O Grande Jogo

Love animation, it was a big part of my life as a child, particularly Disney, Looney Tunes and Tom and Jerry, and still love it whether it's film, television or cartoons. Actually appreciate it even more through young adults eyes, due to having more knowledge of it, various animation styles, studios, directors and how it all works.

'Boulevardier from the Bronx' is not one of Friz Freleng's, a director who did many great cartoons and a director held in high admiration by me, best, not being one of his funniest, wittiest or freshest. For relatively early Freleng, 'Boulevardier from the Bronx' is good though he would do much better later. It is never what one would call properly hilarious (but is never unfunny), Freleng's later efforts show more evenness and confidence in directing and the story.

It is quite thin in terms of story and the structure is predictable (not an awful lot different from other baseball themed cartoons and basically an excuse to string the gags along. The gags in the first half lacked a bit in wit and did lack invention and sometimes energy even.

However, the characters are fun as is the conflict. Dizzy Dan is a fun lead character.

The cartoon has a lot of very amusing moments in particularly the second half, some variety and there is a good deal of liveliness. The fun and danger of baseball is very well captured.

Animation is very good, it's fluid in movement, crisp in shading, vibrant and very meticulous in detail. The music is outstanding, it is lovely on the ears, lushly orchestrated, full of lively energy and characterful in rhythm, not only adding to the action but also enhancing it. The title song is a highlight.

Overall, nice cartoon. 7/10 Bethany Cox