Rato Valsante

The animated Short Subject, "CARTOON",if you please, has been with us for just about the entire run of Film, itself. Each succeeding generation has been treated to their life, color, unchecked outrageous behaviour, humor and their moments of pathos.

Traditionally, the products of the various Studios and Creative Talent have generally all been representative of one particular strong point. E.G., Walt Disney's animated pictures, both shorts and features have a dreamy perfection,an other worldly appearance, along with some more gentle humor with a moral. Disney Studios has the Cadillac, the Top of the Line.

Max & Dave Fleischer were the top Animation Studio when Disney was on the way up. Always great as innovators, using top Jazz Bands of the '30's as the inspiration. They only did 2 Full Length Animated Features, GULLIVER's TRAVELS(1939) and MR. BUG GOES TO TOWN(1941)( aka HOPPITY GOES TO TOWN). Other than Betty Boop and Koko The Clown, their biggest "Stars" were found in the Popeye Shorts and the Superman Adventures, and the Fleischers owned the rights to neither.

It is Warner Brothers, "Termite Terrace" which gave us what was probably America's favourite adult cartoons in LOONEY TOONS and MERRY MELODIES, starring Porky Pig, Elmer Fudd, Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, en ad infinitum... It was Warner's Cartoon Unit that provided the best laughs as they surely had their finger on the pulse of America's Funnybone.

MGM and Hanna-Barbera fell somewhere in between, never being considered as much of "Art" as Disney, nor as funny as Warners, nor as innovative as The Fleischers. But Hanna-Barberra/MGM came in close seconds on all those counts.

At the time of its making JOHANN MOUSE, The MGM/Hanna-Barbera* partnership had been together for some time, with Tom & Jerry being an item for about 13 years. They (Hanna-Barberra)were undoubtedly MGM's biggest Cartoon Team. They (Tom & Jerry)were undoubtedly MGM's biggest Cartoon Team.(Ha,ha! Get it?)

This 1952 production & Oscar Winner did deviate slightly off of the proved path. Instead of the setting being contemporary United States middle class, the setting is Late 19th Century, the Locale is Vienna, Austria-Hungary(as the Dual Monarchy was called), and in particular from a particular place, in the Home of Johann Strauss, the Walz King, himself.

The use of any dialog either from people or the furry creatures. Instead, we have the Strauss Music, the irresistible reactions of Jerry Mouse and in turn, Tom's feline reaction to the rodent movement.

A voice-over narration by multi-talented Hans Conried moves the story along and reminds us of the period and setting by using a theatrical affectation of an authentic sounding German accent.** The combination of the cartoony situation, the narration, the Strauss Music makes for a most amusing situational comedy story When the entire film is framed with a beautiful story book-like appearance. It is one that should be an award winner, and by George, Oscar, it was!

Our younger Daughter, Michelle Lee Ryan(D.O.B. 8/14/'75)describes this as her favourite cartoon; an interesting point, being that it was out 23 years before her birth.

NOTE:* Long time Animators & Cartoon Directors/Producers William Hanna(1910-2001) & Joseph Barbera(1911-2006) had been partners dating back to the 1930's. After leaving MGM 1n the mid-fifties, they became TV's Premiere Cartoon Studio with (still existing)HANNA-BARBERA Productions.

NOTE:** Fine Character/Voice Actor Hans Conried(1917-1982)had long been thought of as a European born Stage,Film and Radio/TV player. In reality, he was born in Baltimore and raised between there and New York City. He once explained his unusual accent to Jack Paar on the TONITE SHOW as being "a Theatrical Affectation!"(Honest Injun, heard it myself!)

Narrated in storybook fashion by Hans Conried, this cartoon tells of a mouse (Jerry, as Johann Mouse) who, living in the same house as Viennese composer Johann Strauss, loves nothing more than to waltz. The problem is that, whenever he emerges to dance, the cat (Tom) tries to catch him (although never succeeding). When Strauss leaves home for a few days, the cat teaches itself how to play the piano (in six easy lessons) to lure the mouse from his mouse-hole. When the curious house servants see the cat and mouse playing and dancing together, news spreads to the palace and the pair are commanded to perform.

An absolutely charming tale, with a wonderful classical soundtrack, Johann Mouse sees Tom once again taking to tinkling the ivories with hilarious results. The scene at the palace is absolutely wonderful, the cat and mouse performing together to a delighted audience providing some really good laughs, making this a well-deserved winner of an Oscar.

This "Tom and Jerry" short from 1953 "Johann Mouse" was a classic and Oscar award winning cartoon. The tale has the little mouse Jerry who's away living the good life in a castle like palace of one composer named Strauss and the waltz is played! However Tom cat has made his way to the house for more of the same old same thing and ways of doing and that is the chase is on! However the cartoon twist when Tom takes up playing the piano and Jerry takes up dancing then they later do this in front of a crowd which enjoys the duo. However the deal is it doesn't last as these two were meant to be rivals as the chase continues the charm and fun is felt which is supported well by the music for this short.

Spectacular artwork takes center stage instead of the normal humor in this Oscar-winning Tom and Jerry animated short. Also unusual is that these two adversaries actually work together for half or more of this story. Not only is this one of the prettiest cartoons I've ever seen, it's a pleasing story.

This is a "take," so to speak on famous composer Joan Strauss and his waltzes. Jerry plays a little mouse who lives in the home of Strauss. When the master is at the piano, playing one of his waltzes, Jerry comes out and dances. When that happens, house cat Tom seizes upon the opportunity and chases him.

When Strauss leaves one day, Tom has a predicament: how to get the mouse out of his hiding place. Tom quickly studies how to play the piano. He is the fastest learner in history, apparently, as he becomes a virtuoso in no time! Soon, he's playing away and here comes Jerry. The house servants hear and see a fantastically-talented cat playing and a mouse dancing beautifully and they spread the word about this amazing pair. The next thing you know, the two are giving a performance at the palace! (All of this happens in one day? Apparently.)

The rest of the cartoon is the command performance the two give, before returning to their normal cat-and-mouse chasing ways!

This cartoon quite rightly won an Oscar and is probably one of the top two or three best that they did. With narration by Hans Conreid (one of the best voices for narration work and particularly for animation work), this also features Strauss's music to advantage and is just a delight to watch. Somewat static animation because of a sorybook framing device, but it's still a marvelous idea in conception and execution. Most highly recommended.