A Ceia da Meia-Noite

The characters went through several different design changes from the early 1940s through to the 1960s, most often as a result of different directors. The most dramatic changes were made between the original design in the first cartoons and the characters' form that most would instantly think of as Tom and Jerry. This short is one of the earliest ones and things were still in flux.

This also has an appearance by Mammy Two Shoes and has Tom and Jerry going at it furiously, each trying to come out ahead, though Jerry is probably also trying to get some peace and some breathing room as well. Good fun and amusement all around. Well worth looking for. Recommended.

After the previous years success with Jasper & Jinx it was inevitable that more shorts would follow, here however they've had a name change to the more familiar Tom & Jerry.

Here we see Tom stopping Jerry from taking the cheese from the fridge during the middle of the night. But you know how this plays out, the calamitous cat isn't going to find the deed easy.

Once again the animation is fantastic for its time and both characters (Especially Tom) look a little bit different. Regardless it's familiar charming stuff, even if it is entirely predictable.

Charming stuff, but I always feel bad for Tom.

The Good:

Looks great

Charming

The Bad:

More of the same

Jerry is trying to steal cheese from a very well stocked pantry – all at once or bit-by-bit he intends to have it. Tom spots him doing it and toys with him before stopping him getting any more cheese. Tom sets himself up in the fridge and starts eating food; when his owner comes down to investigate a noise, Tom frames Jerry for the crime – starting a chase and prompting Jerry to even things up.

I'm not a massive fan of Tom & Jerry, I much prefer the more cynical and sharp edge that the Looney Toons had in their best moments. T&J often feels rather simple by comparison to Daffy in crazy mode and essentially they are.

The same routines, twisted slightly each time in order to make it different and, for that reason I suppose they deserve credit for keeping it going as long as they did. This short film is a good example of them at their best as it features good, colourful animation and plenty of lively action. It has no edge to appeal to adults but it was still lively enough to stop me getting board while the kids were laughing out loud along to it.

Overall I enjoyed this film and I'm not a fan of their cartoons. The routines are good and the animation is really bright and colourful, with both Tom and Jerry looking wide-eyed and well rounded (not the sharp edged, skinny Tom of later years). A good example of the best of Tom and Jerry.

The Midnight Snack is one of the first Tom and Jerry cartoons, if I am not mistaken it was the second. It is not quite as good as the cartoons of the 50s, most of which are classics, it does understandably have the feeling that they were still finding their feet, but it is infinitely better than the Gene Deitch abominations. What did I like about The Midnight Snack? A lot actually. As I've said, things are not quite settled but that is to be expected at the start. However, the animation really is wonderful. Tom's design would get better later on with his ears for example being more prominent and cat-like, but here he does look sweet I have to give you that. The backgrounds however have fluidity and detail and the colours are bright and beautiful-looking. The music has always been a key part to Tom and Jerry's success, full of energy and always enhancing the humour. The music for The Midnight Snack, even for so early on, does that exactly. The story is simple but never dull, and the gags are as you'd expect very funny. Jerry is the same as usual, cute and very clever for such a small rodent. Tom is much more playful than the more dastardly, cunning approach he'd have later, but he is very likable and interacts very well with Jerry. All in all, not one of the best but still very good. 9/10 Bethany Cox

If I'm not mistaken this is the third Tom and Jerry short and there is something about animated shorts that the very early appearances of the characters are usually not like their familiar presence. In a way early shorts are like the first draft of a script! While Jerry here is still the same Jerry we all know and love Tom however, is not the devilish cat we know. Instead here he is a playful cat just joking around with Jerry. In a way Jerry is the bad guy of this short because he didn't have a sense of humor!

3(***)out of 4(****)stars