Jerry-Go-Round

The title for this mid '60s T&J short suggests mayhem at a funfair, but actually takes place at a circus. Close but no cigar.

While escaping from Tom, Jerry sneaks into a circus and encounters a crying elephant; after pulling a tack from the poor pachyderm's foot, Jerry finds himself with a new, very sizeable friend who will do anything to protect the mouse from pesky Tom.

While the circus setting makes a nice change from the usual housebound action, director Abe Levitow, new to the Tom and Jerry series, fails to deliver many applause-worthy gags, the humour frequently falling flatter than a big top without a tent pole. Levitow eventually resorts to that old Chuck Jones standby, the stick of dynamite, but even that fails to raise a laugh. Better luck next time, Abe.

Coming from a big fan of Tom and Jerry I moderately liked Jerry-Go-Round. It isn't terrible, like the Gene Dietch cartoons, but it certainly isn't great. Instead it is a decent if unexceptional cartoon. The cartoon is too short, some of the sound effects are on the bizarre side of things, the story is predictable and the animation quality is uneven, the backgrounds and colours being handsome but the character features being forced. However, it has a nice upbeat soundtrack, it moves quickly and most of the sight gags work. Tom and Jerry work well together, they aren't as enjoyable as they were in their earlier cartoons, but their likability is still there and the elephant was cute and funny. Overall, okay but it could have been better. 6/10 Bethany Cox