Histoire de chatons

A Tale of Two Kitties (1942)

*** (out of 4)

Babbit and Catstello are two cats who are hungry and find their chance at food in the small bird Tweety. What they don't know is that Tweety is a rather smart fellow who has enough fight in him to defend himself.

I must admit that I was a little shocked to see how much of a wink to Abbott and Costello this Warner short was. The fact that it was a homage wasn't too uncommon but it's rather strange that Warner would pay so much respect to a comedy group that wasn't with them. With that said, the introduction to Tweety was certainly a winner and it's easy to see why he'd eventually have his own series. The Catstello cat was actually a great copy of Costello and I especially loved that child-like nature that they gave him. I thought the studio did a terrific job at making this cat just like the real Lou Costello and it certainly added a lot of fun. There's even a very fun joke aimed at the Hayes Office.

A takeoff on Bud Abbott and Lou Costello, famous comedians of the classic era, we have two cats: "Babbit" and "Catstello" just trying to survive and find food, like climbing a very tall tree for a bird snack, if they can get it. That little bird turns out to be "Tweety," the little yellow (later on) canary making his Looney Tunes debut.

Actually, more than half of this cartoon features Tedd Pierce and Mel Blanc imitating the two comedians. They are far more scenes than the little bird but the best scenes are the ones with the little bird high up in his nest. Tweety is naked - no feathers. It's kind of weird, being skin color all over. It's like he's just a tiny baby that has been recently hatched. Anyway, he won't put up with a cat trying to get him - this is one strong little "boid."

"Catstello" can get a little too loud and abrasive (Blan was never subtle with his voices!) but otherwise this was a fun cartoon and interesting Tweety's start in animated films.

I thought the best thing about the cartoon was the direction by Bob Clampett. There are some great "camera" angles in here and it's drawn cleverly in many spots.

Tweety, the yellow pet canary in Warner Brothers Looney Tunes, wasn't always the caged bird battling his feline adversary, Sylvester. In his first cartoon appearance, November 1942's "A Tale of Two Kitties," Tweety was a wild baby bird nesting high in an outdoor tree. Two hungry cats in the shape of Abbott and Costello are hungry for the little bird. Once aroused, Tweety becomes a powerhouse dynamo, frustrating several attempts by the two cats, Babbit and Catstello, to catch and eat him.

Designed by Warner Brothers' animated director Bob Clampett, Tweety joined the artist's innovative characters Porky Pig and Daffy Duck into the studio's fold. Clampett was inspired by Spanish surrealist artist Salvador Dali, shaping his objects into abstract forms, as evident when Catstello, on the receiving end of a falling anvil, is mushed into a pancake. In "A Tale of Two Kitties," Tweety says his signature line, 'I taut I taw a puddy tat,' voiced by Mel Blanc for the first time as the canary breaks the 'fourth wall' and talks into the camera. Like the later 'Roadrunner' episodes, Tweety's adversaries ramp up ingenious methods in the cats' attempts to capture the bird, only to be frustrated, mostly with Catstello bearing the brunt.

Tweety was first known as Orson on the drawing boards. By combining the words 'sweetie,' which was the bird's initial disposition while snoozing in his nest, with 'tweet,' the sounds birds make, Tweety's baptism name came about. During the course of the Golden Age of Cartoons lasting until 1964, the bird was drawn in 46 different forms. At first, Tweety was pink. The censors, viewing the original sketches, told the studio the pink bird, looking sunburned, appeared naked. So the artists shaded the bird yellow, similar to a canary, the color he's kept throughout his life.

"A Tale of Two Kitties" contains several references to World War Two. Catstello is inside a 'victory garden' when an anvil falls on his head. These gardens were situated both on private and public lands to increase food supplies and to alleviate vegetable shortages, much of it shipped overseas. When Babbitt launches Catstello tied to a board serving as airplane wings, the the cat spits high into the air claiming he's a Spitfire, the British fighter plane which played such a crucial role during the Battle of Britain. And Tweety dons a helmet reading air raid warden, where volunteers in this position were tasked with enforcing area blackouts as well as sounding the air raid alarm.

Clampett left Warner Brothers after the war. Artist Friz Freleng shortly came up with Sylvester the cat, and gave Tweety a more adorable look. The pair emerged as one of the most popular rivalries created in cartoons.

As the two cats struggle to retrieve Tweety from the nest high in a tree, each ploy is designed by Babbit and carried out by his dupe, Catstello. At one point Tweety says his characteristic "I tawt I taw a puddie tat!" This is possibly the first time he used the legendary line. But in this episode it is not joined by the response, "I did! I taw a puddie tat!"

At 17, I still enjoy Looney Tunes, and a Tale of Two Kitties is no exception. It is not a favourite by all means, but it is fun to watch and a funny takeoff of Bud Abbott and Lou Costello. With the exception of an odd-looking Tweety (as if he had just hatched), the animation is fine. The backgrounds are nice in particular and the camera angles are clever. The music is very good, and the humour is all intact and well timed. I particularly loved the "this little piggy went to market" bit, reminded me of Who Framed Roger Rabbit.

The voice acting is commendable. While Mel Blanc slightly overdoes it as Catstello, he does a stellar job as Tweety, who is just as sweet, funny and likable as he is now. Strictly speaking, he is quite bad ass as well. Plus Ted Pierce does well as Babbit in a good grouchy straight talking impression. All in all, it is a lot of fun, not the best Looney Tunes cartoon, but recommended. 8/10 Bethany Cox