Kitty Foiled

Tom can't seem to catch a break-he not only has Jerry to chase (difficult in and of itself, as witness his monumental failure rate), but a little yellow bird sticks his beak in matters at the most inopportune (for Tom) moments. An important object lesson is taught to the two allies at a point of seeming success: premature celebration may be hazardous to one's longevity of health and/or life. Save the congratulations for a safer time and place. Most entertaining and executed short from when Tom and Jerry were definitely in flower. Well worth watching and most highly recommended.

Tom is wrecking the house, smashing everything in sight with a broom while trying to hit Jerry. The little canary in the bird cage sees Jerry in big trouble, gets out his cage and comes to the mouse's rescue. Jerry then chases the bird, and he when he's got him and ready to move in for the kill, Jerry returns the favor and rescues the little yellow-feathered guy.

Those two then escape for a breather in Jerry's mouse hole. They shake hands and become a team, doing battle with the cat.

The whole cartoon has a lot of funny and clever scenes. This is one of the better Tom and Jerry efforts and makes me realize once again how talented there writers were on these animated short subjects. This is "Exhibit A" why these cartoons were so popular.

Tom is chasing Jerry when the mouse befriends a small canary. A lot of the gags work and hearing Tom's laugh is infectious. And the canary is one of the third characters that I like, unlike the buzzard for Flirty Birdy or the fish from Cat Fishin'. All in all this is a pretty funny violent Tom and Jerry short. This hilarious cartoon can be found on disc one of the Spotlight collection DVD of "Tom & Jerry"

My Grade: A

DVD Extras: Commentary by historian Jerry Beck on how this is his favorite Tom and Jerry cartoon, talks about Jerry's sidekicks, and the animators (kinda sparse, with some silent parts)

Tom tries to catch both Jerry and a canary. Jerry and the bird trick Tom by dressing as an Indian and making him think he got shot. Tom catches Jerry and ties him to toy train tracks, but the canary sends the feline down to the ground with a bowling ball.

Kitty Foiled is one of the blandest and most generic T&J shorts I have ever seen. I don't think I laughed once. Every gag is a rehash lifted from another cartoon. How many times has Tom's teeth been smashed like a window now?

The short has T&J already involved in a pointless chase as soon as it starts. A canary (an annoying new character) witnesses what appears to be Jerry's potential demise and interrupts to save him by attacking Tom, Jerry then saves the canary in a similar way. The bird and the mouse then team up to make the kitty's life hell with lots of boring assaults on Tom. And I just don't care.