Mouse Menace

Porky Pig is having major problems with a mouse he just can't get rid of. Porky's early attempts to buy a cat to kill the mouse or to use poison all fail though leading him to desperate measures of building a robotic cat to do the job for him.

Usually the character getting bad things done to them will be the strongest character when it comes to cat and mouse partnerships. However here the strongest character is the mouse and it makes for an interesting change. The slightly different from normal approach and it is funnier for it - in fact the mouse has no one opponent for the first half of the film. The robot didn't totally work for me but it did allow for some good jokes and I was laughing as I watched it.

Porky has a small role but is really a support character; but not to the detriment of the cartoon. The real star here is the mouse and it leads the routines well throughout - whether being cunning, overconfident or cornered by a cat.

Overall this was a slightly different from normal cartoon that seems the emphasis almost totally on the mouse and not any other character. The gags are pretty funny but it is the character and delivery of the mouse that makes it work as well as it does.

I like this cartoon quite a bit, It's funny, the animation is great, and some of the gagwork really nails, but Its just kinda bland, and takes too long in some places. It almost feels like Tom and jerry but their owner is porky, It's fine just not really remarkable. Porky In my Opinion is quite Underutilized sadly, he's just so likable and definitely should have been in more color shorts. I can't say I dislike this cartoon, It just doesn't particularly hype or wow me in any way. Trap-happy porky from the year before is the Far superior cartoon.

Ok cartoon that just needed a boost in its variety of storytelling.

7.7/10.

Love animation and Looney Tunes. Do appreciate Porky Pig, he is likeable and is amusing but tended to be over-shadowed by funnier and more interesting characters, either playing it straight against them or on occasions having less to do, some cartoons were pretty bad at underusing him. Mel Blanc was and still is a voice acting legend and Carl Stalling has always been one of my favourite composers in animation. Do appreciate Arthur Davis' work.

Under Davis, who directs more than competently and with a good deal of confidence, 'Mouse Menace' isn't a cartoon that knocked my socks off, while also not having anything wrong with it, but it was fun enough and is well made. It is not one of the best Porky cartoons and he has been much better used before and especially since. One shouldn't be fooled thinking that this is a Porky Pig cartoon, don't get me wrong he is certainly in it but do agree that he is more of a supporting character here and 'Mouse Menace' is more of a featuring Porky Pig cartoon.

Do think that he is not in the cartoon enough and that the supporting characters are more interesting and have better material. Personal opinion of course. 'Mouse Menace' could have done with more variety in places and while it is always entertaining it is never what one calls hilarious.

The second half is to me the stronger half, there are more gags, it was funnier and there was more energy. Do feel that 'Mouse Menace' could have gotten going a little quicker, while liking Porky's rapport with the mouse.

However, the cat is a fun character and is amusing but do agree also that the best character in 'Mouse Menace' is the mouse, showing the most personality with the over-confidence not going overboard that it becomes annoying. Also really liked the different approach to the relationship between the cat and the mouse, where one does feel that the cat would normally is the more interesting character when being the brunt of the laughs.

Animation is excellent. Beautifully drawn, very detailed and the colours are vibrant, complete with some great expressions and Davis' distinctive style of the characters moving from foreground to background. Carl Stalling's music score is typically lushly and cleverly orchestrated, with lively and energetic rhythms, it's also beautifully synchronised with the action and gestures/expressions and even enhances the impact.

Not hilarious perhaps but 'Mouse Menace' still amuses and entertains with some nice wit and good timing in the second half. Mel Blanc as ever shows his pretty much unparallelled ability to voice multiple characters (in a one-man show here) and bring contrasting individual personalities to each without ever showing signs of fatigue.

Overall, decent fun while not blowing me away. 7/10