Designs on Jerry

Tom is busy planning a complicated trap to ensnare Jerry with, and falls asleep after drawing his plans up before he starts work on the trap itself. Unknown to him, though, the drawn mouse had come to life and alerted Jerry, who does a little something to the plans that is not only virtually unnoticeable, but was enough to change its operation somewhat... The trap itself -- and the whole cartoon -- are very clever and funny. Even though it is one of the later entries in the Hanna-Barbera period of Tom & Jerry cartoons, it's still worth a look!

This was extremely clever, a real treat. I love something that is off the wall, even for a cartoon. This qualifies for OTW status, as blueprint stick figures come to life, right off a big chalkboard.

Tom is building the world's greatest mousetrap and has an elaborate blueprint of it. He goes to bed dreaming of fame and fortune. Then the fun kicks in as the mouse pictured in the blueprint comes alive, climbs out the drawing and goes to warn Jerry of his impending doom. Later, the cat in the picture comes to life (not Tom) and it's he and two Jerry's - the drawn one and the real Jerry - battling it out from that point with very unique sight gags. That is because the stick figures react differently than the real Tom and Jerry. Suffice to say, this is different.

Watch this if you ever have the opportunity because it mixes brains and slapstick and humor just beautifully.

This was part of disc two on the Tom and Jerry Spotlight Collection, Volume One

While this was made during the darker time of the Hanna Barbara Tom and Jerry shirts it has a great build up and the ending cracks me up

I may sound like a broken record, but I just love Tom and Jerry. They were part of my childhood, and I still adore them. Designs on Jerry is so clever in visuals and constructions it ranks among my favourite of their cartoons. I also love it for its originality and fun. The animation is excellent, the backgrounds are colourful and the characters well drawn but the real delight comes from anything to do with the drawings on the black board. The music has a lot of energy and the gags and chases are clever and fresh. The pacing is fast, the story is original, the ending is hilarious and both Tom and Jerry are their usual likable selves. Overall, just delightful. 10/10 Bethany Cox

Tom the cat takes great pride in the new mouse trap he deigned and dreams of how he will get rich by patenting it. But while he's sleeping the drawling of the mouse comes off the piece of paper and wakes Jerry the Mouse up to sabotage Tom's plans. They must first contend with a dawning of a cat who has also come to life first. This short was rather amusing but it was a tad experimental (not nearly as much as the later "Blue Cat Blues) I just like it more when Tom and Jerry can actually be Tom and Jerry. This animated short can be found on disc 2 of Warner Brother's 2-DVD Spotlight Collection set.

My Grade: B-