfectly. Plus, how this cutesy animation meshes with the more violent gags only makes the gags funnier. 

Roles would be reversed in a later short, Little School Mouse (1954), where Jerry would try to teach another mouse how to fight against a cat with similar results. The storyline for Professor Tom would be used again in the Hanna-Barbera TV Pixie and Dixie cartoon, Jinks Junior (1958). In that cartoon Mr. Jinks is teaching his son how to catch "meeces," but his son is more interested in being friends with Pixie and Dixie. Animation from Professor Tom would be reused in the later Tom and Jerry short, Matinee Mouse (1966). 

This cartoon would be reissued to movie theaters in 1956 and again in 1965. The credited animators were Ray Patterson, Irven Spence, Kenneth Muse and Ed Barge. 

Below is the movie poster for this film. It is not great, but it is better than many of these posters.